Ajman offshore company formation
Ajman Free Zone publishes very little about its offshore company. This page states what the authority and the Ministry of Economy say, and is plain about what they do not.
The short answer
An Ajman offshore company is registered by Ajman Free Zone, which sells it as AFZ Offshore Solutions. The authority describes it as a structure for holding companies, special purpose vehicles, real estate holding, parent companies and international trading, with no visas and no office space. Its offshore regulations are not published and we found no offshore fee on its pages, so Links confirms the requirements with the authority for each application.
What is an Ajman offshore company?
An Ajman offshore company is a company registered by Ajman Free Zone, which currently markets the product as AFZ Offshore Solutions. The Ministry of Economy's profile of the registrar lists two offshore legal forms: Offshore Company (O.S.) and International Business Company (I.B.C.).
Ajman Free Zone was established in 1988. The Ministry of Economy profile gives its related legislation as Amiri Decree No. 2 of 2014 concerning Ajman Free Zone. The authority's website is afz.gov.ae.
Ajman Free Zone offers the product for holding companies, special purpose vehicles, real estate holding, parent company structures and international trading. It states that an offshore entity can own UAE or international businesses and can sit above an onshore or free zone company as a parent.
The authority also says who the product is not for: businesses that need local UAE operations, and companies trading directly within the UAE market.
What does Ajman Free Zone publish about its offshore rules?
Ajman Free Zone's offshore regulations are not published, and we found no offshore fee on the Ajman Free Zone pages we opened.
Figures for directors, property limits and prices appear on other websites. We could not trace them to the authority, so we do not repeat them.
Links confirms the requirements and the fees with Ajman Free Zone for each application and sends them to you in writing before you commit.
| Topic | What Ajman Free Zone states |
|---|---|
| Uses | Holding companies, special purpose vehicles, real estate holding, parent company structures, international trading |
| Visas and office | No visas and no office space |
| Timeline | Typically 1 to 3 working days |
| Process | Four steps, ending with incorporation and the issue of company documents |
| Where property may be held | Not stated |
| Directors, shareholders and secretary | Not found on the authority's pages |
| Share capital | Not found on the authority's pages |
| Audit and accounting records | Not found on the authority's pages |
| Fees | Not found on the authority's pages |
| Approved agents | A Channel Partners Program is described. No list of approved agents is published |
How long does it take to set up an Ajman offshore company?
Ajman Free Zone states a typical timeline of 1 to 3 working days for incorporation. That is the authority's own figure, and its process includes a compliance review.
The authority describes four steps: identify the requirement, submit information to the AFZ Offshore team, compliance review and documentation, then incorporation and the issue of company documents.
Ajman Free Zone runs a Channel Partners Program with referral, reseller and strategic partners. Its FAQs list offshore among its license types and give a phone number for a dedicated offshore department.
Good to knowAjman Free Zone describes the result of the process as incorporation and the issue of company documents. It says the product is not suitable for companies trading directly within the UAE market.
Does an Ajman offshore company pay tax or give you a visa?
The UAE Corporate Tax Law applies to an Ajman offshore company, and the authority says the product comes with no visas.
A company incorporated under UAE legislation is a Resident Person under Article 11 of Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, and it must register with the Federal Tax Authority. Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that. No Ministry of Finance or Federal Tax Authority document treats offshore companies as exempt, and none names them specifically, so take advice on your own case.
Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 on beneficial owners applies to legal persons registered in the UAE, including the commercial free zones. Its exemptions do not include offshore companies, so an Ajman offshore company must keep a beneficial owner register and file the data with its registrar.
An offshore company does not normally lead to a residence visa. If you need one, a free zone or mainland company is the usual route.
Good to knowAn Ajman offshore company does not by itself end your tax obligations at home. US citizens and resident aliens are taxed on worldwide income, UK residence is decided by the Statutory Residence Test, and in the EU national law and tax treaties decide. Take advice from a qualified adviser in your home country before you set one up.
The steps, in order
- 01
Identify the requirement
Decide what the company is for, such as holding shares or acting as a parent company.
- 02
Submit information to the AFZ Offshore team
The information goes to Ajman Free Zone's offshore team.
- 03
Compliance review and documentation
The authority reviews the application and the documents are prepared.
- 04
Incorporation
Ajman Free Zone incorporates the company and issues the company documents.
Ajman offshore: common questions.
Answered from the official sources listed below. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
How fast can an Ajman offshore company be incorporated?
Ajman Free Zone states a typical timeline of 1 to 3 working days for incorporation of an offshore company. That is the authority's own figure, and its process includes a compliance review and documentation before incorporation.
How many directors and shareholders does an Ajman offshore company need?
Ajman Free Zone's offshore regulations are not published, so there is no official figure to quote. We could not trace the figures on other websites to the authority. Links confirms the requirement with Ajman Free Zone for each application.
What does Ajman Free Zone charge for an offshore company?
We found no fee for the offshore company on the Ajman Free Zone pages we opened. Links confirms the fee with Ajman Free Zone and sends you the full cost in writing before you commit.
Can I get a visa through an Ajman offshore company?
Not according to the authority. Ajman Free Zone says its offshore product involves no visas and no office space, and that it is not suitable for businesses that need local UAE operations. An offshore company does not normally lead to a residence visa.
Can I use an Ajman offshore company as the holding company for my free zone business?
Ajman Free Zone states that its offshore entity can own UAE or international businesses and can sit above an onshore or free zone company as a parent. It lists holding companies and parent company structures among the uses of the product.
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page was checked against the official source on 29 September 2026. Rules and fees change, so we confirm the current position before any application.
- Ajman Free Zone, offshore solutions (opens in a new tab)
- Ajman Free Zone, FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- Ajman Free Zone, channel partners (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Economy, Ajman Free Zone registrar profile (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Economy, Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 on beneficial owner procedures (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Finance, Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on corporate tax (opens in a new tab)
- UAE Government portal, corporate tax (opens in a new tab)
Related pages
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