Free zones with a flexi-desk or virtual office option

Most UAE free zones require some facility as part of the licence, but many publish a flexi-desk or virtual office as the lightest option instead of a dedicated office. This is often the lowest-cost route into a free zone. What you give up depends on the zone: zones commonly link the visa quota to the space you lease, and the Qualifying Free Zone Person corporate tax regime includes a condition of adequate substance in the free zone. This guide shows which zones publish these options and what to confirm.

What zones mean by flexi-desk and virtual office

• Flexi-desk: shared workspace that gives the company a registered address in the zone, with set access to desks or meeting rooms.
• Virtual office: a registered address, sometimes with mail handling, without regular desk use.

The licence still lists an address in the zone, and the zone still issues a lease or service agreement. Terms differ between zones: ask for the exact facility type on your agreement, what access it gives and how many visas it allows.

Zones that list a flexi-desk

The table below lists zones that offer a flexi-desk, sorted by the lowest package each publishes.

Zones that list a virtual office

Comparing visa quotas

See the full IFZA vs Meydan Free Zone vs SHAMS vs RAKEZ comparison →

For example, Sharjah Media City Free Zone (Shams) and Meydan Free Zone both list a minimum facility of flexi-desk; the largest visa quota in a package Meydan publishes is 3.

Zones publish their own quota rules. DMCC states up to 3 visas on a flexi-desk, 4 or 5 in a serviced office and 1 per 9 sqm of physical space. RAKEZ states that a shared workstation is limited to one visa. Check each zone page for the rule it publishes.

Corporate tax substance

The FTA's Free Zone Persons guide lists maintaining adequate substance in a free zone as one of the conditions of the Qualifying Free Zone Person regime. What counts as adequate depends on your activity, so take advice before relying on a flexi-desk alone. See our guide to the Qualifying Free Zone Person rules.

Questions to ask the zone

• How many visas does the package allow, and can it be increased without upgrading the facility?
• Can the licence stage be completed online?
• What does the flexi-desk include in practice (desk access, meeting rooms, mail)?
• What does it cost to upgrade to an office later?
• Does the renewal price include the flexi-desk? See our guide to renewal costs.

Making the choice

A flexi-desk or virtual office can be enough if your team is small and does not need a workplace in the zone. If you need several visas, storage or premises that regulators must inspect, compare zones by office or warehouse options instead. Our questionnaire can shortlist zones by facility, visas and budget, and how we verify explains where the data comes from.