Dubai Humanitarian Free Zone: 2026 Setup Guide
Dubai Humanitarian is the world’s pioneering humanitarian free zone, located strategically between Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. Formerly known as the International Humanitarian City (IHC), it was rebranded in 2024 to reflect its evolved mission and global ambitions. Dubai Humanitarian is the only free zone in the world dedicated to hosting humanitarian organisations alongside commercial companies that serve the humanitarian sector.
Founded in 2003 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the free zone operates as an independent, non-profit humanitarian free zone authority. According to Dubai Humanitarian’s official website, its geographical position enables the humanitarian community to reach two-thirds of the world’s population living in disaster-prone areas within four to eight hours.
If you are an NGO, a UN agency, a non-profit organisation, or a commercial company that supplies goods or services to humanitarian agencies, Dubai Humanitarian offers an environment that no other UAE free zone can match. This guide covers everything you need to know: licence types and fees, membership packages, documents, facilities, visa entitlements, and the step-by-step registration process, drawing exclusively on Dubai Humanitarian’s official website and documentation.
What is Dubai Humanitarian and who regulates it?
Dubai Humanitarian is an independent, non-profit free zone authority based in Dubai, UAE. It is the only free zone in the world dedicated to the humanitarian sector, hosting a community of around 80 members including UN organisations, non-governmental organisations, non-profits, and commercial companies that serve the humanitarian supply chain. The community consists of approximately 500 individuals representing more than 68 nationalities.
Who founded Dubai Humanitarian and what is its history?
According to the official Dubai Humanitarian website, the free zone was founded in 2003 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum through the merger of Dubai Aid City and Dubai Humanitarian City. The original campus was 30,000 sqm. In 2011, the authority relocated to its current position near Al Maktoum Airport and Jebel Ali Port, tripling in size to 90,000 sqm and enabling members to move shipments between sea and air in as little as 10 minutes. The campus has since expanded further to 135,000 sqm. In 2024, the free zone rebranded from International Humanitarian City (IHC) to Dubai Humanitarian, signalling its expanded vision and global positioning within the humanitarian logistics landscape.
What law governs Dubai Humanitarian?
Dubai Humanitarian operates under Dubai Law No. 1 of 2012. This law mandates the authority to pursue four core objectives, as stated on the official website: establishing Dubai as a hub for humanitarian aid and disaster relief by securing the logistic infrastructure and services needed by member organisations; supporting, encouraging, and developing humanitarian, charitable, and environmental services; ensuring quick and effective emergency response; and creating a favourable environment for humanitarian activities. This legislative foundation gives Dubai Humanitarian the authority to license organisations, regulate their activities, and enforce compliance within the free zone.
Where is Dubai Humanitarian located?
Dubai Humanitarian is situated in the Jebel Ali and Dubai World Central (DWC) cluster, near Al Maktoum International Airport and approximately 10 minutes from Jebel Ali seaport. This dual-port adjacency is operationally significant: members can move shipments between sea and air in as little as 10 minutes. Its position on the corridor between the Middle East, Asia, and Africa means that humanitarian goods can reach two-thirds of the world’s population living in hazard-prone areas within four to eight hours, according to Dubai Humanitarian’s official website. The Caribbean and the Pacific Islands are among the regions the Dubai Humanitarian community has reached in previous emergency response operations.
What types of organisations and activities are allowed in Dubai Humanitarian?
Dubai Humanitarian licenses two broad categories of entity: humanitarian organisations and commercial entities. According to the authority’s official membership documentation, manufacturers and suppliers of goods and services to humanitarian agencies are also welcome to register and become part of the Dubai Humanitarian community.
What is a humanitarian organisation in Dubai Humanitarian?
As defined in the official FAQ, a humanitarian organisation in Dubai Humanitarian means the branch of a local, international, governmental, non-governmental, or non-profit organisation licensed in the free zone. It also includes organisations, agencies, programmes, or funds of the United Nations operating from the free zone. To qualify, a humanitarian applicant must demonstrate international presence and be operationally active in the international humanitarian arena. The applicant must not be conducting or intending to conduct its activities within the UAE itself, and must be impartial, independent, and neutral in delivering humanitarian assistance, regardless of religious, ethnic, racial, or other considerations.
What is a commercial entity in Dubai Humanitarian?
