AIZAAManagement Consultancy

Dubai · Free zone

Maritime business setup in Dubai Maritime City, and whether it suits you

The maritime cluster between Port Rashid and Dubai Drydocks: ship repair, marine services and yacht businesses.

At a glance

Dubai Maritime City in summary

Dubai Maritime City at a glance
FactorPosition
Licensing authorityDubai Maritime City Authority; confirm the current licensing route for your activity
Ownership100% foreign ownership
Market accessFree zone and international; marine activities also need the relevant maritime approvals
PremisesWorkshops, yards and offices in the maritime district
AuditConfirm the current renewal requirement with the authority
Best forShip repair, marine equipment, yacht services and maritime consultancies

Published fees

Activities: No official fee schedule is published. Note: Treat third-party figures as unofficial; we confirm current fees with the authority for your case.

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

Dubai Maritime City: government fees published by the immigration and identity authorities
ItemAEDChargedSource
Additional fee if sponsored person is inside the countryAdded to entry permit when applying inside UAE; Dubai GDRFA500Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
DHA Express Medical Fitness Service (6 working hours)Domestic workers AED750; no 48-hour tier published; medical fitness700Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
DHA Medical Fitness at Smart Salem Center (30 minutes)Pregnancy test for domestic workers +AED50; medical fitness700Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
DHA Regular Medical Fitness Service (24 working hours)Dubai; excludes typing fees; domestic workers AED300; medical fitness250Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
DHA VIP Medical Fitness Service (2 working hours)Tawajod service also AED1020 (Al Muhaisnah only); medical fitness1,020Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Emirates ID renewal for residents, per year of residencePlus AED100 Smart Application Fees; service 377-004-001-009; ICP Emirates ID100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Emirates ID Smart Service Fees (new issuance, residents)Fixed per application; ICP Emirates ID100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Emirates ID urgent service fee (ICP centres only)Optional fast-track, in-person only; ICP Emirates ID150Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Entry permit linked with job contract (work visa fee)Plus 5% VAT; outside-country applicant pays this only; Dubai GDRFA200Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
GDRFA golden residence permit issuance, investors (10-yr)Plus AED10+AED10 dirhams, AED500 inside country, AED20 delivery; Golden Visa route1,100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Green residence permit issuance, partner/investor (5-year)Plus AED10+AED10 dirhams, AED500 inside country, AED20 delivery; +AED100/yr over 2 yrs; Dubai GDRFA200Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Green residence permit renewal, partner/investorPlus AED10+AED10 dirhams, AED500 inside country, AED20 delivery; Dubai GDRFA200Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Green visa issuance, investor/partner (entry visa)Plus 5% VAT; inside-country extras AED500+10+10; 60-day entry visa; Dubai GDRFA200Per visaAuthority 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)100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
ICP golden residence issuance (10-yr), per yearPlus AED100 application fee and AED100 smart service fee; Golden Visa route100Per visaAuthority 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)100Per visaAuthority 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)100Per visaAuthority 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)100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
ICP smart service feeListed as 'Smart Service Fees' on residence issuance; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai)100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
ICP status adjustment (change of status)Listed as 'Status Adjustment - 500 AED'; ICP federal system (emirates other than Dubai)500Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Innovation DirhamCharged per GDRFA transaction; Dubai GDRFA10Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Knowledge DirhamCharged per GDRFA transaction; Dubai GDRFA10Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
MOHAP medical fitness with vaccination (Category B)AED250 + AED50 Hepatitis B vaccination + AED10 printing; medical fitness310Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
MOHAP medical fitness, female cat. with pregnancy test (C)AED250 + AED50 vaccination + AED50 pregnancy test + AED10 printing; medical fitness360Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
MOHAP medical fitness, workers/employees (Category A)AED250 service + AED10 printing; emirates other than Dubai/Abu Dhabi; medical fitness260Per visaAuthority 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 ID100Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Residence permit issuance, private sector employee (2-year)Plus AED10+AED10 dirhams, AED500 if inside country, AED20 delivery; +AED100/yr beyond 2 yrs; Dubai GDRFA200Per visaAuthority pagechecked 2026-10-17
Status amendment (change of status) registering feePlus AED10 Knowledge + AED10 Innovation Dirham; individual fee AED15 / establishment AED50; Dubai GDRFA500Per visaAuthority 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 Dubai Maritime City?

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.

Prefer to write?

We reply on WhatsApp unless you tell us otherwise.

Three fields. We reply within one working day, Monday to Friday.