Form a company in any of Sharjah's premier free zones — from SAIF Zone (aviation & logistics) to Hamriyah (heavy industry) to SHAMS (media at AED 5,750). Premium UAE banking acceptance at SME pricing.
Industries thriving in Sharjah free zones
Sharjah operates four major free zones — each engineered for a different industry. From the heavy industrial muscle of Hamriyah to the aviation hub of SAIF Zone to the SME-friendly media zone SHAMS, Sharjah's free zone ecosystem covers nearly every business model at meaningfully lower cost than Dubai.
Sharjah is also the only emirate with coastlines on both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — giving free zone companies unique dual-coast logistics options via Hamriyah Port (Gulf) and Khor Fakkan Port (Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz). Premium banking acceptance is on par with Dubai free zones.
Active companies
Specialised free zones
From Dubai International
Tax holiday
Sharjah's Hamriyah Port (Gulf) and Khor Fakkan Port (Oman side) give free-zone companies the only direct dual-coast access in the UAE.
Industrial scale, dual-coast logistics, and premium banking acceptance — at SME-friendly entry prices.
SHAMS packages from AED 5,750 (no visa) — the lowest entry price in the UAE for an internationally-recognised free zone.
Hamriyah Free Zone is one of the most established heavy industrial zones in the UAE — petrochemicals, oil & gas services, steel.
Hamriyah Port (Gulf) and Khor Fakkan Port (Oman) — only emirate with direct access to both, bypassing Strait of Hormuz risk.
Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport — the UAE's third-busiest cargo airport, with established aviation/logistics infrastructure.
Sharjah Media City — most affordable media free zone in the UAE, popular with content creators, freelancers, and digital agencies.
Sharjah Publishing City is the world's first publishing free zone — home to publishers, translators, and rights agencies serving the Arab world.
All Sharjah free zones permit full foreign ownership — no local sponsor required.
0% corporate tax on qualifying free-zone income. Personal income remains 0%. 50-year tax holiday guaranteed.
Most packages include 1–6 visas. Family sponsorship available for shareholders post-investor visa.
Four specialised zones, each engineered for a specific industry and price point.
Sharjah Media City — the UAE's most affordable media free zone. Popular with content creators, agencies, and digital nomads. License from AED 5,750 (shareholders only).
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone — adjacent to Sharjah International, the UAE's #3 cargo airport. Aviation, logistics, and high-value trading.
HFZA — one of the UAE's largest heavy industrial zones with direct port access. Petrochemicals, oil & gas services, steel, manufacturing.
SPC — the world's first publishing free zone. Publishers, translation agencies, IP rights agencies, and educational content businesses.
Each Sharjah free zone issues licenses aligned with its industry focus — common categories include service, trading, industrial, and media.
For consulting, advisory, and professional services. Available across all four free zones; SHAMS is the lowest-cost option.
For import-export, e-commerce, and trading operations. SAIF Zone offers the best aviation cargo route; Hamriyah for sea cargo.
For manufacturing and processing — primarily issued in Hamriyah Free Zone with direct port logistics and heavy industrial infrastructure.
For broadcasting, content production, agencies, and freelancers — issued primarily by SHAMS at the lowest pricing in the UAE.
Our 6-step process gets your license issued in 3–5 working days across any of the four Sharjah free zones.
Match activity to SHAMS / SAIF / Hamriyah / SPC
Pick legal form (FZE / FZC) & activities
Reserve trade name with the FZA
Application, KYC & sector approvals
FZA issues trade license & establishment card
Visa stamping & bank account opening
Documentation is straightforward across Sharjah's free zones. SHAMS and SPC support fully digital onboarding; Hamriyah and SAIF Zone require additional sector approvals for specific activities.
Personal presence in the UAE is required only for visa biometrics (1 day) and bank account opening (1–2 days).
Get Document ChecklistEvery business is different — your jurisdiction, visa needs, banking requirements, and timeline shape the final cost. Tell us about your plans and we’ll send a transparent, all-in quote within one business day.
Sharjah's four free zones have radically different fee structures, banking acceptance, and approval workflows. SHAMS is fast and cheap. Hamriyah requires sector clearances. Fairway picks the right zone the first time and keeps your setup on the fastest path.
Talk to a SpecialistDirect SHAMS portal — license issued within 72 hours.
We map activity to optimal Sharjah free zone — no costly amendments later.
Pre-vetted channels at SIB, RAKBank, ENBD, Mashreq for Sharjah free zones.
Renewals, amendments, PRO, and accounting under one engagement.
SHAMS at AED 5,750 sounded too good to be true. Fairway walked me through the trade-offs, set it up in three days, opened my Mashreq NeoBiz account in two weeks. Two years later I've upgraded to a visa package — same license, same bank, zero friction.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often. Have a different question? Just WhatsApp us.
SHAMS (Sharjah Media City) was deliberately designed as an affordable entry-point free zone targeting freelancers, content creators, and digital SMEs. The zone uses a modular pricing structure where shareholders pay a base licensing fee (AED 5,750) and add visa packages separately. The license itself carries the same 0% qualifying tax and 100% ownership benefits as more expensive free zones.
Primarily, but SHAMS' activity list is broader than the name suggests — it covers media, content, advertising, e-commerce, IT services, consulting, design, and several digital-business categories. Pure trading and physical-goods businesses fit better at Hamriyah or SAIF Zone.
Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA) — one of the UAE's largest heavy industrial zones. Direct port access via Hamriyah Port, established petrochemical and oil-and-gas service ecosystem, and large industrial plot allocations. SAIF Zone is better for light manufacturing closer to the airport.
Both are airport-adjacent free zones — DAFZA is in Dubai (DXB), SAIF Zone is in Sharjah (SHJ). DAFZA is more premium-positioned, more expensive, and dominant for high-value air cargo. SAIF Zone is meaningfully cheaper, suited to general logistics and SME aviation services. Sharjah Airport is the UAE's #3 cargo hub, so SAIF still moves significant volume.
SHAMS issues licenses in 3–5 working days. SAIF and Sharjah Publishing City take 5–7 days. Hamriyah's industrial licenses requiring sector approvals take 10–14 days. Visa stamping adds another 10–14 days.
Yes — Sharjah free zones are well-recognised by all major UAE banks. SIB (Sharjah Islamic Bank), RAKBank, ENBD, ADCB, Mashreq, and ADIB all open accounts for Sharjah free zone companies. Banking acceptance is on par with most Dubai free zones (excluding marquee zones like DMCC and DIFC).
Yes. Each Sharjah free zone offers visa packages — SHAMS bundles up to 6 visas, SAIF Zone up to 9, and Hamriyah supports unlimited based on warehouse/office size. Family sponsorship is available for shareholders post-investor visa issuance.
For B2B services and digital products — yes, with VAT compliance. For physical goods sold direct-to-consumer in the UAE mainland, you'll typically work through a distributor or open a mainland branch. Fairway designs the right channel mix during setup.
Tell us your setup preferences and our consultants will calculate a transparent, all-in quote within one business day. No spam, no high-pressure sales — just a clear path to your setup.
Need an instant reply?
Chat on WhatsAppShare a few details and we’ll prepare a tailored cost estimate for your business setup.