A commercial entity is a branch of a commercial company, or a Free Zone Limited Liability Company (FZ LLC), operated for profit and licensed by Dubai Humanitarian. According to the official FAQ, the commercial applicant must provide evidence of conducting business that is humanitarian-related or that could be humanitarian-related. Eligible commercial entities include logistics companies, freight forwarders, consultancies, suppliers of goods and services to UN agencies and NGOs, agricultural product suppliers, environment and resource management businesses, and technology providers serving the humanitarian sector.
Dubai Humanitarian’s official FAQ notes that commercial companies in the free zone are free to move from one free zone to another, providing operational flexibility if your business needs change over time.
What business activities are permitted in Dubai Humanitarian?
Dubai Humanitarian’s official licensing framework covers the following activity segments:
- Humanitarian aid and relief
- Agriculture activities and related products
- Humanitarian development services
- Logistics and shipping
- Consultancy
- Environment and resource management services
According to Dubai Humanitarian’s official FAQ, each licence includes one activity segment free of charge. If you wish to add further activity segments, each additional segment is available at AED 1,000 (approx. USD 272) per segment.
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How do you set up a company in Dubai Humanitarian?
Setting up in Dubai Humanitarian follows a two-stage process, as described in detail on the authority’s official FAQ page. Both humanitarian organisations and commercial entities follow the same broad structure, although the specific documents required at each stage differ depending on the entity type.
What happens at Stage 1 of the Dubai Humanitarian registration process?
At Stage 1, you submit a completed application form to Dubai Humanitarian together with all required preliminary documents. These include the UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) Declaration and a business plan prepared using Dubai Humanitarian’s official template. The Registration and Licensing Committee reviews your entire submission and issues its decision to accept or reject the application.
The business plan carries significant weight at this stage. The committee uses it to assess your humanitarian relevance and the credibility of your proposed operations in or for the sector. Applicants with clear evidence of existing relationships with humanitarian agencies, or a well-argued case for how their commercial activities serve the sector, fare considerably better in the review process.
What happens at Stage 2 of the Dubai Humanitarian registration process?
Once your Stage 1 application is accepted, you have three months to submit all required legal documents. These include notarised, attested, and legalised constitutional documents, board resolutions, and good standing certificates, as appropriate for your entity type. Documents issued outside the UAE must be notarised in the country of origin, attested by the UAE Embassy or consulate in that country, and then legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai.
Once Stage 2 documents are reviewed and approved, your two-year licence is issued. At this point, you can execute your office or business centre desk lease, activate your establishment card visas, and begin operating from the free zone.
How long does the Dubai Humanitarian registration process take?
Dubai Humanitarian has not published a specific processing timeline on its official website. The three-month window granted for Stage 2 document submission is the primary variable. If your documents require overseas notarisation and legalisation, allow at least four to six weeks for that process before factoring in Dubai Humanitarian’s own review period. Working with an experienced UAE business setup consultant ensures that documents are complete and correctly formatted from the outset, avoiding revision requests and delays.
What documents are required to register in Dubai Humanitarian?
The documents required for registration differ depending on whether you are a humanitarian organisation or a commercial entity, and whether your commercial entity is owned by individual or corporate shareholders. All requirements below are drawn from Dubai Humanitarian’s official FAQ.
What documents are required for humanitarian organisations?
Stage 1 documents for a humanitarian organisation branch include:
- Completed application form (Dubai Humanitarian official template)
- Certificate of Incumbency from headquarters (an official document listing directors, trustees, and similar office-holders)
- Passport copies of headquarters directors, trustees, and the appointed Dubai branch manager
- Copy of headquarters registration certificate or licence, and MOA or bylaws
- Licence copies or verification documents confirming any other branch offices (if applicable)
- UBO Declaration (completed using Dubai Humanitarian’s template)
- Copy of headquarters audited financial report for the last financial year, including a list of contributors above USD 15,000
- Reference letters or copies of agreements signed with UN agencies or humanitarian organisations (if applicable)
- Business plan (completed using Dubai Humanitarian’s official template)
Stage 2 documents for humanitarian organisations include:
- Attested and notarised Good Standing Certificate
- Attested and notarised Board Resolution (per Dubai Humanitarian’s template)
- Attested and notarised Articles of Association, MOA, or bylaws
- Signature specimen of the authorised signatory (signed in the presence of a Dubai Humanitarian employee)
- NOC from current sponsor if the appointed manager holds a UAE residency visa under another sponsor
What documents are required for commercial entities?
