Free zone company
Company setup in Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone (ADAFZ)
Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone, known as ADAFZ, is the free zone run by Abu Dhabi Airports. It operates at Zayed International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport and the international airport in Al Ain. It suits air cargo, logistics, aviation, e-commerce, trading and consulting companies. Caliph helps you choose the site and the facility and prepares the application.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Emirate
- Abu Dhabi
- Authority
- Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone, the commercial arm of Abu Dhabi Airports
- Location
- Zayed International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport and the airport in Al Ain
- Known for
- Air cargo and logistics, aviation, e-commerce, trading and light manufacturing
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership
- Office options
- Flexi desks, serviced offices, warehouses, retail units, airside hangars and leased land
Overview
ADAFZ belongs to Abu Dhabi Airports, the company that runs the emirate's airports. That sets it apart from most free zones. The space it leases is inside or beside working airports, and the main reason to be here is the short distance to the aircraft. Its headquarters is in the business park at Zayed International Airport.
Each of the three sites has its own character. Zayed International is the main hub, with offices, warehouses and cargo facilities. Al Bateen Executive Airport serves private aviation, with hangars and room for maintenance and aviation services. The Al Ain site offers industrial land and factory space for manufacturers. The right site depends on what you move and how it travels.
The zone lists startups, small firms and multinationals in aviation, logistics, e-commerce, trading, technology, consultancy, light manufacturing and retail among the businesses it serves. Every company must lease a facility, even if that is a single flexi desk. Rules differ by activity and site, and your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
What ADAFZ offers that other zones do not
Next to the cargo terminal
Warehouses and light industrial units connect to cargo and airside operations, which shortens the path between your stock and the aircraft.
Three airports, three uses
Pick the main hub for offices and cargo, Al Bateen for private aviation, or Al Ain for industrial land.
Hangars for aviation businesses
ADAFZ leases airside hangars, a kind of facility that few free zones can offer.
A dual licence route to the mainland
ADAFZ says a company set up as an LLC in the zone can apply for a dual licence from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
Start small, add space later
A company can hold more than one facility, so you can begin with a desk and add an office or a warehouse as you grow.
What to have ready for ADAFZ
- Passport copies of the shareholders and the manager
- A completed expression of interest describing the business
- The ultimate beneficial owner declaration that ADAFZ asks for
- Company name options and the activities you want on the licence
- For a branch, the parent company's licence and incorporation documents
- The facility you plan to lease: desk, office, warehouse, hangar or land
ADAFZ confirms the legal documents for your company type through its online portal. Your consultant prepares them with you.
How setup in ADAFZ works
Pick the airport and the facility
We match your activity to the right site and to a desk, an office, a warehouse, a hangar or a plot.
Choose the legal form and activities
ADAFZ registers LLCs and branches, and it follows the activity list of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
Send the expression of interest
Caliph prepares the enquiry and the ownership declaration and submits them to the zone.
Complete the legal documents
You sign the company papers and the lease. The zone reviews the file through its portal.
Licence issued
After approval the licence is released and the company can start using its facility.
Visas for the team
Residence visas are applied for through the ADAFZ portal. How many you can have depends on your package and the space you lease.
Good to know
- ADAFZ facilities are leased, not sold. Land is available on lease, and you can build on it once the zone and the relevant government bodies approve the plans.
- Offices cannot be used to store goods, and space cannot be sub-leased. If you hold stock, plan for a warehouse from the start.
- Staff accommodation is not permitted on airport premises, so your workers live outside the zone.
- A licence from another free zone cannot be moved to ADAFZ. You set up a new licence here.
Questions people ask
Who runs Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone?
ADAFZ is the free zone arm of Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of the emirate's airports. It issues the free zone licence, leases the facilities and handles visa applications for its companies through its own online portal.
Where is ADAFZ located?
It has sites at three airports in the emirate of Abu Dhabi: Zayed International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport and the international airport in Al Ain. The headquarters is in the business park at Zayed International Airport.
Do I need to rent an office to get an ADAFZ licence?
Yes. ADAFZ states that a company must lease a facility to obtain a licence, and each licence needs its own address. The smallest option is a flexi desk, so you do not have to take a full office at the start.
Can an ADAFZ company trade on the Abu Dhabi mainland?
A free zone licence covers business inside the zone and abroad. For mainland business, ADAFZ says companies set up as LLCs can apply to the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development for a dual licence. Your consultant checks whether your activity qualifies and what the second licence involves.
How does ADAFZ compare with DAFZA in Dubai?
Both are airport free zones, so the logic is the same: quick access to air cargo. ADAFZ is regulated in Abu Dhabi and spreads across three airports, with hangars and industrial land as well as offices. DAFZA sits at Dubai International Airport. The choice usually follows the airport your cargo and customers use.
Do the shareholders have to live in the UAE?
No. ADAFZ says an investor does not need to be a UAE resident to own a company in the zone, although someone from the company is expected to visit when it is registered. The company's manager must hold a residence visa under ADAFZ.
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
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