JAFZA Offshore Company Formation
Set up a JAFZA Offshore (JAFZA OS) company in Dubai — international business company structure for holding companies, asset protection, and global trade. No UAE operations or visas, 100% foreign ownership.
Description
JAFZA Offshore (JAFZA OS) is a UAE-based offshore International Business Company structure issued by Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority. It is designed for international holding companies, asset protection vehicles, intellectual property holding, and global trade businesses with no UAE physical presence or staff. JAFZA OS is one of the most credible UAE offshore options because it sits under the Jebel Ali Free Zone umbrella — recognised by banks and counterparties as a substantive UAE jurisdiction rather than a pure paper structure.
JAFZA OS offers 100% foreign ownership, no UAE corporate or personal tax on qualifying offshore activities (subject to UAE Corporate Tax rules on UAE-sourced income), strong confidentiality, ability to hold Dubai real estate in specific approved freehold areas, and the ability to own shares in UAE onshore companies. The structure cannot conduct active UAE operations, sponsor UAE residence visas, or open mainland UAE offices — it is purely an international business and holding vehicle. A licensed registered agent in JAFZA is mandatory for incorporation and ongoing maintenance.
Octavon Global Advisory facilitates JAFZA Offshore setup through partnered JAFZA registered agents — structure consultation (holding company, asset protection, IP holding, or international trade), name reservation, MOA and AOA drafting, shareholder and director KYC submission, registered agent appointment, incorporation, and corporate bank account introduction. Standard JAFZA OS setup completes in 5 to 10 working days. Note: JAFZA OS is suitable only for international/holding purposes — for active UAE operations, choose a mainland or onshore free zone structure.
What's Included
- JAFZA Offshore Certificate of Incorporation
- 100% Foreign Ownership
- International Business Company Structure
- Holding Company / Asset Protection / IP Holding Capable
- Memorandum of Association (MOA)
- Articles of Association (AOA)
- Share Certificate
- Shareholder Register
- Director Register
- Registered Agent Appointment (Mandatory)
- Registered Office in JAFZA
- Ability to Hold Approved Dubai Freehold Real Estate
- Ability to Own Shares in UAE Onshore Companies
- Offshore Corporate Bank Account Introduction
- Free UAE Corporate Tax Consultation
Requirements / Prerequisites
- Minimum 1 shareholder (individual or corporate)
- Minimum 1 director (individual)
- Purpose: holding, asset protection, IP, international trade (not UAE active operations)
- Mandatory licensed JAFZA registered agent
- No UAE staff or residence visas under JAFZA OS
- Annual renewal through registered agent
- UBO declaration and clean KYC
Required Documents
- Passport Copy of All Shareholders and Directors (6+ months validity)
- Passport-sized Photographs
- Proof of Address (utility bill, last 3 months)
- CV of Shareholders and Directors
- Bank Reference Letter or Bank Statement
- Source of Funds Declaration
- Business Plan / Purpose Statement
- UBO Declaration
- For corporate shareholder: attested parent company documents, audited financials
Our Process
- Structure consultation (holding, asset protection, IP, international trade)
- Name reservation with JAFZA
- Shareholder, director, and UBO KYC submission
- Registered agent appointment
- MOA and AOA drafting and signing
- Pay JAFZA OS incorporation fees
- Receive Certificate of Incorporation and MOA
- Share certificates and registers maintained by registered agent
- Offshore corporate bank account application
- Annual renewal calendar setup
Pricing
- Basic Fee: AED 12,000
- Service Fee: AED 5,000
- VAT (5%): AED 850
- Total: AED 17,850
Frequently Asked Questions
What is JAFZA Offshore used for?
Primarily four purposes: (1) International holding companies owning subsidiaries across jurisdictions, (2) Asset protection vehicles for individuals and families, (3) Intellectual property holding (trademarks, patents, royalties), and (4) International trade businesses with no UAE physical operations. Not suitable for active UAE business — for that, choose mainland or onshore free zone.
Can a JAFZA Offshore company get UAE residence visas?
No. JAFZA Offshore companies cannot sponsor UAE residence visas — this is a fundamental limitation of all UAE offshore structures. If you need to live and work in the UAE, you need to set up an onshore company (mainland or free zone) in parallel to the offshore structure, or be sponsored by another active UAE entity.
Can JAFZA Offshore own Dubai real estate?
Yes, in specific approved freehold areas. JAFZA Offshore is one of the few UAE offshore structures permitted to hold Dubai real estate directly — useful for asset protection and inheritance planning. Approved areas include Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, JLT, and other designated freehold zones.
How much does JAFZA Offshore setup cost?
JAFZA OS incorporation typically costs AED 12,000-15,000 in government and registered agent fees, plus service fees. Annual renewal (through the registered agent) runs AED 8,000-12,000. Significantly cheaper than maintaining an active onshore company since there are no Ejari, visa, or operational costs.
How long does JAFZA Offshore setup take?
Standard JAFZA OS setup completes in 5 to 10 working days. The bottleneck is typically the registered agent's KYC review — complete documentation upfront speeds this significantly. Offshore bank account opening (if needed) adds 2-6 weeks after incorporation.
What is the difference between JAFZA Offshore and RAK ICC?
Both are UAE offshore structures. JAFZA Offshore is older, more established, has stronger bank acceptance for offshore accounts, and permits Dubai real estate ownership. RAK ICC is newer, more flexible on structuring (foundations, multi-class shares), cheaper, and well-suited for tech and IP holdings. The right choice depends on your purpose — we compare based on your specific use case.
Is JAFZA Offshore subject to UAE Corporate Tax?
UAE Corporate Tax applies to UAE-sourced income. Pure offshore holding and international trade income may qualify for the 0% rate on qualifying free zone income or fall outside the UAE tax base depending on structure. JAFZA OS companies still register for UAE Corporate Tax and file annually — we coordinate this as part of the setup and ongoing service.