Expo City Dubai free zone · ECDA companies
Expo City Dubai free zone PRO services: visas, renewals, Company Card and ECD ID
For Expo City companies: licence and Company Card renewals, employment visas from first permit to final cancellation, an ECD ID for each employee, ECDA letters, amendments and the yearly audit. Fees and rules here come straight from ECDA's fees list, violations list and 2024 regulations, and we act only on your written instructions.
- ECDA invoices settled by you in your own portal
- AED 750 per new hire visa, 5% VAT inside
- Your ECDA login stays private
ECDA filings in one paragraph · verified 30 October 2026
Expo City Dubai free zone PRO services, explained
In short: once the Expo City Dubai Authority (ECDA) licenses a company, a steady run of ECDA paperwork follows. Each year the licence and the Company Card come up for renewal; every hire needs a place in the employee allocation, a visa package and an ECD ID; staff ask ECDA for salary certificates and NOCs; and the accounts must be audited. Requests go in through the ECDA Portal, then GDRFA Dubai grants residence and ICP prints the Emirates ID. Acting on your written instructions, we get each request ready and stay with it until ECDA or immigration releases the document. Mainland firms and other zones are covered by our wider PRO services in Dubai.
Fact-check by Mir Ali (MIRDXB PRO founder), 30 October 2026 · sources: ECDA Resolution No. 1 of 2025 (fees), Resolution No. 2 of 2025 (violations), the 2024 Companies and Licensing Regulations and expocitydubai.com
- Licence renewalFrom AED 10,000ECDA's renewal line for a service or one-group commercial licence; trading and logistics licences cost more
- Company CardAED 2,500a year: ECDA's establishment card, the company's official ID for immigration
- Employment visaFrom AED 2,700ECDA's package for a hire abroad, one year, including the visa and the ECD ID; two years AED 3,200
- ECD IDEvery employeemandatory, shown on inspection; AED 800 a year for staff not on your visa
- Salary certificateAED 200issued by ECDA; company certificates and NOCs AED 250
- Late renewalAED 1,500 to 6,000from day 31, rising on day 60 and day 90; trading on an expired licence AED 10,000
Roles at Expo City
ECDA, immigration and your team: who handles which step
The free zone was created by Dubai Law No. 14 of 2022, issued on 7 July 2022, and is run by the Expo City Dubai Authority, which the law empowers to register, license and regulate the companies inside it. ECDA describes itself as offering more than 180 services, from licences and Company Cards to employment visas, NOCs and letters. Three parties share each file.
ECDA and its Registrar
The licence, the company register, the Company Card, the employee allocation, ECD IDs, amendments and ECDA's own letters and certificates. ECDA's regulations make it the visa sponsor: the Company Manager must be "sponsored for visa purposes by the ECDA" unless the Registrar agrees otherwise.
GDRFA Dubai, ICP and Dubai Health
Residence for Expo City staff is ordinary Dubai residence, so GDRFA grants the entry permit, stamps the residence and records its cancellation. Emirates IDs come from ICP, while fitness tests take place at Dubai Health centres. You will find no MOHRE work permit anywhere on ECDA's fees list, since zone employees sit outside MOHRE altogether.
Your team, with us alongside
Requests leave from the company's ECDA Portal account and ECDA's invoices are settled there, backed by an ECD Account Manager and the Client Relations Centre. Our part: assembling each application, booking fitness tests and fingerprint appointments, holding the renewal diary and following up until ECDA or immigration releases the result.
ECDA officers can inspect, and fine
ECDA's violations list gives officers nominated by its Chief Executive the capacity of law enforcement officers: they can inspect premises, interview staff and ask to see each employee's ECD ID. The same list fines a company AED 10,000 for denying entry to an inspector, so keep the Company Card, licence and ECD IDs current and to hand.
Expo City Dubai PRO services
What we file for Expo City companies
The price on each card is ECDA's own, taken from its Fees and Service Charges List. Unlike most free zones, ECDA publishes a price for nearly every post-setup service, so you can see the authority's charge before you ask anyone. Our own fee is separate and listed under our fee.
Expo City licence renewal
Renewal filed before the expiry date, lease and Company Card lined up, late fees avoided.
From AED 10,000Before expiry
Price my licence renewalCompany Card renewal
ECDA's establishment card. No valid card, no visa, renewal or allocation change.
AED 2,500Yearly
Book the Company CardNew employment visa
Permit or in-country switch, fitness test, Emirates ID, residence and ECD ID.
From AED 2,7001 or 2 years
Start a new hire visaShareholder and manager visas
Visas for owners and the Company Manager, on the company's own allocation.
Same visa packagesAsk ECDA the category
Ask about an owner visaVisa renewal
Renewed before expiry for one or two years, with a new medical and Emirates ID.
AED 2,500 or 3,1001 or 2 years
Renew a visa with usVisa cancellation
Final pay cleared, family visas closed, then the visa and ECD ID, freeing the allocation.
AED 500 inside UAEAED 750 outside
Close a visa fileDependant visas
Spouse and children of an Expo City visa holder, under GDRFA's family rules.
ECDA letters AED 200GDRFA file
Price a family visaECD ID cards and Emirates ID
Permanent, temporary and event ECD IDs, replacements, and Emirates ID updates.
AED 800 a yearNon-sponsored staff
Book an ECD IDSalary certificates and NOCs
ECDA salary certificates, bank, embassy and RTA letters, NOCs and the Golden Visa NOC.
From AED 200Issued by ECDA
Order an ECDA letterCompany documents
Good standing, incumbency, share certificates, true copies and the UBO register.
AED 200 to 2,000Priced per item
Order a registry documentLicence amendments
Activities, trade name, manager, directors, shares, capital and address.
From AED 2005 business days
Price an amendmentECDA Portal management
Requests prepared, invoices checked, returns answered, renewals diarised.
ECDA PortalYear-round
Discuss ECDA Portal helpEmployee allocation
How many people your space allows, and adding more when you hire.
AED 2,500 each extraSet by your space
Ask about extra placesAudit, UBO and compliance
Audited accounts within six months, UBO filings, change notices and records.
