Masdar City, is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments, enabling innovation in sustainability and clean technologies by integrating education, research & development, investment and business opportunities. Masdar City is a Free Zone and Investment Zone that provides a unique location for multinationals, SMEs and start-ups to prosper in a collaborative environment that connects business, research and knowledge. Masdar City is an attractive community in which people can live, work, learn and play.

 

Masdar City’s Free Zone status allows tenants numerous preferential advantages such as:

1. 100% foreign ownership
2. 100% exemption from corporate and personal income taxes
3. 0% import tariffs
4. Quick and easy set-up, with a ‘One-Stop Shop’ for registration, government relations and visa processing
5. Freedom of repatriation of both capital and profits to its own home country
6. Launching point into local, regional and international markets
7. Critical mass of sector knowledge and talent innovation ecosystem
8. Research & Development hub
9. Highly cost-effective licensing and office space
10. Close proximity to Abu Dhabi International Airport, Khalifa City, Yas Island and just 40 minutes away from Dubai

 

One-Stop Shop Services at Masdar City Free Zone include:

1. Registration, licensing, and leasing
2. Visa services, including medical checks
3. Dependents sponsorship
4. Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce membership
5. Emirates ID card processing
6. Customs administration
7. Document authentication
8. PO Box set-up
9. Facilities and property management
10. Meeting room and conference facilities

 

Step by Step Guide to setting up your company in Masdar City Free Zone

1. Complete the company name reservation form.
2. Make an initial online payment of AED 2000 for a name reservation.
3. Submit a completed application for a license.
4. Masdar Free Zone will obtain approval from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development which will be notified by email.
5. Access the e-services platform and submit the required information and documents.
6. Masdar Free Zone will review, verify and approve the documents and then issue the organization’s legal documentation.
7. Sign the legal documentation and finalize the lease process and payments by visiting the One-Stop Shop service.

 

Business Registration/ License fees for Masdar City Free Zone

	Business Package	Start-up Package	Women Entrepreneurship Program	Space Zone
No. of activities	Up to 6	Up to 5	Up to 5	One
Visa eligibility	Minimum 2 & more depending on lease	Two	One	Depending on lease
Registration fee(One time)	AED 3,000/-	AED 3,000/-	AED 3,000/-	AED 3,000/-
License fee starting from	AED 14,000/-	AED 10,000/-	AED 6,000/-	AED 6,000/-
Lease starting from	AED 10,000/-	AED 6,000/-	AED 6,000/-	AED 10,000/-

* The fees stated above and in this article are purely based on the information available on the official websites/sources of the concerned government authority and from publicly available sources. You can anticipate changes in future in the costs mentioned. If you re taking any decisions based on the info provided in this article, kindly recheck with the official authorities/sources before taking any decision. Spectrum is not responsible for any changes in the costs mentioned above.  

Corporate tax applicability to the companies in Masdar City Free Zone:

Corporate tax law is going to be applicable for all the companies registered in UAE including the free zones in UAE. The UAE Corporate tax is going to be effective for the financial year beginning on or after 1 June 2023 for the businesses in UAE. Corporate tax will be levied at zero percent on the taxable income (adjusted net profit) of the businesses in the free zones as long as they comply with all the regulations of the respective free zone and do not do any business with the mainland companies, otherwise there is a possibility of levying 9% corporate tax on the taxable income (adjusted net profit) in excess of AED 375,000. Hence companies in the Free Zones need to make sure that they are complying with all the regulations of the free zone and do not do any business with the mainland entities to enjoy the benefit of zero percentage of UAE corporate tax.

 

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