Ajman Media City Free Zone Setup (2026): Cost, Licences and Is It Really the Cheapest?

Last updated: September 2026. Ajman Media City's package prices were checked on amc.gov.ae on 26 September 2026 [1], and every comparison price comes from BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 package price list [10].

Ajman Media City free zone cost is one of the few numbers in this market you can check for yourself. Ajman Media City (AMC) publishes four packages on its own website, from AED 4,999 with no visa to AED 22,999 with three, and prints the renewal price for every one of them [1]. Many zones publish neither. That is why AMC keeps appearing at the top of "cheapest free zone" lists.

It is not the cheapest, and it slips further as you add visas. Against BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 package list, AMC comes second with no visa, AED 111 above ANC Free Zone. With one visa it is third. With two it is fourth [1][10]. Compare on the wrong visa basis and you can overpay by more than AED 2,000 in year one, or miss the one place AMC genuinely wins, which is its renewal price.

Since 2013, BusinessDubai.ae has priced and registered companies across the UAE's free zones. This guide works only from AMC's own published figures and our 2026 package prices. It covers AMC's legal basis, what the four packages include and leave out, the cheapest question on a stated visa basis, three-year totals, AMC against Ajman Free Zone, the activities AMC actually licenses, the federal media regulator, corporate tax, banking and a decision table by founder profile.

What is Ajman Media City, and what legal basis does it rest on?

Ajman Media City is an Ajman free zone, created as "Ajman Media Free Zone" by Emiri Decree No. 8 of 2015, according to Khaleej Times reporting of 4 November 2015 [2]. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) zone profile gives 2018 as the licensing authority's establishment date and lists two legal forms, FZE LLC and FZC LLC [3].

The decree was issued by the Ruler of Ajman, His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, and it defined media broadly, as "all work using available techniques for the transfer and dissemination of readable and audio-visual information" [2]. That source is press reporting of the decree, not the decree text. BusinessDubai.ae could not find the decree number on amc.gov.ae or on an Ajman legislation portal, so treat it as well reported rather than primary.

The 2015 and 2018 dates do not contradict each other on their face. One is the decree that created the zone; the other is the year MoET's profile records for the licensing authority [2][3]. Neither source explains the three-year gap, and at least one page ranking for AMC searches prints both dates side by side without comment.

MoET's profile lists those two legal forms and no others [3]. In UAE free zone usage an FZE generally has one shareholder and an FZC two or more, so confirm at application which form AMC will issue for your shareholding. The "up to 10 shareholders" on AMC's packages page is a package limit [1]. BusinessDubai.ae found no published AMC companies regulation setting a separate legal maximum.

Share capital is where the market is least reliable. Consultancy pages quote several different AMC capital figures, none of them sourced to AMC, and they do not agree with each other. Do not plan around any of them. Ask for the requirement in writing with your quote, particularly if you want an investor visa.

How much does an Ajman Media City licence cost in 2026?

Ajman Media City's own packages page, checked on 26 September 2026, lists four tiers: Business Club at AED 4,999 with no visa, Visionary at AED 12,999 with one, Pioneer at AED 17,999 with two and Innovator at AED 22,999 with three [1]. Every tier includes up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space.

The table below sets each tier's year-one price beside the renewal price AMC publishes for it [1].

The renewal column is the unusual part. On every visa tier AMC renews for less than it charges in year one: AED 4,000 less on Visionary, AED 7,000 less on Pioneer and AED 8,000 less on Innovator [1]. Few zones publish a renewal at all, and BusinessDubai.ae's pricing notes put a typical Dubai free zone renewal at roughly 80% of year one. AMC's visa tiers renew at 61 to 69%. AMC's page does not say why. The likely reason is that one-time setup costs drop out, but that is inference, so ask what the renewal covers, and in particular whether it includes renewing residence visas when they fall due or only the licence.

What the AMC packages do not itemise

AMC lists immigration services inside its visa tiers, but its packages page does not itemise the visa-processing lines: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, e-channel registration or establishment card [1]. Third-party figures for those lines conflict with each other, so none is repeated here. They are exactly the costs that separate a package price from an all-in price.

Here is what a one-visa Visionary setup looks like when you separate what AMC publishes from what it does not [1].