For a commercial FZ LLC owned by individual shareholders, Stage 1 documents include:
- Completed application form (Dubai Humanitarian official template)
- Passport copies and CVs of all shareholders, board of directors, company secretary, and manager
- Bank reference letter for individual shareholders
- Reference letters or agreements with UN agencies or NGOs (if applicable)
- Business plan (Dubai Humanitarian template)
- UBO Declaration and Data of Shareholders form
For a commercial FZ LLC with corporate (non-individual) shareholders, additional Stage 1 documents are required: copy of the corporate shareholder’s registration certificate or licence, Certificate of Incumbency of the corporate shareholder, MOA or bylaws, latest audited financials of the corporate shareholder signed by the auditor and management, a chart showing the full corporate structure up to the ultimate individual beneficial owner, and the Nominee Shareholding Self-Declaration Form.
Stage 2 documents for commercial entities include: Shareholder Resolution per Dubai Humanitarian’s template (signed in the presence of a Dubai Humanitarian employee), signature specimen of the authorised signatory, and a NOC from the current sponsor if the appointed manager holds a UAE residency visa under another sponsor.
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What are the government fees and setup costs for Dubai Humanitarian?
All fee figures below are sourced directly from Dubai Humanitarian’s official membership page (dubaihumanitarian.ae/become-a-member/). All packages include registration and licence fees, maintenance, general services, and utilities. Visa costs are charged separately.
What are the NPO licence fees?
Annual licence fees for non-profit organisation (NPO) members are as follows:
| Package | Annual Fee (AED) | Annual Fee (approx. USD) |
| NPO Standard Office | AED 18,274 | USD 4,979 |
| NPO Business Centre Desk | AED 11,250 | USD 3,065 |
The Standard Office package provides 20 sqm of dedicated office space, two establishment card visas, 24-hour security and access, free use of meeting rooms and the auditorium, free Wi-Fi, and free transport from Ibn Battuta Mall to Dubai Humanitarian twice daily. The Business Centre Desk package replaces the dedicated office with a fully connected hot desk, and adds common reception services, a shared pantry, and smart printing (first 100 pages free). Both packages include a fundraising facilitation option for NPO members.
What are the commercial licence fees?
Annual licence fees for commercial entity members are as follows:
| Package | Annual Fee (AED) | Annual Fee (approx. USD) |
| Commercial Standard Office | AED 32,064 | USD 8,735 |
| Commercial Business Centre Desk | AED 20,800 | USD 5,667 |
Commercial packages carry the same service entitlements as their NPO counterparts. The higher fee reflects the for-profit nature of the entity. Visa costs are charged separately when using Dubai Humanitarian’s government services.
What are the warehouse and facility costs?
Warehouse space is available on a separate lease and is not included in the membership package fee. According to the official membership page, per-sqm annual rates are:
| Member Type | Rate per sqm per year (AED) | Rate per sqm per year (approx. USD) |
| NPO members | AED 269 | USD 73 |
| Commercial members | AED 376 | USD 102 |
The total warehouse area within the Dubai Humanitarian campus covers approximately 88,500 sqm. The open yard, covering approximately 23,580 sqm, is also available on a separate lease. Pricing for the open yard, the permanent humanitarian showroom, and temperature-controlled storage is available on request from Dubai Humanitarian.
What is the minimum share capital requirement for Dubai Humanitarian?
For a Free Zone LLC (FZ LLC) registered at Dubai Humanitarian, the minimum share capital requirement is AED 50,000 (approx. USD 13,624), as stated in Dubai Humanitarian’s official FAQ. An FZ LLC may have between one and 50 shareholders.
For branch registrations, whether a branch of a humanitarian organisation or of an existing commercial company, there is no share capital requirement. A branch is simply an extension of the parent entity’s legal existence into the free zone, and the parent’s own financial standing underpins the registration. Dubai Humanitarian’s FAQ specifically notes that when establishing a commercial branch (rather than an FZ LLC), there is no requirement for share capital or bank account opening for the branch itself.
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How many visas can I get with my Dubai Humanitarian licence?
According to Dubai Humanitarian’s official membership page, both the Standard Office package and the Business Centre Desk package include two establishment card visas as part of the annual fee. Additional visa services are available through Dubai Humanitarian’s government services team and are charged separately.
Dubai Humanitarian provides a full range of government visa services for members. These include employment visas for new applicants from outside the UAE and for renewals from inside the country, dependent and housemaid visas (both new and renewal), and visit visas. The manager of any commercial entity must be sponsored by Dubai Humanitarian under a formal Sponsorship Agreement between the entity and the authority.
