About Sharjah Media City

Having been established in 2017, Sharjah Media City (Shams) is a free zone that provides one of the most affordable company registration rates in the United Arab Emirates. The company is expanding quickly. Shams is a well-known center for businesses offering media services. In actuality, Shams created and centralized the management of its free zone to promote the expansion of media and creative businesses. Shams offers a whole ecosystem for the growth of media and creative industries, in addition to permitting the establishment of new businesses in the UAE. This is accomplished by permitting the incorporation of enterprises that support and facilitate the operations of the media and creative industries. Each business in the Shams free zone benefits from this reciprocal connection, which fosters growth and success.

Shams has one of the lowest establishment costs for companies in the United Arab Emirates and is a highly competitively priced free zone. It is, in fact, one of the rare free zones that is well-known and reasonably priced at the same time. The incorporation of a company with Shams free zone has several advantages. Following is a list of a few of them:

  • One of the cheapest free zone licenses in UAE.
  • Quick registration.
  • Do various business activities on a single license.
  • Shams is located in a tax-free jurisdiction.
  • Zero corporate tax.
  • Zero personal tax.
  • The entire capital and profits can be repatriated.
  • 100% foreign ownership is permissible.
  • Hassle free and streamlined procedures.
  • Shams hosts regular workshops and business community sessions for its companies to gain more exposure.
  • Shareholders are not required to be physically present in the UAE to incorporate a new company.
  • Free training sessions.
  • Free space at exhibitions such as GITEX Expo and Seamless Middle East.

Process

The procedures for establishing a business with the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) are listed below:
Pricing Packages

Get in touch with us for a customized quote for starting your business.

Types of Shams Licenses and Companies

Shams provides one of the most affordable free zone permits in the United Arab Emirates for the following uses:

  • Services and consultancy license: This involves production, re-production and distribution of services.
  • A trading license enables a business to import, export, and sell items. A business may sell products in bulk or at retail, as well as offer services associated with the selling of the relevant commodities, under this license.
  • Industrial license: Shams issues this license to enable businesses to manufacture, produce, re-produce, and alter things.

A business is able to conduct various business operations under the licenses mentioned above. Shams typically classify the several permitted commercial operations under the primary headings of media, retail and wholesale, and services and consulting. The following is a list of business activities that fall under each heading:

Media

  • Printing and duplicating audio files
  • publishing activities for software, books, and journals
  • Sound recording and publishing of musical works
  • Activities related to movies, videos, and television shows
  • Radio transmission
  • Activities related to television programming and broadcasting
  • Communications
  • Computer programming, advising, and associated tasks
  • Information services operations
  • Portal websites
  • hosting and data processing
  • Technical, scientific, and professional pursuits
  • Market research and advertising for technical, scientific, and professional endeavors
  • Specialized design and photography
  • Artistic and recreational endeavors
  • Internet advertising
  • coordinating an event
  • Manufacturing
  • Internet portals
  • Visual arts
  • Style design
  • Interior design
  • Translation offerings

Wholesale and Retail

  • Trading in bulk
  • Overall commerce
  • livestock and agricultural raw materials in bulk.
  • Home products in bulk.
  • Wholesale purchase of equipment and machines.
  • Wholesale under a contract or for a charge.
  • Retail sales in areas without specialization.
  • Retail distribution of motor fuel.
  • Retail sales of leisure and cultural products.
  • Food and drink sales in retail settings.
  • Equipment for communication and information is sold retail.
  • Retail selling of home furnishings.
  • Retail sales at markets and booths.
  • Retail sales in marketplaces, booths, and stores.
  • Vehicle and motorbike repair, as well as wholesale and retail sales.

Services and Consultancy

  • Maintenance and setup of machinery, apparatus, and metallic goods
  • Setting up industrial gear and machinery
  • Building
  • Plumbing, electrical, and other installation tasks in building
  • Storage and transportation-related support services
  • Courier and postal services
  • Activities related to restaurants and mobile food services
  • Catering for events and additional culinary services
  • Conducting business operations
  • Activities related to financial services
  • Protection and supplementation
  • Initiatives supporting pension financing, insurance, and financial services
  • Activities related to real estate
  • Lawful
  • Bookkeeping and accounting
  • Both tax advice and auditing
  • Activities at the head office
  • Activities that involve management consulting
  • Engineering and architectural endeavors
  • Analyses and testing technical
  • Scientific investigation and advancement
  • Activities related to leasing and renting
  • Intellectual property leasing
  • Employment-related activities
  • Tour and travel companies
  • Services for cleaning buildings
  • Activities supporting facilities combined
  • Activities related to landscape maintenance and care services
  • Call centers
  • Services for business support
  • Administrative and support tasks at the office
  • Arranging trade exhibitions and conferences
  • Activities to assist education
  • Recreation and sports
  • Membership organizations’ operations
  • Organizations
  • Computer repair
  • Repair of household and personal items
  • Additional actions related to personal service

Shams acknowledges the following company categories as being incorporated:

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Under this legal structure, the company’s liabilities are limited to the business. These obligations of a business do not transfer to the shareholder(s) of the business. A shareholder’s responsibility is limited to the amount he has invested in the business. Conversely, the company’s assets remain its own and do not transfer to the stockholders as personal assets. The shareholders of an LLC registered with Shams are entitled to sponsor employees and open a bank account.

Branch

The DMCC offers companies the opportunity to establish a subsidiary if they currently operate in or outside of the United Arab Emirates. By ownership of shares, the parent firm of the DMCC owns a subsidiary. In the United Arab Emirates, subsidiaries are not required to perform the same tasks as their parent firm. Any activity allowed by the DMCC may be carried out by subsidiaries incorporated at the DMCC.

Branch

Existing businesses are permitted to establish a branch in the free zone by Shams. The identity of the branch is seen as being combined with the identity of the parent business for the purposes of profits, gains, returns, expenses, obligations, and liabilities. Once a branch office is established within the Shams free zone, the parent firm is able to sponsor personnel and obtain a bank account.

Office Space for a Company in the Shams Free Zone

Businesses that are registered under the Shams free zone are required to rent a workspace located within the free zone. Shams Free Zone offers several options for places to work. Business owners typically select a workspace depending on the number of employees, the need for visas, and the size of the organization. A business operating in a Shams free zone may select a location from the list below:

Dedicated Desk

In a co-working facility, a dedicated desk represents your company’s committed workplace. You will have access to a conference room, a printer, and WiFi when you have a dedicated desk.

Shared Desk

This is a space that other business owners can share as needed. The printer and WiFi are already set up on the common desk. Access to a meeting room is also provided, much like a dedicated desk. For small business owners who want to manage their company and expand their professional network at the same time, a shared desk comes in handy.

Dedicated Office

This office is set aside for your Shams free zone business. When not in use, these private offices have the option to be locked. A dedicated office offers a variety of seating options. Dedicated offices may have a single desk or multiple desks, contingent on the demands of the business. There is already printers and WiFi in a dedicated office. The property also has a common meeting space that is available to business owners.

How Are UAE-Based Media Companies Growing?

In the UAE, registering a new corporation has two main alternatives. One is to start a mainland or onshore business in collaboration with a local UAE citizen. The expense of establishing a business in the UAE mainland presents a constraint in this instance, as it is subject to several rules and foreign citizens are not permitted to own the entire company. In the UAE, setting up a free zone corporation is the alternative and more favored option. With this option, foreign people can have 100% ownership, fewer compliances are required, and starting a business in the UAE is less expensive.

In the UAE, there are numerous free zones that permit a wide range of commercial operations under various company licenses. Business owners take into account a number of factors when selecting a free zone, including the cost of establishing a firm in the United Arab Emirates, the free zone’s reputation, and its main goals. When a company’s aim and the goal of the free zone coincide, it is always advantageous. Many businesses find it challenging to locate such a free zone. It’s interesting that media companies are doing well. The UAE has a complete free zone devoted to making it easier for media enterprises to establish, run, and expand. The Shams Free Zone is the preferred jurisdiction for media industry owners to establish free zone companies in the United Arab Emirates and grow their enterprises.

The following are some ways that Shams Free Zone’s targeted approach can accelerate the development of any media company:

1. One of the least expensive ways to start a UAE free zone firm

Shams Free Zone is among the most affordable places to register a corporation in the United Arab Emirates; however, the cost is significantly lower for businesses planning to engage in media production. Shams Free Zone provides media permits, which are among the most affordable free zone licenses in the United Arab Emirates, to businesses.

2. Freelance Business Set-up

For independent contractors planning to engage in media production, Shams Free Zone provides customized packages at discounted prices. These particular packages cover things like office space leasing, immigration card, e-channel registration, one (1) visa allotment, and the cost of setting up and licensing a free zone business.

3. Company Form

The establishment of new media businesses and the growth of current ones are permitted in the Shams Free Zone.

A limited liability company can be incorporated if you intend to open a new business in the Shams Free Zone (LLC). The benefit of this is that your responsibility to the business will be restricted to the amount you invested in it, nothing more.

Media firms can establish a branch office at the Shams Free Zone if they currently have a presence in the UAE and want to grow there. We believe that this is the simplest way for media companies to grow, particularly in a government that supports the media.

4. Special Facilities and Film Commission

Shams Free Zone is setting up unique spaces to serve media companies by fostering an environment that inspires creativity. Additionally, Shams Free Zone is introducing a “influencers platform” to facilitate business-influencer contacts and create a digital marketplace for advertising campaigns.

By establishing its own Shams Film Commission, Shams Free Zone hopes to establish itself as the preferred location for film productions. In this manner, Shams Free Zone will be able to utilize Sharjah’s gorgeous scenery to create photogenic scenes.

5. Workshops and Seminars

Shams Free Zone is renowned for hosting exhibits, seminars, and workshops for its businesses. By expanding their expertise to conduct business in the free zone, this broadens the horizons of business owners. For media companies, there are dedicated workshops. These consist of cinematography, film, and photography workshops. Regular seminars featuring specialists from the media business are also held. Additionally, Shams Free Zone businesses receive complimentary invitations to business community gatherings where proprietors can connect and work together.

Take into consideration Shams Free Zone and all of its advantages if you’re wanting to establish a Sharjah free zone firm or a branch for your media organization.

The UAE's Shams Free Zone: A Way to Make Starting a New Business Less Difficult

We live in a world of start-ups, where new companies are established worldwide on a daily basis. An increasing number of people are choosing to become entrepreneurs in order to launch their own businesses. These ventures range from conducting scientific research to starting a small home-cooked meal delivery service. We learn about a new startup every day and talk about how it is closing a gap in the market. It’s astounding to think that so many tiny businesses have founded and prospered throughout history.

There is, however, a negative aspect to this. a group of people that might have the most brilliant business concepts but aren’t carrying them through. Those who carry out such ideas may end up as content and prosperous business owners. Why then do these individuals not pursue their business ideas?

The standard response is that putting a business idea into action necessitates having a company, and most people believe that managing a company is a difficult and time-consuming undertaking. An organization needs to make an initial investment, keep track of invoices and balance sheets, conduct audits, pay taxes, and so forth. While running a business, an entrepreneur can lose sight of their brilliant idea. Normally, we would concur with this line of thinking, but we do believe that the UAE has the answer. It’s known as the “Shams Free Zone.” To support our argument, we’ve listed the main obstacles to establishing a new business in the United Arab Emirates below, along with Shams Free Zone’s solutions:

Initial Investment

Establishing a business necessitates a one-time financial outlay for setup costs, licensing, and share capital. Founders are forced to take money out of their own pockets to fund the startup of their firm because there are no profits yet. As a result, business owners favor a little initial outlay. One of the most affordable free zone company setups in the UAE is provided by Shams Free Zone, which helps new business owners with this issue. For as little as AED 5,750, you can register a company. This covers everything. In the UAE and around the world, the minimum share capital of AED 10,000 is also the lowest of all the jurisdictions used for company registration. It is not necessary to transfer this share capital into a bank account.

Office Space

You may feel uneasy about the astronomical costs of commercial spaces, yet you still need a place to work from. It’s also possible that you’re not sure how big your office is. It could happen that your office space is significantly more than what your business needs, or that your operations overrun the available area and your office becomes redundant. Shams Free Zone provides shared desks, dedicated workstations, shared offices, and dedicated offices as flexible office choices to its businesses. These choices are adaptable and reasonably priced. Adding more workstations or office space is always an option, depending on how your business expands.

Auditing

You are not a financial guru, even though you have a creative mind. Regarding the financial compliances you will need to uphold, you have no idea. It makes sense that, as a novice, you would not want to pay and employ experts. What then is the exit strategy? Once more, creating a corporation with Shams Free Zone is the solution, and it requires very little in the way of financial compliance. There are no obligations for internal or external audits, no long financial statements to be filed, and no complicated bookkeeping rules. All you have to do is manage your business and incorporate your corporation.

Taxes

For any business that turns a profit, taxes are a major worry. Firms that are relatively new to the market face an even greater challenge. This is due to the possibility that taxes will evaporate any little revenue small businesses make in their early years. It seems as though some of the rewards of your labor are not fully realized. This discourages people from pursuing their goals of becoming entrepreneurs. You may be shocked to learn that Shams Free Zone is a tax-free jurisdiction in the United Arab Emirates. Both personal and business income are exempt from taxes. In actuality, the UAE government’s tax breaks are meant to help enterprises. 100% of capital and profits may also be repatriated, according to the government. Thus, the revenues of your Shams Free Zone business belong to you alone, regardless of your nationality—a foreign national or a citizen of the United Arab Emirates. It’s safe to assume that when you work hard at a Shams Free Zone company, you get all the rewards.

Training

Companies are shaped by training. A well-trained workforce and leadership may propel a business to new heights. On the other hand, in the deepest waters, an inexperienced crew can bring down a corporation. Because it understands this, Shams Free Zone regularly provides training sessions for the owners and employees of its businesses. You not only don’t train, but you also get to show off your newly acquired abilities. Shams Free Zone offers its firms the chance to exhibit at multiple trade shows, including Seamless Middle East and GITEX Expo. Shams Free Zone allows you to study while doing business, so you don’t have to worry about improving your talents in that area. We are sure that the aforementioned solutions have allayed your concerns regarding launching your own company. It’s time for you to launch your business in the United Arab Emirates and fulfill your entrepreneurial goal. Please get in touch with our advisors if you want to establish a free zone firm in the United Arab Emirates and you are driven and self-assured. Our advisors are specialists in Shams Free Zone company incorporations. We provide company creation services that are customized to meet your requirements.

  • A/C Holder Name : admin

  • IBAN : AE7123456789 1234 1234 123

  • ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK

Key Features

Below are characteristic features of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority Companies:
AffordableThe Shams Free Zone is the UAE's most affordable free zone.
Instils GrowthBusinesses are able to take part in a range of business management workshops. These courses offer business owners a chance to network.
Tax FreeTake advantage of zero percent personal and company tax.
Repatriation of FundsYour capital and profits are your own, as they can be repatriated without any deductions.
OwnershipA Shams free zone company may be entirely owned by non-UAE nationals.
Time ZoneWorld time zone that is convenient; GMT+04:00
Paid Up Capital RequirementAbsence of a minimum amount for paid-up capital
LocationDo business in Sharjah, the emirate that is next door to Dubai.
Buy Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to some of the most common questions related to Shams Free Zone company setup in Sharjah.

Shams has one of the most affordable startup prices in the United Arab Emirates. Scroll this page to view information of the various packages available.

To establish a business, you are not required to be in the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible for the Shams company creation packages with resident visa, you must have traveled to the United Arab Emirates at least once. You can still establish the firm even if you haven’t been to the UAE at all if all you want is a trade license for it.

Before forming the company, Shams would need prior approval for a few different nationalities. After obtaining this pre-approval, there is a significant decrease in the likelihood of any visa refusal.

No, a local sponsor is not required to establish a business in Shams. Being the sole owner of your business is only one of the many advantages of establishing one in Shams.

Once the application paperwork and necessary documentation have been signed and filed, you have two to three working days to establish a company in Shams. The steps involved in issuing a visa are described in our section above on timelines.

Shams provides a range of media, broadcasting, public relations, consulting, and advertising-related services. When choosing the activity for your firm setup, you can select from a range of sub-sectors of these activities.

To establish a business in Shams, you are not need to have an office. One of the key benefits of establishing a business in Shams is this. There is a flexible desk option offered in visa package deals.

Other Free Zones you may be interested in

Here are a few recommendations based on your interest

Have questions? Feel free to write us

    Call Now Button