Read the two published rows as the floor, not the total. If every unpublished line sits inside AED 12,999, AMC is the transparent bargain its reputation suggests. If some sit outside it, the real year-one number is higher and every comparison with ANC Free Zone or RAKEZ moves further against AMC.

Common Mistake: Trusting a price sheet labelled "Ajman Media City" on a consultancy site. When BusinessDubai.ae read the 17 pages ranking for AMC cost searches in September 2026, at least six carried price sets that matched neither each other nor amc.gov.ae, some with package names AMC does not use. If a quote is not one of the four figures on AMC's packages page, AED 4,999, 12,999, 17,999 or 22,999, ask where it came from.

Pro Tip: Ask for the all-in quote in writing, one line per item: package, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, e-channel, establishment card, any deposit and whether it is refundable, plus the renewal for the same visa count. On a Visionary setup you should end up with two totals to hold the zone to, one against AED 12,999 and one against AED 8,999.

AMC's site publishes four tiers, up to three visas. Larger visa counts are reportedly available on request, and several consultancies advertise a cheaper influencer package, but neither appears on AMC's current packages page [1]. If you need either, get it quoted in writing by AMC itself.

If you want AMC priced all-in beside the Ajman and Sharjah alternatives on your real visa count, get an itemised quote→

Is Ajman Media City really the cheapest free zone in the UAE?

No. Against BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 package list, Ajman Media City is never the cheapest. With no visa, AMC's AED 4,999 is second, AED 111 above ANC Free Zone's AED 4,888. With one visa, AED 12,999 is third, behind ANC Free Zone and RAKEZ. With two visas, AED 17,999 is fourth [1][10].

The table below puts AMC's published prices beside the northern-emirate zones on BusinessDubai.ae's list. AMC's row comes from AMC [1]; every other row is a BusinessDubai.ae package price [10].

Ranked on each visa basis, AMC's position looks like this.

So AMC slides as visas are added: second, then third, then fourth. Its lead over the zones below it also thins. At no visa it is AED 511 below SRTIP; at two visas it is AED 11 below RAKEZ. BusinessDubai.ae's list has no three-visa column, so AMC's AED 22,999 Innovator tier cannot be ranked the same way.

Real Talk: These rankings compare two different kinds of price. BusinessDubai.ae's figures are what BusinessDubai.ae charges for those zones as complete packages. AMC's are the zone's own list prices, and its page does not itemise what visa processing they include. If any of those lines sit outside AMC's AED 12,999, the like-for-like gap to ANC Free Zone's AED 10,800 is wider than AED 2,199, not narrower.

Common Mistake: Comparing AMC's AED 4,999 headline with a need for residency. AED 4,999 buys no residence visa. If you need one, your AMC number is AED 12,999, and on that basis ANC Free Zone at AED 10,800 and RAKEZ at AED 12,010 are both cheaper. Write your visa count at the top of the page before you compare a single price.

ANC Free Zone and Ajman Free Zone are both priced by visa count on our business setup in Ajman page, and SRTIP, SPC Free Zone and SHAMS on our business setup in Sharjah page. For the wider field, including which zones publish prices at all, see our ranking of the cheapest free zones in the UAE.

Why does Ajman Media City fall down the ranking as visas are added?

Ajman Media City's first visa is expensive. Its published tiers imply that the first visa adds AED 8,000 and the second and third add AED 5,000 each [1]. ANC Free Zone's first visa adds AED 5,912 and RAKEZ's AED 6,000 [10], so AMC's low no-visa entry stops being an advantage once residency enters the plan.

Nobody publishes these increments. They come from subtracting one package price from the next, AMC's from its own page and the rest from BusinessDubai.ae's list [1][10].

AMC's first visa costs more than at ANC Free Zone, RAKEZ, SHAMS or Ajman Free Zone, which is why it drops from second to third. Its second visa, at AED 5,000, costs more than at SRTIP, Ajman Free Zone, SPC Free Zone or SHAMS, which is why Ajman Free Zone and SRTIP overtake it at two visas. AMC's third visa also adds AED 5,000, taking Innovator to AED 22,999.

Quick Math: At one visa AMC is AED 132 cheaper than Ajman Free Zone (AED 12,999 against AED 13,131). The second visa adds AED 5,000 at AMC and AED 4,040 at Ajman Free Zone, a difference of AED 960. That wipes out AMC's AED 132 lead and leaves it AED 828 dearer at two visas, AED 17,999 against AED 17,171 [1][10].