There is a specific exception for humanitarian organisations. A humanitarian organisation may appoint a volunteer who is not under Dubai Humanitarian’s sponsorship as its manager, provided the individual holds a valid UAE residency visa and the organisation provides a no-objection certificate from the volunteer’s current sponsor, confirming permission for the individual to work in the free zone. This provision reflects the distinctive operational model of many NGOs, where volunteers in senior roles are common.
What facilities and office options are available in Dubai Humanitarian?
According to Dubai Humanitarian’s official Members Benefits page, the campus covers 135,000 sqm and provides world-class facilities designed specifically to support both humanitarian operations and everyday business activity.
What office options are available in Dubai Humanitarian?
Dubai Humanitarian offers four leasing categories for members: a physical office, a business centre desk, warehouse space, and a showroom. The Standard Office package provides 20 sqm of dedicated office space with utilities included. It comes with 24-hour security and access, free meeting room and conferencing facilities, free Wi-Fi, free shuttle transport from Ibn Battuta Mall to Dubai Humanitarian twice daily, and two establishment card visas.
The Business Centre Desk package replaces the dedicated office space with a fully connected dedicated hot desk. It adds common reception services, a shared pantry, a shared stationery basket, and smart printing (first 100 pages free per period). A minimum usage commitment of 10 hours per week applies. The shuttle bus and all other community amenities apply equally to Business Centre Desk members.
Office subleasing and the sharing of any property with third parties are explicitly prohibited under Dubai Humanitarian’s compliance regulations. Each member must hold a direct lease agreement with the authority.
What warehouse and storage options are available?
Warehouse space is available to all Dubai Humanitarian members on a separate lease, charged per sqm per year. The total warehouse area covers approximately 88,500 sqm, making Dubai Humanitarian one of the largest humanitarian warehousing hubs in the world. An open yard of approximately 23,580 sqm is available for outdoor storage. Temperature-controlled warehouse facilities are also provided, which are essential for members handling pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices, and other cold-chain commodities.
The close proximity to Al Maktoum Airport and Jebel Ali Port, combined with the large warehouse footprint, enables humanitarian agencies to pre-position emergency stocks and deploy them rapidly when a crisis occurs anywhere in the world.
What specialist humanitarian facilities does Dubai Humanitarian provide?
Dubai Humanitarian has developed a portfolio of specialist infrastructure that is unique among UAE free zones. The semi-automated Kitting Centre, launched in 2020 in a joint partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), enables humanitarian organisations to assemble emergency and relief kits for rapid global dispatch. The facility uses a system of powered roller infeed conveyors, diverters, carton flow racks, and pallet conveyors. Each diverter section accommodates four simultaneous workstations, and the system can be operated manually if required. By enabling just-in-time kit assembly, the Kitting Centre reduces the need for large pre-assembled inventories, cuts preparation time, and lowers both storage and assembly costs.
The 500 sqm Cold Chain Facility enables proper long-term storage of vaccines, medical items, and other temperature-sensitive commodities. Each unit operates with its own independent compressor and split systems to ensure efficiency and redundancy. Additional specialist facilities include a helipad, a permanent humanitarian showroom where member organisations exhibit their products and services during official and educational visits, events and conference facilities including an auditorium available free of charge, car parks, and a dedicated UN building.
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What are the key benefits of setting up in Dubai Humanitarian?
Dubai Humanitarian offers benefits that go well beyond the standard UAE free zone package. Its combination of strategic location, community, specialist infrastructure, and government support makes it a distinctive environment for any organisation working in or supplying the humanitarian sector.
What are the free zone and tax benefits?
As a designated free zone within the Jebel Ali and Dubai World Central (DWC) cluster, Dubai Humanitarian provides meaningful customs and tax advantages to its members. According to the official Members Benefits page, the transfer of goods between Dubai Humanitarian and other UAE designated zones is not subject to VAT. Humanitarian organisations holding a Tax Reference Number issued by the UAE Federal Tax Authority can apply for refunds of VAT paid on purchases from the local market and on the supply of services, where those goods and services are work-related.
Members benefit from 100 per cent foreign ownership, no restrictions on profit repatriation, and a clear legal framework governed by Dubai Law No. 1 of 2012. Import and export lead times are minimised through the free zone’s membership of the Jebel Ali and DWC cluster, which facilitates the movement of goods.
Under the UAE Federal Tax Authority’s current guidance (effective from June 2023), corporate tax of nine per cent applies on taxable profits above AED 375,000. Qualifying free zone entities deriving qualifying income may be eligible for a zero per cent corporate tax rate on that qualifying income, subject to meeting all relevant conditions as set out by the Federal Tax Authority.
