An Ajman Media City licence through SwiftHub starts at AED 4,499 for a zero-visa company. AMC publishes its own tiers starting at AED 4,999, so our entry package sits below the zone's advertised rate.
AMC does something almost no other free zone does: it publishes what each licence costs to renew. That matters more than the headline, because the usual complaint about cheap free zone setups is not year one. It is year two.
AMC's published tiers, with renewals
These are AMC's own figures from amc.gov.ae, checked August 2026. Every tier includes up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space.
| Tier | Visas | Year one | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Club | 0 | AED 4,999 | AED 4,999 |
| Visionary | 1 | AED 12,999 | AED 8,999 |
| Pioneer | 2 | AED 17,999 | AED 10,999 |
| Innovator | 3 | AED 22,999 | AED 14,999 |
| Source | Figure |
|---|---|
| AMC published, entry tier (Business Club) | AED 4,999 |
| Through SwiftHub, zero-visa package | From AED 4,499 |
What sits on top of the licence
- Establishment card, required before immigration will process any visa
- E-channel or immigration portal registration
- Residence visa per person: entry permit, status change, medical and Emirates ID
- Corporate tax registration, required whether or not you make a profit
- VAT registration, once turnover crosses the threshold
AMC's tier prices include the visa allocation, not the per-person immigration steps that follow it. A tier with "one visa" means one visa slot, not a completed residency.
How the setup runs
- Tier and activities. Pick the tier by visa count. Up to 10 activities are included, so there is rarely reason to be narrow.
- Name reservation and initial approval.
- Licence issuance and incorporation documents.
- Establishment card, before any visa can move.
- Visas, in order: entry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID.
- Corporate tax registration.
What we need from you
- Passport copy for every shareholder and visa applicant
- Passport-style photograph against a white background
- Your intended activities, described plainly
- Three trade name options in order of preference
- A UAE entry stamp or visa page, if you are already in the country
When AMC is the right choice, and when it is not
AMC suits freelancers, consultants, small agencies and early-stage companies that want a low holding cost and a predictable renewal. The zero-visa tier renewing at its own price makes it a sensible place to park a company that is not yet trading heavily.
It is the wrong choice here:
- Your clients weigh a Dubai address. AMC is in Ajman. IFZA is the Dubai option and costs more.
- You need warehousing or land. AMC is built around co-working. RAKEZ offers facilities up to land for development.
- You will sell directly to UAE mainland customers. No free zone licence allows that. Mainland setup is the right structure even though it costs more.
- You need more than three visas. AMC's published tiers stop at three. Beyond that, ask us to compare against SPC Free Zone, which does not cap visas per licence.
What three years actually costs
Because AMC publishes renewals — which almost no zone does — the real cost of ownership can be worked out rather than guessed. Below is each tier priced over three years at today's published rates: year one, then two renewals.
| Tier | Visas | Year 1 | Each renewal | Three-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Club | 0 | AED 4,999 | AED 4,999 | AED 14,997 |
| Visionary | 1 | AED 12,999 | AED 8,999 | AED 30,997 |
| Pioneer | 2 | AED 17,999 | AED 10,999 | AED 39,997 |
| Innovator | 3 | AED 22,999 | AED 14,999 | AED 52,997 |
Two honest caveats. These are AMC's package figures only — the establishment card, the per-person medical and Emirates ID steps and corporate tax registration sit outside them, as listed above. And they assume published rates hold and you stay on the same tier; outgrowing your visa count moves you up a row. Run your own numbers on the cost calculator.
Opening the bank account
Ajman licences are cheap, and that is exactly why this step deserves attention before you commit. The free zone does not open your bank account and neither do we — a UAE bank runs its own compliance review. The further your company sits from Dubai and from UAE-resident shareholders, the more questions the file attracts.
Our fee for preparing and introducing it is AED 1,000 for a low-risk activity, AED 2,000 where the activity is treated as higher risk. If the banking relationship is the point of the exercise rather than an afterthought, say so early — it can change which emirate we recommend, not just which package. More on bank account opening.
Tax, honestly
An AMC licence is not a tax exemption. UAE corporate tax is 9% on taxable profit above AED 375,000 and registration is required regardless of profit. A qualifying free zone person can access 0% on qualifying income, subject to conditions you must meet and evidence. VAT is mandatory above AED 375,000 turnover, voluntary from AED 187,500. Thresholds are the Federal Tax Authority's, at tax.gov.ae. Verified August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
AMC publishes it, which is rare. Business Club (0 visas): AED 4,999 in year one, AED 4,999 to renew. Visionary (1 visa): AED 12,999 in year one, AED 8,999 to renew. Pioneer (2 visas): AED 17,999 in year one, AED 10,999 to renew. Innovator (3 visas): AED 22,999 in year one, AED 14,999 to renew.
Because the first year carries one-off visa issuance that the renewal does not. The gap between the two columns is roughly what your visas cost to set up. Budget year two from the renewal figure.
No. The name reflects its origin. Each tier includes up to 10 activities across a broad list, and consultants, agencies and service companies use it routinely.
Up to 10, on every published tier, alongside up to 10 activities. That is generous for a zone at this price and it makes AMC workable for small partnerships rather than only sole founders.
At AMC's published rates: Business Club AED 14,997, Visionary AED 30,997, Pioneer AED 39,997, Innovator AED 52,997. Those are the package figures only — the establishment card, per-person visa steps and corporate tax registration sit outside them.
No one can promise it. The bank decides, on its own compliance review, and a low-cost licence in a smaller emirate with no UAE-resident shareholder is the profile that attracts most questions. We prepare and introduce the file. If banking is critical to your plan, tell us before you pick the emirate.
Not directly. Selling onshore needs a mainland licence, a distributor or a branch. If most of your revenue will come from UAE-based customers, a free zone licence is the wrong starting point.
Yes, materially. That is the trade: you save on both setup and renewal, and your licence says Ajman rather than Dubai. Whether that costs you anything depends entirely on who your customers are.
Next step
Tell us how many visas you need in year one. You get a written figure covering the licence, the establishment card and the visa steps together, and the renewal number beside it so you can see both years before you commit.