What does Ajman Media City cost over three years?

Over three years, Ajman Media City's Visionary package costs AED 30,997 with one visa: AED 12,999 in year one and AED 8,999 in each of years two and three, on AMC's published prices [1]. That published renewal is where AMC becomes competitive, because the cheaper zones' renewal prices are not on BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 list.

The assumptions: the visa count stays the same for three years. Only package renewals are counted, not visa renewals or extras. Prices do not change. No renewal price for ANC Free Zone, RAKEZ or Ajman Free Zone is on BusinessDubai.ae's list, so the table gives two peer figures: an illustration at 80% of year one, which is the rule of thumb BusinessDubai.ae uses for Dubai free zone renewals, and the break-even renewal. If a peer's real renewal is above the break-even figure, AMC is cheaper over three years.

With no visa, AMC only wins over three years if ANC Free Zone renews above its own year-one price, which is unlikely. With one visa, ANC Free Zone stays cheaper unless it renews at more than about 94% of year one, RAKEZ is close to a tie, and Ajman Free Zone loses unless it renews below 68%. With two visas the picture turns: AMC's AED 10,999 renewal beats ANC Free Zone unless ANC renews below about 73% of year one.

Quick Math: At two visas, ANC Free Zone is AED 1,799 cheaper in year one, AED 16,200 against AED 17,999. AMC then renews at AED 10,999 [1]. If ANC's two-visa renewal came in at 80% of year one, AED 12,960, AMC would recover the AED 1,799 during year two and finish three years AED 2,123 ahead. Ask ANC Free Zone for its renewal in writing before you decide.

BusinessDubai.ae's pricing notes also record founders reporting real renewals 35 to 60% above what year-one marketing implied, because cards, deposits and compliance items sit outside the headline. A published renewal does not remove that risk, but it gives you a number to hold the zone to. Model your three-year cost→

Should you choose Ajman Media City or Ajman Free Zone?

Choose Ajman Free Zone if you move physical goods and want VAT Designated Zone treatment; choose on price and activity fit if you sell services. The Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017 annex lists only "Ajman Free Zone" for the Emirate of Ajman, so Ajman Free Zone is a Designated Zone and Ajman Media City is not [4].

BusinessDubai.ae's Ajman Free Zone setup guide already sets the two zones side by side, including AMC's four tiers and how the two price lists get confused in search results. Read it for the full comparison. The table below adds the three visa bases and the tax consequence.

On price the two are close: AMC is cheaper by AED 556 with no visa and AED 132 with one, and Ajman Free Zone is cheaper by AED 828 with two. The real difference is the last row.

For a goods business, Designated Zone status can matter twice. On VAT, certain movements of goods within or between Designated Zones can fall outside the scope of VAT when the conditions are met. On corporate tax, the "distribution in or from a Designated Zone" Qualifying Activity in Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 requires the goods to enter the State through the Designated Zone [5], a route an AMC company cannot use. For a service business it changes nothing, because services supplied in a Designated Zone are taxed like services anywhere else in the UAE. Our guide to Designated Zones and VAT sets out the conditions.

Pro Tip: Confirm in writing which zone's name will appear on your licence before you pay. If the price table you were shown has four named tiers and renewal prices, it is almost certainly AMC's. For an importer, AED 132 separates AMC's one-visa package from Ajman Free Zone's, and that AED 132 is the price of being on the FTA's Designated Zone list [1][10].

Both zones, plus ANC Free Zone, are covered side by side on our business setup in Ajman page, which is the quicker place to start if you have settled on Ajman but not on the zone.

Does Ajman Media City only license media businesses?

No. Despite its name, Ajman Media City's own approved-activity register includes media lines such as book publication, trade-publication production, TV rebroadcasting, media consultancy and advertising research, and also non-media lines such as sportswear trading and medical equipment trading [6]. MoET's profile describes the zone's scope as media and support services [3].

This is a sample taken from AMC's register on 26 September 2026, not the whole list [6].

The register runs across many pages and BusinessDubai.ae could not confirm a total count on amc.gov.ae, so no activity total is quoted here. The register also shows no numeric code system like the seven-digit activity codes that Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) uses. You choose by activity name, so copy the exact wording from the register onto every application, bank form and contract.

