Sharjah Media City Free Zone
(SHAMS)

Sharjah Media City Free Zone

Sharjah Media City Free Zone (SHAMS) is based in Sharjah at a close distance to University of Sharjah and serves as a dovetail-means to the creative and media businesses to develop and flourish.

Sharjah Media City Free Zone referred to as the Shams is a developing and innovative free zone created in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, acting Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Shams is a development located in the emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and is rapidly turning into one of the most popular destinations of creative and media-related companies

Key Elements

Location and Size:

1 Situated in Al Messaned, Sharjah

2 Spans 2 million square meters

3 5 minutes from Sharjah International Airport and 15 minutes from Dubai

Business Focus:

Primarily caters to media and creative industries
Offers over 120 business activities
Allows a combination of different activities on the same license

Licensing Options:

Service License
Trading License
Industrial License

Benefits for Businesses

Cost-Effective Setup:

One of the most affordable free zones for company registration in the UAE

Offers competitive packages, starting from 5,750 AED for a zero visa package

Ownership and Tax Benefits:

100% foreign ownership
Tax-free environment
No restrictions on profit repatriation

Visa and Residency:

Flexible visa options
Packages available with up to 6 visas

Infrastructure and Support:

World-class facilities and services
Dedicated team for investment promotion and assistance

Unique Offerings

Freelance Packages:
Special packages of freelancers in the media activities, which is a provision of the company setup, distribution of office and visa

Film Commission:
Shams is introducing its own Film Commission in order to woo film shooting projects

Workshops and Networking:
Knowledge enhancement and networking opportunities through regular workshop, seminars and exhibitions

Sharjah Media City Free Zone envisages innovation, promotion of entrepreneurship and the establishment of a flourishing environment of media and creative enterprises. Strategic location, cost-effective solutions and industry-focused approach of it makes it an appealing destination to startups and established companies who want to extend their presence in the UAE and other countries.

Sharjah Media City Free Zone (SHAMS) company registration is easy to do and can be done remotely in 7 days

Here's a comprehensive overview of the process:

Choose Your Business Structure

SHAMS offers three types of business structures:

Limited Liability Company (LLC) for individuals
Limited Liability Company for shareholders
Branch Company

Select Your License Type

SHAMS issues four types of licenses:

Service License: To produce, reproduce, transform and distribute the services
Trading License: In selling, importing and exporting.
Industrial License: As applied to production, reproduction, transformation and production of goods
Holding License

There are more than 120 business licenses to which these licenses apply; you will be able to combine different activities on a single license.

Document Preparation

Gather the required documents, which may include:

Certificate of Incorporation
Memorandum of Association (MOA)
Articles of Association (AOA)
Board resolutions (for establishing a new company or branch)
Certificate of good standing
Valid trade license
Passport copies of shareholders, directors, and company secretary
UAE visa copy of the General Manager

Name Approval

Submission of application to approve name of the company, copies of passport and photographs of shareholders.

License Application

File your license application papers to the authorities of SHAMS, and attach the supporting documents.

Pay Fees

In SHAMS, the price of licenses begins at AED 5,750 and it can differ with the nature of your business.

Additional fees may include:

Immigration Card (3 Years): AED 1,575
E-channel registration: AED 2,525

Receive Company Documents

Once registration is successful, SHAMS will grant all the necessary set of company documents and these are:

Trade License

Share Certificate

Memorandum of Association (MOA)

Articles of Association (AOA)

Certificate of Formation

Lease Agreement

Additional Information

You can also perform the registration process 100 percent remotely (and this is both in the UAE and in other states)
The cost of incorporating the company within SHAMS needs a capital of no less than AED 150,000.
The free zone provides long term packages of license agreement in several years of planning
The renewal of licenses does not demand any annual audit report

Alpha Equity MC business setup consultant can efficiently register your company in the Sharjah Media City Free Zone.

Cost Estimate for basic Company Setup in Sharjah Media City Free Zone (SHAMS), approximately AED 6,750 (USD 1,838)