AED 10,000 if missedAnnual
Plan the audit and UBOLate renewal and lapsed licences
Late fees, freezes and reactivation for a licence already past its date.
AED 1,500 from day 31Act now
Fix a lapsed licenceFreelance permit renewal
Expo Freelance permits and their residence visas, renewed each year.
AED 7,000 permitUp to 5 years
Renew a freelance permitBusiness visit visas
ECDA's 90-day mission visa for visiting staff, from file opening to closing.
From AED 2,80090 days
Quote for a visit visaVisa status checks
Where an application stands, and an employee status report when you need one.
Portal and GDRFAOn request
Have us follow a visa
Still choosing a licence or Business Hub package? That belongs to setup, and our Expo City Dubai free zone guide covers it. Winding a company up is a separate process: see company liquidation in Dubai.
Licence
Expo City licence renewal: steps, fees and late charges
Article 10.2 of ECDA's Licensing Regulations says a licensee must apply to renew "prior to the date of expiry specified in the Licence", with the renewal fee. Article 10.3 adds the condition people miss: to renew, the company must still hold its valid licences, permits, visas and other authority approvals. In practice that means the lease, the Company Card and any regulated-activity approval have to be in order on the day you file.
Before you file the renewal
- Lease current. ECDA requires a leased space for every licence except a freelance permit, and the lease must run with the licence
- Company Card dated. It renews on its own yearly line, so check whether it falls due in the same month
- Approvals live. A regulated activity needs its external approval to still be valid
- Accounts filed. Audited accounts are due within six months of the year end, and a missing audit is its own fine
- Records matched. Shareholder, director and manager passports and the UBO declaration as ECDA holds them
Packages at renewal
- Business Hub packages are first-year offers. ECDA's terms for Business Hub 2 say the package is not available to companies renewing, so renewal is billed at the standard fees list
- Expo Multi is a three-year licence at AED 38,000 on the fees list, so renewal comes every three years instead of every year
- Two-group licences renew at AED 13,000 instead of AED 10,000
- Separate clocks. Neither the Company Card nor any visa moves to the licence date; each keeps its own expiry
ECDA renewal lines
| Licence | AED a year |
|---|---|
| Service licence | 10,000 |
| Commercial licence one group | 10,000 |
| Commercial licence two groups | 13,000 |
| Industrial or logistics licence | 15,000 |
| General trading licence | 25,000 |
| Holding or e-commerce licence | 30,000 |
Licence line only. The lease, the Company Card at AED 2,500 and any visa renewals are separate. ECDA's website prices include Knowledge and Innovation fees of about AED 20, which is why its package figures end in 20.
If the date passes
| When | AED |
|---|---|
| Day 31 to day 59 after expiry | 1,500 |
| Day 60 to day 89 | 3,000 |
| Day 90 onwards | 6,000 |
| Trading on an expired licence violation fine | 10,000 |
Late fees from the fees list; the fine from the Violations and Penalties List. The late fee schedule starts on day 31, but the fine for operating on an expired licence has no waiting period.
The first 30 days are not a grace period
The late fee list starts on day 31, which makes the first month look safe. It is not. Article 10.6 says the Registrar "may grant, in its discretion, a limited grace period", so any grace has to be given, and the violations list fines a company AED 10,000 for continuing to operate with an expired licence. Without a renewal or a granted grace, the licence may be suspended or terminated. Renew before the date printed on the licence.
A mainland licence follows DET's rules instead; our trade licence renewal guide walks through them.
ECDA's establishment card
Expo City Company Card: the establishment card renewal
What mainland companies call an establishment card, ECDA calls the Company Card. ECDA's setup guide describes it as "the official identification card of the company and a confirmation of its legal existence", showing the company name, card number, expiry date and ECDA as the authorised signatory. It is issued with the licence and comes with the company's employee allocation.
Company Card lines
| Service | AED |
|---|---|
| New Company Card | 2,500 |
| Renewal annually | 2,500 |
| Amendment after a name or detail change | 350 |
| Cancellation when the company closes | 300 |
Business Hub package 2 includes a Company Card valid for one year; Business Hub package 1, with no visa quota, does not. From the second year the card is renewed at the standard line.
Our timing rules
- The card date sits in our tracker next to the licence and each employee visa, so no hire stalls on an expired card
- Where a visa renewal falls after the card expires, the card is renewed first
- After a trade name change, we file the AED 350 amendment so the card matches the amended licence
- A company that moves from Business Hub 1 to hiring needs a Company Card first; the package without visas never issued one
For the mainland version and the GDRFA rules it follows, read establishment card explained.
Residence
Expo City employment visa for a new hire: steps, papers and ECDA packages
ECDA sells the employment visa as a package that "includes visa and ECD ID", in a one-year or two-year version, priced differently for a hire who is already in the UAE and one who is abroad. ECDA's Business Hub page says the package "covers everything from entry permit to Emirates ID". Before applying, the company must hold an active licence, a current Company Card and an unused allocation place.
Allocation and application
ECDA Portal
ECDA receives the request in its portal, booked against an unused place in the allocation, together with the passport, a photo, the agreed title and pay, and a certified degree for titles that require one.
Entry permit
ECDAGDRFA
When the hire is overseas, ECDA lodges the application and GDRFA releases an entry permit for the journey to Dubai.
Hiring someone already here
GDRFA
A person on a visit visa, or still within the grace after a previous visa was cancelled, switches status inside the country, which is the reason ECDA prices its in-UAE package higher.
Fitness test
Dubai Health
Anyone 18 or older applying for residence takes it at a Dubai Health centre.
Emirates ID enrolment
ICP
ICP takes fingerprints and a photo when it requires them; the card then shares the residence's validity and lapses with it.
Residence visa and ECD ID
GDRFAECDA
GDRFA's electronic residence comes through, then ECDA releases the employee's ECD ID, already covered by the package price.
ECDA employment visa packages
| Package | Standard, AED | Urgent, AED |
|---|---|---|
| Hire abroad, 1 year | 2,700 | 5,000 |
| Hire abroad, 2 years | 3,200 | 5,450 |
| Hire in the UAE, 1 year | 3,800 | 5,800 |
| Hire in the UAE, 2 years | 4,500 | 6,200 |
Each package includes the visa and the ECD ID. Health insurance is extra. The fees list and ECDA's Business Hub page show the same four standard prices.