The gap between MoET's description and AMC's register has a likely explanation in dates. MoET's profile appears to be a 2021 document, while AMC's live site in 2026 markets a wider mix that includes IT, e-commerce, professional services and trading. Neither source says which should govern. The register is the more current of the two.

One question stays open. Whether every AMC licence must carry at least one media activity is not confirmed. At least one consultancy page says it must; AMC's own FAQ lists the question, but BusinessDubai.ae could not retrieve AMC's answer. Ask AMC before you apply, and get the answer in writing if your plan is purely trading or purely professional services.

Common Mistake: Reading the name as a restriction, or as a guarantee. A trader who skips AMC because of the word "media" may miss a zone whose register lists the activity. A trader who picks AMC without checking may find the combination needs a media line, or that the goods flow needed a Designated Zone. The package allows up to 10 activities [1], so the question is never how many, only which, and in what combination.

Does a media business in Ajman Media City need a federal media licence too?

Possibly. The National Media Authority's own FAQ says it oversees all media activities and outlets in the UAE, including media entities in media free zones, and regulates and licenses them in the same manner as those operating elsewhere in the State [7]. An AMC company producing regulated media output may need federal media permissions on top of its AMC trade licence.

The National Media Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025, announced on 18 December 2025 [7]. Its FAQ does not name Ajman Media City, so what follows is reasoning from the federal source, not a rule quoted by AMC.

What decides your exposure is what you publish, not what the licence category is called. A publisher, a broadcaster, a news or commentary outlet or an advertising output business is squarely in the conversation. A marketing consultancy invoicing for strategy is less obviously so. Creators have their own rules, set out in our influencer licence guide and our guide for content creators and YouTubers moving to Dubai. Our SHAMS free zone guide covers the same federal question for Sharjah's media zone.

Real Talk: If your AMC licence covers publishing, broadcasting, news or advertising output, write to the National Media Authority before you launch and keep the reply. It costs time rather than money, and it gives you a document when a sponsor, a platform or a bank asks the same question. The AED 4,999 or AED 12,999 zone licence answers the trade question. It does not answer the media one.

Can an Ajman Media City company pay 0% corporate tax?

Rarely. A typical Ajman Media City business sells media, marketing, consultancy or digital services, and those activities are not on the closed Qualifying Activities list in Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 [5]. Such a company is taxed as an ordinary taxable person: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it [8].

A small company can do better still. Small Business Relief is available where revenue is at or below AED 3,000,000, for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029, under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026, which amended Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 [9]. A Qualifying Free Zone Person gets neither the AED 375,000 band nor Small Business Relief, so for a small service business the ordinary regime is often the better outcome anyway.

Quick Math: An AMC agency with revenue above AED 3,000,000 and AED 600,000 of taxable income pays 0% on the first AED 375,000 and 9% on the AED 225,000 above it, which is AED 20,250 [8]. The same agency with revenue of AED 3,000,000 or less could elect Small Business Relief for periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 instead [9].

Register for corporate tax either way, because the Federal Tax Authority's late registration penalty is AED 10,000 [8]. VAT registration is mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 and voluntary from AED 187,500 [8]. The full Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions are in our QFZP and 0% tax guide, and the relief extension is explained in our guide to Small Business Relief to 2029.

How does Ajman Media City compare with a Dubai free zone or the Dubai mainland?

Ajman Media City is far cheaper than Dubai in year one: AED 12,999 with one visa, against AED 21,050 at Meydan Free Zone, Dubai South or Expo City and AED 21,400 at IFZA on BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 list [1][10]. A Dubai mainland setup starts from about AED 15,000 without a visa. What Ajman cannot give you is a Dubai address.

Whether you run from an Ajman free zone, a Dubai free zone or the Dubai mainland changes your cost, your address and whether you can invoice a Dubai government or retail client directly. IFZA publishes no prices of its own, so its figure is a partner price.

At one visa the gap is AED 8,051 in year one against the cheapest Dubai free zone package. For a founder whose clients are overseas and never see the licence, that is a lot to pay for an emirate name. For a founder pitching Dubai corporates in person, it may be the cheapest credibility available. Our free zone company setup page prices each free zone route by visa count, and our mainland company setup page shows what direct access to UAE customers costs.

If a Dubai address is the point, our Meydan vs SHAMS comparison shows what that address costs at each visa count, and our IFZA vs RAKEZ comparison runs the same test between a Dubai zone and RAKEZ. For media businesses that want Dubai specifically, see our Dubai Media City setup guide.

Can an Ajman Media City company open a corporate bank account?

Yes, on the evidence available. BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 banking notes record that WIO and Mashreq Neo open readily for free zone companies [10], and nothing in AMC's published terms points to a zone-specific barrier. What decides an application is the usual test: activity, counterparties, source of funds and a signatory the bank can meet.

Public signal on AMC and banks is thin. A September 2026 search of review and question sites found no AMC-specific pattern of refusals and no Trustpilot page for the zone at all. Treat that as an absence of evidence, not a clean bill of health.

There is one AMC-specific question to prepare for. A licence from a zone called Media City that carries sportswear or medical equipment trading invites a compliance officer to ask what the business really does. Have a straight answer, and make sure it matches the activity names on the licence. Our guide to opening a corporate bank account in Dubai covers documents, timelines and the common reasons applications stall.

Pro Tip: Start with WIO or Mashreq Neo, the two banks BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 notes name as opening readily for free zone companies [10]. Bring the licence, the memorandum, passports and visa or Emirates ID, a one-page description of what you sell and to whom that uses the activity names on your AMC licence word for word, and two or three signed contracts or invoices.

How do you set up an Ajman Media City company, and what should you get in writing?

Setting up in Ajman Media City runs in seven stages: choose the package by visa count, choose activities, choose FZE LLC or FZC LLC, get an itemised all-in quote, receive the licence, complete immigration and banking, then register for corporate tax [1][3]. BusinessDubai.ae found no licence turnaround commitment on amc.gov.ae.

Each stage has one thing worth getting in writing before you move to the next.

Third-party pages quote AMC licence turnaround anywhere from 24 hours to about a week, and none of those figures is sourced to AMC. Plan the visa and the bank account as separate stages that follow the licence, not as part of it, and do not book travel or sign a lease against a licence date nobody has committed to.

What has to be renewed and filed every year?

An Ajman Media City company renews its package each year at AMC's published price, from AED 4,999 to AED 14,999 depending on visa count, and files a corporate tax return whatever its tax rate [1][8]. VAT registration follows once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000. The open question is whether AMC's renewal covers residence visa renewals.

Year two is when the licence stops being a setup task and becomes a calendar: the renewal, visa dates, the tax return and, for a growing company, VAT returns land within months of each other. Our post-setup services team keeps that calendar so nothing lapses in a busy month. If you later outgrow Ajman, our guide to moving a company between free zones covers the process and the tax points.

Which founders should choose Ajman Media City?

Ajman Media City suits a founder who wants a published, predictable price, holds up to two visas, sells services or media output rather than stocked goods, and does not need a Dubai address. It is the wrong choice for a goods business relying on Designated Zone treatment, and for anyone whose clients read the emirate on the licence.

The table applies the two price lists to seven common profiles. AMC figures are from AMC's packages page [1]; every other price is from BusinessDubai.ae's list [10].

For anyone with an Ajman shortlist, the business setup in Ajman page compares the three Ajman zones on one screen, and RAKEZ is covered in our RAKEZ free zone setup guide.

Real Client Stories

These are composite examples built from the situations founders most often face when choosing Ajman Media City. Names and details are illustrative, and the only figures used are AMC's published packages and BusinessDubai.ae's package prices.

Priya's video editing studio (Ajman Media City, no visa)

Priya edits video for clients in London and Singapore and already held UAE residency through her husband's employment, so she needed a licence without a visa. She compared AMC's Business Club at AED 4,999 with ANC Free Zone at AED 4,888. The AED 111 gap was less than an hour of her billing, and AMC's page showed a renewal of AED 4,999, so she could write three years, AED 14,997, into her plan on day one. Before paying she checked that her activity wording appeared on AMC's register. Her comment: "I paid AED 111 more for a number I could check."

