Abu Dhabi · Financial free zone
ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market): what it is good for, and what it is not
Abu Dhabi's financial free zone on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands: common law, its own courts, and a wide range of non-financial licences too.
At a glance
ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) in summary
| Factor | Position |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | ADGM Registration Authority; financial services regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) |
| Ownership | 100% foreign ownership |
| Market access | Financial free zone with English common law applied directly; holding companies, SPVs, family offices, tech and professional firms are licensed alongside regulated firms |
| Premises | Offices on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands; lighter options exist for holding vehicles and SPVs |
| Audit | Audited accounts are required for most ADGM entities; confirm the current rules for your category |
| Best for | Asset managers, fintech, holding companies, SPVs and family offices wanting a common-law home in the capital |
Published fees
Activities: ADGM prices by licence category (retail, non-financial, financial, tech startup), not by activity count. Note: ADGM publishes fees in USD, not AED: from 1 Jan 2025 non-financial commercial licence USD 5,500 new / USD 5,000 renewal; retail USD 2,500 / 2,000; financial USD 16,700 / 16,200; tech startup USD 1,500; data protection USD 300 (adgm.com announcement, 2 Jan 2025).
Visas: No visa fees published on the pages checked.
The licensing authority does not publish its licence and package fees on its own website, so no authority figure is shown here. We quote them in writing, itemised, after a short conversation.
Government fees for residence visas
| Item | AED | Charged | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates ID renewal for residents, per year of residencePlus AED100 Smart Application Fees; service 377-004-001-009; ICP Emirates ID | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| Emirates ID Smart Service Fees (new issuance, residents)Fixed per application; ICP Emirates ID | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| Emirates ID urgent service fee (ICP centres only)Optional fast-track, in-person only; ICP Emirates ID | 150 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| GDRFA golden residence permit issuance, investors (10-yr)Plus AED10+AED10 dirhams, AED500 inside country, AED20 delivery; Golden Visa route | 1,100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP entry visa for employment to obtain Green ResidencePlus AED100 application fee and AED100 smart service fee; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP golden residence issuance (10-yr), per yearPlus AED100 application fee and AED100 smart service fee; Golden Visa route | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP residence permit application feeService 377-006-003-000; federal/ICP system (emirates other than Dubai); ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP residence permit issuance fee, per yearAED100 per year of validity (2-yr visa = AED200); ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP residence permit renewal fee, per yearPlus AED100 application fee and AED100 smart service fee; service 377-006-003-003; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP smart service feeListed as 'Smart Service Fees' on residence issuance; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| ICP status adjustment (change of status)Listed as 'Status Adjustment - 500 AED'; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai) | 500 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| MOHAP medical fitness with vaccination (Category B)AED250 + AED50 Hepatitis B vaccination + AED10 printing; medical fitness | 310 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| MOHAP medical fitness, female cat. with pregnancy test (C)AED250 + AED50 vaccination + AED50 pregnancy test + AED10 printing; medical fitness | 360 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| MOHAP medical fitness, workers/employees (Category A)AED250 service + AED10 printing; emirates other than Dubai/Abu Dhabi; medical fitness | 260 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
| New Emirates ID for residents, per year of residence1yr=100, 2yr=200, 3yr=300; 5/10-yr cards follow same per-year rate; ICP Emirates ID | 100 | Per visa | Authority pagechecked 2026-10-17 |
Every figure above comes from the authority’s own fee page or schedule, with the link beside it and was last checked on 17 October 2026. Fees change, some exclude VAT, and the list is not everything a setup costs: our professional fee, office rent, document attestation and bank requirements are quoted separately. Lines older than 90 days drop off until re-checked.
What happens after formation
Corporate tax registration, bookkeeping, VAT if you cross the threshold, and — in many zones — audited financial statements at renewal. We set the dates out before you launch rather than after.
Package contents, visa quotas, activity lists and audit requirements are set by each authority and change. Every figure is confirmed against the authority’s current terms at the time we advise you.
Next step
Thinking about ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)?
A short call, a written comparison, and fixed fees before anything starts.
Monday to Friday, 9:00–18:00 GST. Messages outside those hours are answered the next working morning. WhatsApp +971 55 786 7621.