What "all-inclusive" leaves out
ECDA's website calls the package all-inclusive from entry permit to Emirates ID. Its Business Hub 2 terms add that fees for "the employee visa, insurance, medical fitness typing, and Emirates ID typing" are paid by the company. Both can be true: the package covers ECDA's and immigration's lines, while health insurance is always separate. Budget insurance on top, and read each line of the portal invoice before paying.
- In-country hires: lodge the status change before the person's current visa or grace runs out; our grace period guide covers the overstay cost
What we need from you
- A passport with comfortable validity and a fresh white-background photo
- For someone already in the country: the visit visa, current residence page or cancellation paper
- For graduate titles, the degree attested at home and then by UAE MOFA
- The final salary and title, which ECDA's later salary certificates will repeat word for word
Shareholder and manager visas
- The Company Manager must be a natural person sponsored for visa purposes by ECDA unless the Registrar approves otherwise (Companies Regulations, article 38.7)
- No separate investor or partner line appears in ECDA's fees list; owners are processed through the same visa packages and count against the allocation
- Ask ECDA in writing how a shareholder's visa is classed for your company before you file, because the label affects later family and bank paperwork
- 10-year residence is a separate ICP route, and ECDA charges AED 2,000 for its Golden Visa NOC
Business visit visa (mission) for visiting staff
For people who come to work on a project without moving to Dubai, ECDA sells a 90-day single-entry mission visa. The company first opens a business visit visa file (AED 5,200, once) and lodges a deposit (AED 1,041 for one visa, AED 5,041 for up to five). Each visa then costs AED 2,800 for someone abroad or AED 3,450 inside the UAE, the file is renewed at AED 400, and closing it costs AED 250. The deposit structure makes it worth planning for repeat visitors rather than one trip.
Comparing Expo City with other zones' visa rules? Our free zone visa services page sets them side by side, and ICP's ten-year residence is on Golden and investor visa.
Residence
Renewing an Expo City residence visa: packages and timing
Renewals go through the ECDA Portal ahead of expiry, for one year or two. On filing day ECDA expects a live licence and Company Card and a place for the person in the employee allocation, and the renewal package once more bundles the ECD ID.
Three stages
ECDA Portal request
Upload the passport, photo, present visa and insurance; settle any change to title or pay beforehand.
Fresh fitness test
Required again before the next residence term.
Emirates ID, residence and ECD ID
ICP renews the Emirates ID alongside the visa, and ECDA moves the ECD ID to the new expiry.
ECDA renewal lines
| Line | AED |
|---|---|
| Renewal, 1 year standard / urgent | 2,500 / 4,000 |
| Renewal, 2 years standard / urgent | 3,100 / 4,600 |
| Job title change at renewal on top of the renewal | 500 |
| Amendment of employment contract | 150 |
| Amendment of employment visa standard / urgent | 1,250 / 1,370 |
ECDA fees list, Resolution No. 1 of 2025. Health insurance is separate.
Where renewals go wrong
Title change? ECDA adds AED 500 for it, so settle the new title before filing. Licence expiring the same month? Do the licence and Company Card first: article 10.3 links the licence to valid visas, and a visa cannot renew on a dead licence. No place left? A recent hire may have used the allocation slot the renewal needs. Visa lapsed already? Every day past the grace adds AED 50.
Renewing for a mainland employer, where MOHRE is involved? Use our employment visa renewal page.
Residence
Cancelling an Expo City employee's visa
ECDA prices a cancellation by where the employee is: AED 500 when they are in the UAE and AED 750 when they have already left, or AED 690 and AED 1,080 on urgent processing. If a visa was approved but never used, there is a separate line for cancelling the entry permit. Cancel the ECD ID with the visa, because every ECD ID counts against the allocation.
The ECDA sequence
- Final pay and gratuity first, family visas next, the employee's own visa last; the general rules are on our visa cancellation page
- ECD ID with it. Cancel the ECD ID in the same request so the allocation place comes back
- Closing the company? Every visa and ECD ID is cancelled before the Company Card (AED 300) and the licence (AED 1,000)
Cancellation lines
| Line | Standard, AED | Urgent, AED |
|---|---|---|
| Employee in the UAE | 500 | 690 |
| Employee outside the UAE | 750 | 1,080 |
| Entry permit, not used | 500 | 650 |
| Entry permit, used | 1,000 | 1,300 |
How long the employee may stay
ECDA sets no grace of its own, so the Dubai norm applies: 30 days for most residents, 60, 90 or 180 for certain categories, and the figure printed on the cancellation paper is the one that counts (grace period guide).
An employee who stops coming to work
ECDA's violations list fines a company AED 10,000 for failing to notify and file an employee's unauthorised absence with ECDA within 14 days. ECDA charges AED 5,000 to lodge an absconding request and AED 2,000 to withdraw one. If a dispute goes further, ECDA issues a court referral letter for labour disputes at AED 500. Talk to us before filing anything: an absconding report is hard to undo.
Work out end-of-service pay with our gratuity calculator.
Families
Dependant visas for Expo City visa holders
Nothing on ECDA's fees list covers family visas. Spouses and children of Expo City staff or owners are sponsored through GDRFA Dubai like any resident's family, and lose their status if the sponsor's visa goes. ECDA's contribution is the proof of job and pay.
What ECDA supplies for the family file
- Salary certificate, AED 200, from ECDA, with the same figure as the sponsor's visa and contract
- Letter to GDRFA, AED 200, where immigration asks for one
- Employment contract attestation, AED 200, when the contract itself is requested
- Change or cancel the sponsor's visa only after the family visas are sorted, or the dependants are left without a sponsor
Housing and time abroad
A tenancy in one of Expo City's own residential communities can support the family application, like any registered Dubai tenancy. Someone abroad for over six months may need a return permit: ECDA prices its version at AED 1,325.65, GDRFA and ICP also issue it, and our re-entry permit guide covers the rules.
Income limits and the full GDRFA document list are on our family visa page.