What brand and community benefits does Dubai Humanitarian offer?
According to the official Members Benefits page, each member receives an individual page on the Dubai Humanitarian website, including their logo, office contact details, a company brief, and their website link. Dubai Humanitarian also pushes notifications on its own platforms about member activities, posts about related activities on social media channels, and sends circular messages to the entire community about the member’s news and offers. Promotional materials are distributed within the offices and warehouses, and each member’s story is featured in the annual report.
The community aspect is equally valuable. With approximately 80 member organisations from across the UN system, the NGO world, and the private sector, Dubai Humanitarian provides direct, daily access to the world’s leading humanitarian organisations. This creates procurement opportunities, partnership possibilities, and peer connections that no general-purpose free zone can replicate. For a commercial company entering the humanitarian supply chain, this access alone is a compelling reason to base operations at Dubai Humanitarian.
What engagement and coordination benefits are available?
Dubai Humanitarian actively facilitates engagement for all members through structured programmes and initiatives. Members working in emergency response have access to Emergency Response Task Force coordination, which provides logistical and operational support during active humanitarian situations. The free zone encourages partnerships and collaboration between community members, with the aim of fostering shared innovation and mutual support.
All members participate in international and local official events, including media interviews, press visits, and formal government engagements. The annual Suhoor is one of several community events that brings the humanitarian and commercial membership together. For NPO licence holders, Dubai Humanitarian provides a fundraising facilitation service, enabling organisations to raise funds from within and beyond the free zone community. Free use of training rooms, meeting rooms, and the auditorium is available to all members for work-related activities.
What unique advantages does Dubai Humanitarian offer that other free zones do not?
Dubai Humanitarian’s position as the world’s only humanitarian free zone creates advantages that no other UAE jurisdiction can provide. The community of UN organisations, NGOs, and commercial suppliers forms a self-reinforcing ecosystem: commercial companies gain direct access to the world’s leading humanitarian buyers, while humanitarian organisations gain access to commercial expertise, cost-effective procurement options, and private sector innovation.
The Global Humanitarian Impact Fund (GHIF), launched by Dubai Humanitarian in 2015, exemplifies this ecosystem. It provides a structured mechanism for attracting private sector funding into humanitarian projects, connecting the resources and networks of commercial partners with the operational experience of member humanitarian organisations. For companies with a corporate social responsibility mandate, membership in Dubai Humanitarian and participation in the GHIF offers a credible, institutionally backed channel for impact investment.
The Humanitarian Innovation and Knowledge Hub supports knowledge sharing, academic partnerships, and the development of the next generation of humanitarian practitioners. Dubai Humanitarian holds scholarships and educational programmes as part of its forward-looking mission. The free zone also maintains a publicly accessible Humanitarian Logistics Databank, which tracks humanitarian supply chain flows globally and enables evidence-based operational planning across the community.
No other UAE free zone offers anything comparable to this depth of humanitarian infrastructure, institutional credibility, and community access. For businesses seeking to enter or scale within the humanitarian supply chain, membership of Dubai Humanitarian provides an immediate and powerful signal of legitimacy and commitment to potential NGO and UN clients.
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How does Dubai Humanitarian compare to other free zones in Dubai?
Dubai Humanitarian occupies a category of its own when placed alongside other UAE free zones, because its admission criteria are based on humanitarian relevance rather than general commercial activity.
Comparison: Dubai Humanitarian vs General-Purpose Free Zones
| Feature | Dubai Humanitarian | General-Purpose Free Zones (e.g. DMCC, JAFZA, IFZA) |
| Eligibility | Must have a humanitarian connection | Any legal business activity |
| Community | UN agencies, NGOs, humanitarian supply chain | Multi-industry, open membership |
| Specialist Facilities | Kitting Centre, Cold Chain, Helipad, Showroom | Standard offices and warehouses |
| NPO/NGO Licence Type | Yes — dedicated humanitarian organisation licence | Generally not available |
| Licence Validity | 2 years | Typically 1 year |
| VAT on Inter-Zone Transfers | Not applicable (designated zone) | Not applicable (designated zones) |
| Brand Exposure via Free Zone | Yes — member page, socials, annual report | Generally not provided |
| Emergency Coordination | Emergency Response Task Force for active situations | Not provided |
On cost, Dubai Humanitarian’s annual fees are competitive for the type of organisation it serves. An NPO Business Centre Desk at AED 11,250 per year is affordable for an NGO wanting a formal UAE presence. The two-year licence term reduces renewal complexity: overseas document legalisation is required only once every two years rather than annually, which represents a genuine saving in both time and cost.
If your business has no connection to the humanitarian sector, Dubai Humanitarian is not the appropriate free zone. Its admission process is selective, and the Registration and Licensing Committee actively reviews applicants for humanitarian relevance. For any organisation operating in or supplying the humanitarian sector, however, the free zone provides institutional access, community, and specialist infrastructure that no other UAE free zone can offer.
Tips for Setting Up in Dubai Humanitarian
Tip 1: Apply for the two-year licence option from the outset. This reduces the frequency of overseas document legalisation and renewal costs, since notarisation and attestation of overseas documents is only required once every two years rather than annually.
Tip 2: Prepare your business plan using Dubai Humanitarian’s official template with care. The Registration and Licensing Committee uses it to assess humanitarian relevance and operational credibility. A vague or generic business plan is one of the most common reasons for rejection at Stage 1.
Tip 3: Allow four to six weeks for overseas document notarisation and legalisation. Documents from outside the UAE must be notarised, attested at the UAE Embassy in the country of origin, and then legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai. Starting this process early is essential to meeting the three-month Stage 2 deadline.
Tip 4: Check whether your Dubai Humanitarian organisation qualifies for a UAE Tax Reference Number from the Federal Tax Authority. Humanitarian organisations with a Tax Reference Number can reclaim VAT on work-related purchases from the local market and on services, which can represent a meaningful annual saving depending on your operational spend.
Tip 5: Budget for warehouse space separately from your membership package. Warehouse and open yard space are charged per sqm on a separate lease and are not included in either the Standard Office or Business Centre Desk fee.
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Setting up in Dubai Humanitarian requires careful preparation, from selecting the right licence type and membership package to managing the two-stage application process and coordinating document legalisation across multiple jurisdictions. Business Setup HQ has over 22 years of combined experience helping organisations establish operations across UAE free zones, including Dubai Humanitarian.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Dubai Humanitarian
Yes. Dubai Humanitarian was formerly known as the International Humanitarian City (IHC). The rebranding took place in 2024. The free zone operates from the same location, under the same governing law (Dubai Law No. 1 of 2012), and with the same authority and community. All references to IHC on earlier documents, certifications, and licences now refer to Dubai Humanitarian.
Yes. Dubai Humanitarian licenses commercial entities either as an FZ LLC or as a branch of an existing company. The core eligibility condition, as stated in the official FAQ, is that the applicant must provide evidence that its business is humanitarian-related or could be humanitarian-related. Logistics companies, consultancies, technology providers, and goods suppliers to NGOs or UN agencies are typical examples of eligible commercial applicants.
The minimum share capital for a Dubai Humanitarian FZ LLC is AED 50,000 (approx. USD 13,624), as confirmed in the official FAQ. The FZ LLC may have between one and 50 shareholders. For branch registrations, whether humanitarian organisation branches or commercial company branches, there is no share capital requirement.
A Dubai Humanitarian licence is valid for two years from the date of issue, as stated in the official FAQ. This two-year term applies to both humanitarian organisation licences and commercial entity licences. Renewal requests must be submitted to the authority at least 60 days before the expiry date, along with the required documents and fees.
Both the Standard Office package and the Business Centre Desk package include two establishment card visas as part of the annual membership fee, as published on the official membership page. Additional visa services, including employment visas, dependent visas, housemaid visas, and visit visas, are available through Dubai Humanitarian’s government services team and are charged separately.
Dubai Humanitarian is a designated free zone, which means that transfers of goods between Dubai Humanitarian and other UAE designated zones are not subject to VAT. Humanitarian organisations that hold a Tax Reference Number from the UAE Federal Tax Authority can also apply for refunds of VAT paid on work-related purchases from the local market and on services. Transactions that cross the designated zone boundary into non-designated areas are subject to standard UAE VAT rates.
No. Dubai Humanitarian’s official compliance regulations explicitly prohibit the subleasing and sharing of any property within the free zone. Every member must hold a direct, valid lease agreement with the authority. Violation of this rule is grounds for licence suspension.
The Global Humanitarian Impact Fund (GHIF) is a mechanism launched by Dubai Humanitarian in 2015 to attract private sector funding into humanitarian projects. It provides a structured channel for commercial companies and philanthropic partners to direct capital towards humanitarian operations conducted by Dubai Humanitarian’s member organisations. Membership of the free zone provides access to the GHIF as part of the broader engagement and partnership platform.
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