Offshore company
Ajman offshore company formation with Ajman Free Zone
An Ajman offshore company is registered with Ajman Free Zone, which offers offshore registration alongside its free zone licences. It is used to hold shares and assets and to do business outside the UAE. Like other UAE offshore companies, it does not trade in the local market and does not sponsor residence visas. Caliph prepares and coordinates the application.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Registry
- Ajman Free Zone (AFZ), Emirate of Ajman
- Free zone launched
- 1988
- Location
- Ajman, close to Ajman Port
- Can trade in the UAE
- No
- Residence visas
- No
- Typical use
- Holding shares and assets, international trade and services
Overview
Ajman Free Zone was launched in 1988 and sits close to Ajman Port. Most people know it for commercial, industrial and service licences, but it also lists offshore among the options it offers and has a department that handles offshore companies. An offshore company here is on the free zone's register without being one of its licensed operating businesses.
The principle is the same as at the other UAE offshore registries. The company is a legal entity that can own shares and other assets, sign contracts with parties outside the UAE and apply for a bank account. It has no trade licence for the local market, no office of its own in the zone and no visa allocation.
Ajman suits owners who want a plain holding or international trading vehicle. If the aim is to own Dubai property, to set up a foundation or to move an existing company, the Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah registries have specific arrangements for those, and your consultant will say so. Caliph tells you which registry fits before you commit to one.
Why choose Ajman Offshore
A simple holding vehicle
It does the basic job of an offshore company: owning shares and assets and contracting abroad under one company name.
The same authority as the free zone
The registry is Ajman Free Zone itself, so an operating free zone company can be set up with the same authority if you need one later.
An established zone
Ajman Free Zone has been operating since 1988 and hosts companies from many countries.
Full foreign ownership
Like other UAE offshore companies, it can be wholly owned by foreign shareholders, whether individuals or companies.
One consultant for the whole file
Caliph collects the documents, arranges attestation and translation where needed and follows the application until the company documents are issued.
What to have ready
- Passport copies of each shareholder and director
- Proof of residential address for each shareholder and director
- Proposed company names
- A description of what the company will hold or do
- For a corporate shareholder, its incorporation documents and a resolution to form the new company, attested for the UAE
- Details of the beneficial owner of the company
The free zone sets the final document list and can ask for more. Your consultant confirms it before you start gathering papers.
How Ajman offshore formation works
Check the fit
We confirm that an offshore company, and this registry, suit what you plan to hold or do.
Agree the structure
You choose the company name, the shareholders, the directors and the share capital.
Collect and certify documents
Identity, address and corporate documents are gathered, and attested or translated where the free zone requires it.
Prepare the constitutional documents
The Memorandum and Articles of Association are drafted for the shareholders to sign.
Submit to Ajman Free Zone
The application is filed with the free zone's offshore department through the channel it requires, and any questions are answered.
Company documents issued
The free zone registers the company and issues its incorporation documents. Caliph then prepares your bank file.
Good to know
- Ajman Offshore is not the same as an Ajman Free Zone licence. Only the licensed free zone company can lease space, trade and sponsor visas.
- Rules on directors, share capital, registered agents, annual renewal and filing are set by the free zone and can change. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
- Do not assume an offshore company can own property in a given emirate. Ask before you buy.
Questions people ask
What is an Ajman offshore company?
It is an offshore company registered with Ajman Free Zone. It is a legal entity formed to hold shares and other assets and to do business with parties outside the UAE. It does not hold a trade licence for the local market and has no office or staff in the zone.
Can an Ajman offshore company trade in the UAE?
No. Like other UAE offshore companies, it is not licensed to sell goods or services in the local market. If you need to invoice UAE customers, rent premises or hire staff, a free zone or mainland company is the right structure, and Ajman Free Zone issues those licences separately.
Does it come with a residence visa?
No. Offshore companies do not sponsor residence visas. If living in the UAE is part of your plan, look at a free zone licence, which can carry visas for owners and employees. Your consultant can compare both options with you in one conversation.
Who usually chooses Ajman over JAFZA Offshore or RAK ICC?
Owners who want a plain holding or international trading company and do not need the specific features of the other two, such as JAFZA's link to Dubai property or RAK ICC's range of company types and foundations. Your consultant compares the three against your purpose before recommending one.
Can an Ajman offshore company open a UAE bank account?
It can apply for one. Banks decide each application after their own checks on the owners, the business and the source of funds, and their policies on offshore companies differ. Caliph helps you prepare the documents a bank will ask for.
What documents do I need to start?
Passport copies and proof of address for each shareholder and director, name options and a description of the company's purpose. A corporate shareholder also provides its incorporation documents and a resolution, attested for use in the UAE. The free zone confirms the final list.
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
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