Staff identity
Expo City ID cards: the ECD ID, the Company Card and Emirates ID
ECDA defines the ECD ID as "a mandatory identifier that every employee of an ECD-licensed entity must obtain (in digital and/or physical form) and present upon request during inspections". Staff on your own visa get theirs inside the visa package. Anyone else who works for you at Expo City, such as a spouse-sponsored employee, a contractor or a consultant, needs a non-sponsored ECD ID, and all of them count towards your employee allocation.
| ECD ID | Who it is for | AED |
|---|---|---|
| Included in the visa package | Employees on the company's visa | In the visa fee |
| Permanent non-sponsored | Staff on another sponsor's visa, contractors and consultants | 800 a year, or 1,600 for 2 years |
| Temporary | Short assignments | 200 (1 month), 450 (3 months), 600 (6 months) |
| Business Operation Permit | Staff of a short-term permit holder | 450 to 800 by length |
| Event Operation Permit | Event staff | 100 to 400 by length |
| Amendment or replacement | New details, or a lost card | 200 amendment, 100 replacement |
| Cancellation | Non-sponsored staff who leave | 300 |
The fines behind the ECD ID
- AED 5,000 per person for failing to obtain a valid ECD ID for a non-sponsored employee
- AED 10,000 per instance for misusing an ECD ID or another form of identification
- AED 10,000 per instance for employing someone registered under another sponsor without ECDA's authorisation
- AED 20,000 for outsourced staff working without ECDA's authorisation
Emirates ID tasks
- Fingerprint appointments for first-time and renewal applicants
- A lost or broken card reissued (ECDA's line for this is AED 500)
- Passport changes carried through to the visa, Emirates ID and ECD ID
- AED 150 from us when the Emirates ID is the only task
Labour cards do not exist here
Searches for an "Expo City labour card" or "work permit" lead nowhere, because ECDA's fees list carries neither: the working status of an Expo City employee rests on the ECDA visa package, the residence visa from GDRFA Dubai, the Emirates ID from ICP and the ECD ID. Access control is separate again: ECDA fines the misuse of security access credentials at AED 10,000, so passes stay personal.
ECDA letters
ECDA salary certificates, NOCs and staff letters
Here the authority itself writes the letters that employees and companies need. ECDA's fees list prices letters for individuals at AED 200 and letters for companies at AED 250, each requested in the ECDA Portal. That is the opposite of some zones, where the company prints its own on letterhead.
| Letter | AED | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Salary certificate | 200 | Family visa, tenancy, loans and credit cards |
| Letter to the bank | 200 | Account opening or salary transfer |
| Letter to a consulate or embassy | 200 | Travel visas abroad |
| Letter to GDRFA or Dubai Police | 200 | Immigration or police requests |
| Letter to RTA for a driving licence | 200 | Opening a driving file |
| Letter to request off-site work | 200 | Working away from the registered premises |
| Golden Visa NOC or letter | 2,000 | A 10-year residence application |
| Company certificate for banks, DET, Dubai Customs, DEWA, Dubai Municipality, Etisalat or du, GDRFA, other free zones | 250 each | Proof of the company to another authority |
| Miscellaneous letter or NOC | 250 | Any third party that asks |
| Court referral letter labour disputes | 500 | Taking an employment dispute to court |
Getting an Arabic salary certificate right
ECDA's fees list does not say which languages its salary certificate comes in. Ask in the portal request whether an Arabic version is available; if not, a legal translation of the ECDA certificate is the usual answer for an authority that asks for Arabic. Whichever route, a mismatch between the certificate and the visa or contract on pay, title or name gets it rejected, so we compare every figure before the request goes in.
Letters that cost more than they look
The Golden Visa NOC is AED 2,000, ten times a normal letter, so file it once the ICP eligibility is clear. A permit to operate outside standard hours, nights and weekends, is a one-off AED 1,500. An ECD employee report is AED 250 and an employee status report from immigration records AED 300, both useful before a cancellation or an audit.
Ten-year residence criteria: Golden and investor visa. Need the ECDA certificate in Arabic? See legal translation.
Registers and certificates
Expo City company documents: good standing, incumbency and registers
ECDA's Registrar keeps the Shareholder Register, Officer Register and Security Register for each company, and issues certified documents from them. Lenders, overseas registries and tender panels request them, and each has its own ECDA price.
Registry documents
| Document | AED |
|---|---|
| Good Standing Certificate | 2,000 |
| Incumbency Certificate | 1,000 |
| Share Certificate summary and current share value | 1,000 |
| Certificate of Shareholding Structure | 1,000 |
| Company Information | 1,000 |
| UBO Register | 1,000 |
| True copy of registration and licence | 500 |
| Reissued Share Register entire history | 200 |
| Document attestation for example a specimen signature | 200 |
Order the right one
A Good Standing Certificate at AED 2,000 is often requested when an Incumbency Certificate at AED 1,000, or a Certificate of Shareholding Structure, would do. Before paying ECDA, confirm with the bank or registry abroad exactly which document it accepts and whether legalisation must follow.
Article 88 of the Companies Regulations requires the company to keep its own copy of everything it gave the Registrar, and each register ECDA sends it, for at least five years. Share pledges have their own lines: registration, amendment and release at AED 3,000 each.
Amendments
Expo City licence amendments: activities, name, manager and shares
Article 9 of the Licensing Regulations says any change to the contents of a licence needs an amendment application with the fee, and article 9.5 is strict: a new name, address or activity cannot be used until the Registrar has granted the amended licence. The Companies Regulations set short notice deadlines for changes to the people behind the company.
| Amendment | ECDA charge, AED | Deadline or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Add an activity above the allowed number | 500 each | Not before the amended licence is granted (article 9.5) |
| Trade name change | 1,500 | Special resolution filed within 7 business days (article 17.2); Company Card amended after |
| Company Manager change | 1,000 | Notify within 5 business days (article 39.6); new manager sponsored by ECDA |
| Director or secretary change | 1,000 | Directors notified within 5 business days (article 39.6) |
| Share transfer | 1,500 + 2% of value, capped at 10,000 | Takes effect when the Registrar updates the Shareholder Register (article 30.3) |
| Share capital | 1,000 | Amended articles; matters for bank and visa files |
| Address | 500 | No move before the amended licence (article 9.5); new lease needed |
| Articles of association | 750 | Non-standard articles AED 1,000 |
| Personal details of a shareholder, director or manager | 200 | New passport or address on the company file |
| Signatory list or financial year | 500 / 1,000 | Financial year changes move the audit date |
Converting between an FZ-LLC and a branch costs AED 3,000, and moving one licence group to two costs AED 1,000 once. A late notice is itself a breach that the violations list can fine.
ECDA Portal
ECDA Portal support: logins, payments and the Client Relations Centre
ECDA's setup guide calls it the Expo City Dubai Authority Portal, or ECDA Portal: the company's Account Manager issues the login credentials once the offer letter is signed, and every later request is filed there. ECDA's Business Hub terms go further and say applications "must be completed through digital interactions" using the online portal, with physical applications not accepted.
Your login stays with you
- No passwords, no one-time codes. ECDA's credentials remain yours alone
- Every form is drafted by us; you click submit while we watch on a screen share or sit beside you
- We never sign in under your name, and we are not ECDA, its Account Manager or its agent
- Each ECDA invoice is checked against our quote with you before payment
Paying ECDA
- Invoices are raised in the portal; ECDA's setup guide gives seven days to pay a registration invoice once issued
- The AED 500 initial application fee and package fees are non-refundable
- An urgent package costs AED 1,500 to 2,300 more per new visa or renewal than the standard one, so ask for urgent only when a date depends on it
- ECDA charges AED 200 to process a government fine through it
Where an application really stands
A request returned for a missing document waits until you answer it. ECDA's setup guide gives an initial approval 30 days of validity for the legal documents to follow, so a slow reply can mean starting again. We reply to returned requests within days.
Expo City visa status check
Pending requests show their stage in the ECDA Portal. Once a visa is issued, GDRFA Dubai and ICP's official services confirm its validity from a passport number and nationality. ECDA also sells an employee status report from immigration records (AED 300) and an ECD employee report (AED 250), which are useful before a cancellation. For clients, we follow each open request and message every change on WhatsApp.
Visa quota
Expo City employee allocation: how many visas your space allows
ECDA calls its visa quota the employee allocation: the number of people a company may employ, "calculated based on the leased space, taking into consideration the business activity, layout of the premises and considerations related to health and safety". Appendix 1 of ECDA's setup guide gives the starting ratios, and every visa and every ECD ID, including those for contractors and consultants, counts towards the total.
| Space | Starting ratio |
|---|---|
| Office | 1 employee per 9 sq m (96 sq ft) |
| Showroom | 1 employee per 15 sq m (162 sq ft) |
| Food and beverage, retail | 1 employee per 15 sq m (162 sq ft) |
| Warehouse | 1 employee per 12 sq m (129 sq ft) |
| Shared desk | 2 employees per desk |
| Business Hub package 2 | 4 visas (package terms) |
| Business Hub package 1 | 0 visas |
| Freelance permit | 1, for the permit holder only |
Needing more people
- AED 2,500 per additional employee is ECDA's line for a request above the allocation
- AED 500 to modify an allocation
- Business Hub 2 terms say a company that needs more than its four visas must move to a space with a higher quota, with no refund on the shared desk
Two figures that disagree
The setup guide's ratio gives two employees per shared desk, while the Business Hub 2 package on a shared desk carries four visas. The package terms apply to that package. For any other space, get the allocation in writing with the lease offer, because the ratios "may vary" by activity and layout.
Mainland quotas run through MOHRE instead: see our company visa quota guide.
Annual filings
Expo City Dubai free zone compliance: the annual calendar
ECDA ties most of its fines to a date, and several dates come from federal law rather than from ECDA. The table lists what a typical Expo City company must file each year, and where.
| Item | Due | Filed in | Cost of missing it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence renewal | Ahead of expiry | ECDA Portal | AED 1,500 to 6,000 late fees from day 31; AED 10,000 fine for trading expired |
| Company Card | Annually | ECDA Portal | No visa work until renewed |
| Visa, Emirates ID and ECD ID expiries | Before each expiry | ECDA Portal, ICP | Overstay AED 50 daily after the grace; AED 5,000 per missing ECD ID |
| Audited accounts | Within 6 months of the year end, by an ECDA-approved auditor | Filed with the Registrar within 5 business days of the general meeting | AED 10,000 fine |
| Changes to directors or manager | Within 5 business days | ECDA Portal | Fine under the violations list |
| Employee absence | Within 14 days | ECDA | AED 10,000 fine |
| UBO register | 60 days from formation, then 15 days after any change | Own register, copy to ECDA | Federal UBO penalties (UBO guide) |
| Corporate tax return | Nine months after the tax period closes | EmaraTax (FTA) | AED 500 monthly, AED 1,000 a month from the 13th month |
| Records and employees register | Kept at least 5 years; register always current | Company files | Open to the Registrar on inspection |
Corporate tax for an Expo City company
Expo City Dubai does not appear on the VAT designated zones list, so VAT works as on the mainland, and Qualifying Free Zone Person status needs audited accounts anyway. Registering late for corporate tax risks AED 10,000; our free zone corporate tax guide sets out the rest.
After the expiry date
An expired Expo City licence: the four consequences
An AED 10,000 fine from day one
Operating or attempting to operate with an expired ECDA licence is the first item on ECDA's violations list.
Late fees that step up
AED 1,500 from day 31, AED 3,000 from day 60 and AED 6,000 from day 90, on top of the renewal itself.
Suspension or termination
Without a renewal or a granted grace period, article 10.6 lets the Registrar suspend or terminate the licence.
Dormancy has limits
Six months without operations lets the Registrar revoke a licence (article 8.2), and twelve months without commercial activity can start a strike-off (article 99.1).
Pausing on purpose? A one-year freeze costs AED 3,000, suspends the annual renewal fee while frozen (article 11.7) and stops all trading; reactivation is AED 1,000. Send us the portal invoices for a lapsed licence and we price the fix in writing.
Individuals
Expo Freelance permit renewal and its residence visa
An Expo Freelance permit is held by a person, not a company, and needs no leased space. ECDA's freelance guide (version 4, October 2025) says the permit is issued for one year and "can be renewed annually for up to 5 years", with compliance and financial checks along the way. Its website adds that the two-year package is available on renewal only.
Freelance lines
| Line | AED |
|---|---|
| Permit renewal annually | 7,000 |
| Permit with 1-year residence visa website price | 9,020 |
| Permit with 2-year residence visa on renewal only | 16,020 |
| Late renewal, day 31 to 59 | 500 |
| Change of profession or name | 250 |
| Cancellation | 250 |
What changes at renewal
- The name on the permit must match the passport; a company name cannot replace it
- Up to two related professions can sit on one permit
- The permit carries one employment allocation, for the holder only
- Some professions need another authority's approval, which must still be valid at renewal
Choosing between a freelance permit and a company at Expo City is a setup question, covered in our Expo City Dubai free zone guide.
Quick reference
ECDA charges and who acts, service by service
| Service | At ECDA | At GDRFA or ICP | ECDA charge, AED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence renewal | Renewal application | None | From 10,000 |
| Company Card | Card issue or renewal | Linked immigration record | 2,500 |
| New employment visa | Application and ECD ID | Permit or in-country change, residence, Emirates ID | 2,700 to 4,500 |
| Visa renewal | Renewal request and ECD ID | Residence and Emirates ID renewed | 2,500 or 3,100 |
| Visa cancellation | Cancellation filing | Residence cancelled | 500 or 750 |
| Extra allocation | Allocation request | None | 2,500 per person |
| Non-sponsored ECD ID | ECD ID | None | 800 a year |
| Salary certificate | ECDA letter | None | 200 |
| Amendment | Amended licence | None | 200 to 1,500 |
| Freelance permit | Permit review | Residence visa, if included | 7,000 |
| Initial approval, new company | Application review | None | 500 |
Three zones compared
Expo City, DMCC and Meydan side by side for PRO filings
The three zones all grant Dubai residence without any MOHRE file, yet each handles the paperwork its own way. For groups with companies in more than one, these differences decide how we prepare a file.
| Topic | Expo City Dubai | DMCC | Meydan Free Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portal | ECDA Portal, plus an Account Manager and the Client Relations Centre | Member Portal; four user roles (Admin, Approver, Entry, Reviewer) | Customer Portal, with sharing of logins barred without Meydan's written consent |
| Visa quota | Employee allocation by space: 1 per 9 sq m of office, 2 per shared desk; AED 2,500 per extra person | Workspace-based: one visa per 9 sq m, a maximum of 3 on a flexi desk | Bought per slot, AED 1,850 each yearly, 0 to 6 published |
| Establishment card | "Company Card", AED 2,500 a year | Establishment card at AED 1,800 yearly on our price list | Called the "Immigration Card", AED 2,000 |
| Visa price | Packages with the ECD ID: AED 2,700 to 4,500 by length and location | Line items in DMCC's schedule of charges | From AED 3,500, plus the allocation |
| Employee letters | ECDA issues them; AED 200 for a salary certificate | DMCC issues them; AED 165 for a salary certificate | Usually printed by the company on its own letterhead |
| Staff ID cards | ECD ID, mandatory for every employee | PIC cards plus access approvals | No scheme published |
| Late licence | AED 1,500 from day 31, 3,000 from day 60, 6,000 from day 90 | AED 2,500 for days 31 to 60, AED 5,000 for days 61 to 90 | Fee unpublished; Non-Renewal status at day 31 |
Have a DMCC or Meydan company too? Our DMCC PRO services and Meydan Free Zone PRO services pages go through each of their filings.
Where ECDA is
ECDA Client Relations Centre: address, hours and contacts
ECDA's Client Relations Centre is its single counter for leasing, licensing and government services. Its current pages place it on the 2nd floor of Building 14, Mangrove Quarter B, Expo City Dubai, with parking at the Sustainability car park and the Expo 2020 metro station on site. Most services never need a visit, because ECDA expects applications through the portal.
Phone, email and hours
CRC@expocitydubai.ae, 04 555 2272, and 800 39762489 on the freelance page; the Freelance Hub is freelancehub@expocitydubai.ae. ECDA lists Monday to Thursday 08:30 to 16:00 and Friday 08:30 to 12:00.
Two addresses in print
ECDA's setup guide (version 3, August 2024) still puts the centre on level 2 of the Women's Pavilion in the Sustainability District. The live website gives Building 14, Mangrove Quarter B. Go by the website, and call ahead if you plan a visit.
Checking an invoice is genuine
Check that any renewal or visa invoice comes from the ECDA Portal or an expocitydubai.ae address before you pay. Never send portal credentials or one-time codes by message, to us or to anyone else.
One more thing ECDA enforces: using the Expo City Dubai or ECDA logos in your own marketing without written approval is an AED 20,000 violation, and so is leaving the ECDA-registered company name off letterheads and business cards.
Our process
Four steps from request to ECDA document
- 1
Share the deadline
A trade name and the ECDA service is enough, or a screenshot of the dates in your ECDA Portal.
- 2
Written price first
ECDA's list price, our charge and the expected turnaround, all agreed before payment.
- 3
Drafted by us, filed by you
With your written go-ahead we complete the paperwork, and you lodge and pay it in your own ECDA account.
- 4
Followed to the finish
We book the fitness test and fingerprints, answer ECDA's queries and send the finished visa, ECD ID, licence or letter by WhatsApp.
Retainer or per filing
Should an Expo City company take a monthly plan?
Start by listing a year of ECDA work. Four employees on two-year visas typically mean the licence, the Company Card, two visa renewals, maybe one hire and one leaver, two or three ECDA letters and the audit.
Paying as you go
Small Expo City teams normally save this way. For that example our charges total roughly AED 2,850 yearly: AED 400 for the Company Card, AED 1,200 across the two renewals, AED 750 for the hire and AED 500 for the leaver, with the licence and letters quoted on top.
On a retainer
Makes sense when ECDA work lands monthly, when contractors keep needing ECD IDs, or when you would rather a named PRO watched every date for you. Starter is AED 799 monthly for a team of up to five with six transactions a month; Growth costs AED 1,499 and Business AED 2,499, and twelve months paid ahead are billed as ten.
Each tier's inclusions are listed on our corporate PRO plans page.
Seen in our Expo City files
Mistakes that cost Expo City companies money
Reading day 31 as a deadline
Trading on through the first month after expiry, when the AED 10,000 expired-licence fine has no waiting period.
Contractors without an ECD ID
A consultant or a spouse-sponsored employee on site with no non-sponsored ECD ID: AED 5,000 per person.
A lapsed Company Card
The licence renewed on time while the card quietly expired, blocking the next visa.
Mainland habits
Chasing a MOHRE work permit or labour card that no Expo City employee ever receives.
Paying for urgent by habit
Choosing urgent processing on every visa, at AED 1,500 to 2,300 extra each, when the start date allowed standard.
A late audit
Audited accounts missing six months after the year end, and an AED 10,000 fine from the violations list.
Late manager notices
A new Company Manager or director notified weeks after the five business days the regulations allow.
Using the Expo logo
Putting Expo City Dubai or ECDA branding on your website or brochure without written approval: AED 20,000.
Our fee
MIRDXB PRO fees for Expo City work
We charge the fixed amounts below for Expo City work, with 5% VAT already in them; mainland work follows our separate price list. ECDA bills you directly in the ECDA Portal at its listed rates, and nothing is added on our side.
Set prices
| Filing | We charge, AED |
|---|---|
| Employment visa for a new hire from entry permit or in-country change to residence | 750 |
| Renewing an employee's visa | 600 |
| Cancelling an employee's visa | 500 |
| Company Card, first issue or renewal | 400 |
| Emirates ID on its own | 150 |
| Urgent handling surcharge each application; ECDA's urgent package is separate | 250 |
Retainer clients pay 25% less on these. You pay us at the start, and ECDA at the moment each request is lodged.
Priced case by case
Written quote agreed first
For licence renewals and amendments, ECD IDs, ECDA letters, registry documents, extra allocations, freelance permits, mission visas and audit or UBO work, we send a company-specific price on WhatsApp. A lapsed licence is priced after we review the portal.
Request your Expo City quoteQuestions
Expo City companies ask us
Quick, sourced answers on ECDA filings. If yours is missing, message us.
Message us on WhatsAppWhat counts as PRO work for an Expo City Dubai free zone company?
Everything ECDA expects after the licence is issued: renewing the licence and Company Card, managing the employee allocation, employment visas from entry permit through cancellation, ECD IDs, ECDA salary certificates and NOCs, registry documents, amendments, the annual audit and UBO records. Requests are lodged in the ECDA Portal; GDRFA Dubai grants residence and ICP issues Emirates IDs.
Who issues licences and visas for Expo City Dubai companies?
The Expo City Dubai Authority (ECDA), created by Dubai Law No. 14 of 2022, registers and licenses companies in the free zone and acts as the visa sponsor; its regulations say the Company Manager must be sponsored for visa purposes by ECDA. Dubai immigration (GDRFA) issues the residence visa and ICP the Emirates ID.
Is there a labour card or MOHRE permit for Expo City staff?
No. ECDA's fees list carries neither, since zone employees are outside MOHRE. Their status rests on the ECDA visa package, GDRFA Dubai residence, the ICP Emirates ID and the ECD ID. Pay, notice and gratuity are still set by the federal Labour Law.
What does ECDA charge to renew a licence?
ECDA's fees list puts the renewal of a service licence or a one-group commercial licence at AED 10,000 a year, two groups at AED 13,000, industrial and logistics at AED 15,000, general trading at AED 25,000 and holding or e-commerce at AED 30,000. The lease, the Company Card at AED 2,500 and any visa renewals are paid separately.
Is there a grace period for an expired Expo City licence?
Only if the Registrar grants one. Article 10.6 of the Licensing Regulations says the Registrar may grant a limited grace period at its discretion. Late fees start at AED 1,500 from day 31, AED 3,000 from day 60 and AED 6,000 from day 90, and trading on an expired licence is an AED 10,000 violation from the first day.
What is the Expo City Company Card?
It is ECDA's establishment card: the company's official identification card and proof of its legal existence, showing the company name, card number, expiry date and ECDA as authorised signatory. It costs AED 2,500 new and AED 2,500 to renew each year, AED 350 to amend and AED 300 to cancel. No visa can be issued without a valid card.
What does ECDA charge for an employment visa?
ECDA sells it as a package that includes the visa and the ECD ID: AED 2,700 for one year or AED 3,200 for two years for a hire abroad, and AED 3,800 or AED 4,500 for a hire already in the UAE. Urgent processing costs AED 5,000 to 6,200. Health insurance is extra, and our fee for a new visa is AED 750.
Does ECDA publish a visa processing time?
No processing time is published for employment visas; ECDA lists separate standard and urgent prices instead. Its guides give 3 working days for an initial approval on a new company and up to 3 working days for a freelance permit, and the fitness test and Emirates ID fingerprints both require the employee to be in the country.
What does an Expo City visa renewal involve?
File it in the ECDA Portal before the visa expires, with the licence and Company Card valid and a place in the allocation. ECDA charges AED 2,500 for one year or AED 3,100 for two, including the ECD ID, plus AED 500 if the job title changes. A fresh fitness test and the Emirates ID renewal come next. We charge AED 600.
How much does it cost to cancel an Expo City visa?
ECDA charges AED 500 to cancel an employment visa while the employee is in the UAE and AED 750 when they are abroad, or AED 690 and AED 1,080 urgently. An unused entry permit costs AED 500 to cancel, a used one AED 1,000. Pay final dues first and close any family visas before the sponsor's; we charge AED 500.
How many days does an Expo City employee get after cancellation?
ECDA does not set its own figure, so the Dubai norm applies: 30 days for most people, 60, 90 or 180 for certain categories, and the cancellation paper shows the exact period. Staying past it costs AED 50 a day; our grace period guide has the details.
What is the ECD ID?
ECDA defines it as a mandatory identifier every employee of an ECD-licensed entity must hold, digitally or physically, and show to ECDA officers on inspection. Staff on the company's visa get it inside the visa package. Non-sponsored staff, contractors and consultants need one at AED 800 a year, and a missing ECD ID is an AED 5,000 fine per person.
Does ECDA or the company issue salary certificates?
ECDA does, through the ECDA Portal, at AED 200 per certificate. Bank, embassy, GDRFA, Dubai Police and RTA letters are also AED 200 each, company certificates and NOCs AED 250, and the Golden Visa NOC AED 2,000. If an authority needs Arabic, ask whether ECDA issues it in Arabic or add a legal translation, with every figure matching the visa.
How is the Expo City employee allocation worked out?
ECDA sets an employee allocation from the leased space: its setup guide starts at 1 employee per 9 square metres of office, 1 per 15 of showroom or retail, 1 per 12 of warehouse and 2 per shared desk, adjusted for activity and layout. Business Hub package 2 carries 4 visas. Each extra place costs AED 2,500, and ECD IDs count too.
Can Expo City staff bring their families?
Yes. An Expo City employee or owner on a residence visa sponsors a spouse and children through GDRFA Dubai under the normal family rules; ECDA's fees list has no separate dependant line. ECDA's part is the paperwork, such as the AED 200 salary certificate and a letter to GDRFA. If the sponsor's visa is cancelled, the family's visas fall with it; see our family visa page.
How do I change the Company Manager or a director at Expo City?
Notify ECDA within 5 business days of the change, as article 39.6 of the Companies Regulations requires; the change takes effect when the Registrar registers it. ECDA charges AED 1,000 for a manager change on the licence or a director change. The new Company Manager must be sponsored for visa purposes by ECDA unless the Registrar agrees otherwise.
When are audited accounts due for an Expo City company?
Within six months of the financial year end, examined by an auditor on ECDA's approved list and laid before a general meeting, then filed with the Registrar within 5 business days of that meeting. ECDA's violations list fines a company AED 10,000 for failing to submit audited statements within the timeline.
What is the ECDA Portal?
It is the Expo City Dubai Authority's online portal, where licences, Company Cards, visas, ECD IDs, letters and amendments are requested and paid. The Account Manager issues the login credentials at setup, and ECDA's package terms say applications must be completed digitally. We prepare each request and you submit it, so your password and one-time codes stay with you.
Where is the ECDA Client Relations Centre?
ECDA's website places it on the 2nd floor of Building 14, Mangrove Quarter B, Expo City Dubai, open Monday to Thursday 08:30 to 16:00 and Friday 08:30 to 12:00, with contact by CRC@expocitydubai.ae or 04 555 2272. ECDA's 2024 setup guide still gives the Women's Pavilion, so call ahead before a visit.
Can I renew an Expo Freelance permit with its visa?
Yes. ECDA's freelance guide says the permit is issued for one year and can be renewed annually for up to 5 years. The permit alone renews at AED 7,000, and the website offers a two-year permit with a two-year residence visa at AED 16,020 on renewal only. Renewing between day 31 and day 59 after expiry adds AED 500.
Does MIRDXB PRO work for Expo City Dubai or ECDA?
No. We are an independent, privately owned PRO and visa firm based in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, with no affiliation to Expo City Dubai, ECDA, GDRFA Dubai or ICP and no endorsement from them. We prepare filings when a client authorises us in writing; ECDA and the government authorities decide every case and set every fee.
How much is MIRDXB PRO's fee for Expo City work?
With 5% VAT inside: a new hire's visa AED 750, a renewal AED 600, a cancellation AED 500, the Company Card AED 400, an Emirates ID alone AED 150, and urgent handling AED 250 on top. Licence renewals, amendments, ECD IDs, letters and registry documents get a written WhatsApp quote before payment.
Where these facts come from
On 30 October 2026 we compared each ECDA rule and charge here with the Expo City Dubai Authority's fees list, violations list, regulations, guides and website. Mir Ali, MIRDXB PRO's founder, has personally handled more than 100 files in three years and reviewed the page. Because ECDA publishes its fees and violations lists as scans, we went through them page by page and typed out each figure. Conflicting ECDA sources are both quoted. ECDA can change fees at any time, and the ECDA Portal invoice on the day you submit is what you pay. Our method: the way we research and review each guide.
- ECDA: Resolution No. 1 of 2025, Fees and Service Charges List
- ECDA: Fees and Service Charges List (free zone services page copy)
- ECDA: Resolution No. 2 of 2025, Violations and Penalties List
- ECDA: Companies Regulations No. 1 of 2024
- ECDA: Licensing Regulations No. 2 of 2024
- ECDA: How to set up your business in Expo City Dubai (version 3, August 2024)
- ECDA: How to obtain your Freelance Permit (version 4, October 2025)
- ECDA: Terms and Conditions for Business Hub Package 2
- Expo City Dubai: Free zone services and FAQs (ECD ID, employee allocation)
- Expo City Dubai: Business Hub packages and visa pricing
- Expo City Dubai: Expo Freelance packages
- Expo City Dubai: Packages and Client Relations Centre
- Dubai Law No. 14 of 2022 Establishing Expo City Dubai
- Federal Tax Authority: nine-month deadline for corporate tax returns
Never miss an ECDA deadline
Tell us which ECDA date comes next. ECDA's charge, our fee and the turnaround reach you in writing before any payment.
Knowledge Hub
Read before you apply
Part 13 of 50 · UAE Free Zones
Expo City Dubai Free Zone 2026: ECDA Licences, Packages, Visas, Costs and Who It Suits
Expo City Dubai free zone 2026: Law 14/2022, ECDA licences, freelance and business hub packages with published prices, visas, tax…
25 min read
Part 1 of 50 · UAE Free Zones
Dubai Free Zones 2026: Complete List of 23 Zones, Costs, Visas and How to Choose
Dubai free zones 2026: all 23 zones compared by authority, published cost, setup time, visas, VAT and mainland access. Get…
45 min read
Part 12 of 14 · Corporate & Compliance
Corporate Tax for Free Zone Companies in the UAE: QFZP Checklist, