Free zones

Dubai Media City company setup

Dubai Media City hosts regional headquarters for international broadcasters, advertising networks, production houses and publishers. For a creative business, the value is not the licence — it is being in the room with the clients, freelancers and production infrastructure you need on short notice.

From AED 20,000 (typical)

Indicative first-year licence

By office package

Residence visa allocation

Al Sufouh, TECOM

Location in Dubai

DMC at a glance

Where the region's broadcasters, agencies and studios sit

Who DMC suits:

What DMC does well

What to watch

Activities

Commonly licensed in DMC

Not seeing your activity? The catalogue is far longer than this. Describe what you do in one sentence and we will find the code — or tell you honestly that another zone licenses it better.

Process

How a DMC setup runs

Activity and package selection

We match your activities to the DMC catalogue and pick the package tier that carries the visa quota you will need in eighteen months, not today.

Name reservation and application

Three ranked name options are screened and submitted with your incorporation application and shareholder documents.

Licence issuance

The authority issues the licence, share certificate and incorporation documents. Standard activities typically clear within three to ten working days.

Establishment card and visas

We open the immigration file, apply for entry permits, and run medicals, Emirates ID and stamping for each applicant.

Banking and tax registration

Corporate bank introduction with a prepared KYC pack, then Federal Tax Authority corporate tax registration and VAT where thresholds apply.

Questions

DMC questions

Does Dubai Media City offer freelance permits?

TECOM zones have historically offered freelancer packages for media professionals, giving a permit and residence visa without a full corporate licence. Terms change, so confirm the current product before planning around it. See also freelance visa options.

Do I need content approval for media activities?

Publishing, broadcasting and some production activities can attract media regulatory requirements in addition to the free zone licence. We identify which approvals apply to your specific activity before you commit.

How long does setup in DMC take?

For standard, non-regulated activities with complete documents, expect the licence within three to ten working days. Residence visas add a further two to four weeks after issuance, and corporate bank account opening runs three to eight weeks in parallel. Regulated activities requiring external approval take longer, and we tell you how much longer before you commit.

Can Emirates Business Lounge handle a DMC setup end to end?

Yes. We handle the activity selection, name reservation, application, licence issuance, establishment and immigration cards, residence visas, corporate bank introduction, and the corporate tax and VAT registrations that follow. You get one point of contact and one itemised quote covering all of it.

Free consultation

Thinking about DMC?

We will price it properly — licence, visas, office format and the renewal figure for year two — and tell you if another zone would serve you better for less.

+971 52 222 2594

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Visit the office

B1 Mall, Shop 3, Opposite Mall of the Emirates