The podcast network that asked the media question first

Two founders launching a podcast network needed two residence visas. AMC's Pioneer package at AED 17,999 was fourth on price, behind ANC Free Zone at AED 16,200, Ajman Free Zone at AED 17,171 and SRTIP at AED 17,795. They chose AMC for the renewal: AED 10,999 a year, published, against peers whose renewals needed a quote. Before launch they wrote to the National Media Authority about a sponsored news-commentary show, because the AMC licence did not answer that question. One founder's comment: "The trade licence was the cheap decision. The media question was the real one."

The sportswear importer who needed a Designated Zone

An importer of sportswear found "sportswear trading" on AMC's activity register and nearly bought the Visionary package at AED 12,999. His plan was to bring stock in by sea and sell wholesale to retailers, which is exactly where Designated Zone status can matter, on VAT and on the corporate tax distribution route. Ajman Free Zone, which is on the FTA list, cost AED 13,131 with one visa on BusinessDubai.ae's list, AED 132 more. He took Ajman Free Zone. His comment: "Both licences said Ajman. Only one of them was on the tax list."

Your next steps on Ajman Media City

Three things decide this, and only one is the headline price. Your visa count, because AMC's rank slides from second to fourth as visas are added. Your time horizon, because AMC's published renewals of AED 8,999 and AED 10,999 can overturn a year-one gap within three years, depending on what the other zone charges to renew. And what you actually do: media output brings the National Media Authority question, and stocked goods bring the Designated Zone one.

BusinessDubai.ae has completed 700+ company registrations across the UAE, with itemised pricing and no hidden fees. We will price AMC against ANC Free Zone, Ajman Free Zone and the Sharjah zones on your real visa count as part of a free zone company setup, put a mainland company setup beside it if your clients turn out to be local, and keep renewals, visas and tax filings on schedule through our post-setup services team.

Compare Ajman Media City on your numbers→

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an Ajman Media City licence cost in 2026?

Ajman Media City publishes four packages: Business Club at AED 4,999 with no visa, Visionary at AED 12,999 with one visa, Pioneer at AED 17,999 with two and Innovator at AED 22,999 with three [1]. Every tier includes up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space, as checked on amc.gov.ae in September 2026.

What is included in the Ajman Media City Business Club package?

The Business Club package costs AED 4,999 and includes a licence with up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space, but no residence visa [1]. It renews at the same AED 4,999, which suits a founder who already holds UAE residency another way.

How much is an Ajman Media City licence with one visa?

AED 12,999 in year one on AMC's Visionary package, renewing at AED 8,999 [1]. AMC's page does not itemise the entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, e-channel or establishment card lines, so ask for a written all-in quote before comparing it with another zone.

How much does it cost to renew an Ajman Media City licence?

AMC publishes renewals of AED 4,999 for Business Club, AED 8,999 for Visionary, AED 10,999 for Pioneer and AED 14,999 for Innovator [1]. Confirm whether the renewal covers residence visa renewals when they fall due, because the packages page does not say.

Why is Ajman Media City's renewal cheaper than the first year?

AMC does not explain it on its packages page. The likely reason is that one-time setup costs drop out after year one, which would explain why the visa tiers renew at 61 to 69% of year one while the no-visa Business Club renews at the same AED 4,999 [1].

Is Ajman Media City the cheapest free zone in the UAE?

No. Against BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 package list, Ajman Media City is second with no visa, third with one visa and fourth with two [10]. ANC Free Zone in Ajman is cheaper on all three bases, at AED 4,888, AED 10,800 and AED 16,200.

What is the cheapest free zone package in the UAE with one visa?

ANC Free Zone in Ajman, at AED 10,800 with one visa on BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 package list [10]. RAKEZ follows at AED 12,010 and Ajman Media City at AED 12,999, so AMC is AED 2,199 dearer than the cheapest option on that basis.

Is Ajman Media City cheaper than SHAMS?

Yes, on all three visa bases. AMC charges AED 4,999, AED 12,999 and AED 17,999 for no, one and two visas [1], while SHAMS is AED 6,885, AED 14,255 and AED 18,705 on BusinessDubai.ae's list [10]. SHAMS is in Sharjah and also licenses media businesses.

Is Ajman Media City cheaper than Ajman Free Zone?

Only with no visa or one visa. AMC is AED 556 cheaper with no visa and AED 132 cheaper with one, but Ajman Free Zone is AED 828 cheaper with two visas, at AED 17,171 against AED 17,999 [1][10].

Is Ajman Media City the same as Ajman Free Zone?

No. They are separate zones with separate websites, amc.gov.ae and afz.gov.ae, and separate price lists [1]. The practical difference is VAT status: Ajman Free Zone is on the FTA's Designated Zone list and Ajman Media City is not [4].

Is Ajman Media City a VAT Designated Zone?

No. The Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017 annex lists only Ajman Free Zone for the Emirate of Ajman, effective 1 January 2018 [4]. For a services business this changes nothing, but a goods business that relies on Designated Zone treatment belongs in Ajman Free Zone.

Does Ajman Media City only license media businesses?

No. AMC's approved-activity register includes media activities such as book publication, TV rebroadcasting and media consultancy, and also non-media activities such as sportswear trading and medical equipment trading [6]. MoET's older profile describes the scope as media and support services [3].

How many activities can I put on an Ajman Media City licence?

Up to 10 on every AMC package, from the AED 4,999 Business Club to the AED 22,999 Innovator [1]. Whether a particular combination, such as a media activity with a trading activity, can sit on one licence is a question to confirm with AMC before you apply.

Must an Ajman Media City licence include a media activity?

This is not confirmed. At least one consultancy page says it must, and AMC's own FAQ lists the question, but BusinessDubai.ae could not retrieve AMC's answer. Ask AMC directly and get the answer in writing before applying with a purely trading or professional activity set.

Does Ajman Media City use activity codes like Dubai's DET?

No numeric code system is visible on AMC's register, unlike the seven-digit codes used by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism [6]. Activities are chosen by name, so copy the exact wording onto your application, bank forms and contracts.

What legal forms can I register in Ajman Media City?

Two, according to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism's zone profile: FZE LLC and FZC LLC [3]. In UAE free zone usage an FZE generally has one shareholder and an FZC two or more, so confirm the right form for your shareholding with AMC.

How many shareholders can an Ajman Media City company have?

Each AMC package covers up to 10 shareholders [1]. That is a package limit. BusinessDubai.ae found no published AMC regulation setting a separate legal maximum, so if you need more than 10, ask AMC in writing.

What is the share capital requirement for Ajman Media City?

AMC does not publish one on its packages page, and the figures on consultancy sites conflict with each other. Do not plan around any of them. Ask AMC or your setup provider for the requirement in writing with your quote, especially if you want an investor visa.

When was Ajman Media City established?

Ajman Media City was created as "Ajman Media Free Zone" by Emiri Decree No. 8 of 2015, according to Khaleej Times reporting of 4 November 2015 [2]. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism's profile gives 2018 as the year the licensing authority was established [3].

Can a foreigner own 100% of an Ajman Media City company?

Yes. Like other UAE free zone companies, an AMC company can be wholly owned by foreign shareholders. MoET's profile lists two legal forms, FZE LLC and FZC LLC [3], and each AMC package covers up to 10 shareholders [1].

Can an Ajman Media City company sell to clients on the UAE mainland?

Not directly for onshore commercial activity. An AMC licence carries the same general restriction as any free zone licence, so trading onshore needs a mainland presence or an arrangement that permits it. Serving overseas clients and other free zone companies is unaffected.

Can an Ajman Media City company get 0% corporate tax?

Rarely. Media, marketing, consultancy and digital services are not on the closed Qualifying Activities list in Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025, and AMC is not a Designated Zone, which closes the distribution route [5]. Most AMC companies pay 0% up to AED 375,000 and 9% above [8].

Is Small Business Relief available to an Ajman Media City company?

Yes, where revenue is at or below AED 3,000,000 and the tax period ends on or before 31 December 2029, under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 [9]. It is an election made on the return, and it is not available to a Qualifying Free Zone Person.

Does a media company in Ajman Media City need National Media Authority approval?

Possibly. The National Media Authority's FAQ says it regulates and licenses media activities in media free zones in the same manner as elsewhere in the State [7]. It does not name AMC, so ask the regulator in writing if you publish, broadcast or produce advertising output.

Can I get an influencer licence at Ajman Media City?

Several consultancies advertise a low-cost influencer package at AMC, but it does not appear on AMC's current four-tier packages page [1]. Get it quoted in writing by AMC before relying on it, and check the separate federal rules for creators.

What does Ajman Media City charge for the e-channel, medical and Emirates ID?

AMC's packages page does not itemise these lines, and third-party figures for them conflict [1]. Ask for a written all-in quote listing the entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, e-channel, establishment card and any refundable deposit before you compare AMC with another zone.

Does Ajman Media City require a physical office?

No separate office is needed to start. Every AMC package, from AED 4,999 to AED 22,999, includes co-working space [1]. If you plan to hire, ask whether your visa count needs a larger facility, since AMC publishes tiers only up to three visas.

How long does an Ajman Media City licence take?

AMC does not publish a turnaround commitment that BusinessDubai.ae could find. Third-party pages quote anything from 24 hours to about a week, unsourced. Plan the licence, the visa and the bank account as three separate stages rather than one date.

Can I get more than three visas at Ajman Media City?

AMC's site publishes four tiers up to three visas, with the three-visa Innovator at AED 22,999 [1]. Larger visa counts are reportedly available on request but are not published, so get any such package quoted in writing by AMC.

Can an Ajman Media City company open a UAE bank account?

Yes. BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 banking notes record that WIO and Mashreq Neo open readily for free zone companies [10]. Expect questions if your activities are non-media, and make sure your business description matches the activity names on your licence.

Is Ajman Media City a good choice for a non-media business?

It can be, since AMC's register includes trading lines such as sportswear and medical equipment trading [6]. For a goods business moving stock through a port, Ajman Free Zone's Designated Zone status usually matters more than AMC's AED 132 saving at one visa.

References

[1] Ajman Media City. Packages page, checked 26 September 2026: Business Club AED 4,999 with no visa renewing at AED 4,999; Visionary AED 12,999 with one visa renewing at AED 8,999; Pioneer AED 17,999 with two visas renewing at AED 10,999; Innovator AED 22,999 with three visas renewing at AED 14,999; up to 10 activities, up to 10 shareholders and co-working space in every tier. Ajman Media City packages

[2] Khaleej Times. "Ajman Ruler issues decree establishing Media Free Zone", 4 November 2015: Emiri Decree No. 8 of 2015 establishing Ajman Media Free Zone, and the decree's definition of media. Press reporting of the decree, not the decree text. Khaleej Times

[3] UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. Ajman Media City Free Zone profile: licensing authority established 2018, legal forms FZE LLC and FZC LLC, scope described as companies working in the media field and support services, and a company count up to 2021. MoET zone profile (PDF)

[4] Federal Tax Authority. List of Designated Zones under Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017 as amended, the last amendment effective 12 September 2021: Ajman Free Zone is listed for Ajman effective 1 January 2018, and Ajman Media City is not listed. FTA List of Designated Zones (PDF)

[5] Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 on Qualifying Activities and Excluded Activities: the closed Article 2(1) list with no general services catch-all, and the condition that distribution in or from a Designated Zone qualifies only where the goods enter the State through the Designated Zone. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 (PDF)

[6] Ajman Media City. Approved activities list, sampled 26 September 2026: media activities including book publication, trade-publication production, TV rebroadcasting, media consultancy and advertising research, and non-media activities including sportswear, sports equipment and medical equipment trading, with no numeric activity code system shown. Ajman Media City activity list

[7] National Media Authority. FAQ: the Authority oversees all media activities and outlets operating in the State, including media entities in media free zones, and regulates and licenses them in the same manner as those operating elsewhere; the Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025, announced 18 December 2025. National Media Authority FAQ

[8] Federal Tax Authority. Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on the Taxation of Corporations and Businesses: 0% up to AED 375,000 and 9% above for an ordinary taxable person, the AED 10,000 late registration penalty, and VAT registration thresholds of AED 375,000 mandatory and AED 187,500 voluntary. Federal Tax Authority

[9] Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026, issued 29 July 2026, amending Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 on Small Business Relief: revenue at or below AED 3,000,000 and tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. Ministry of Finance

[10] BusinessDubai.ae. Internal data: the 2026 package price list by visa count across eleven UAE free zones, including ANC Free Zone, Ajman Free Zone, SRTIP, SPC Free Zone, SHAMS, RAKEZ, Meydan Free Zone, IFZA, Dubai South, Expo City and Masdar City, and 2026 banking notes on which banks open readily for free zone companies. businessdubai.ae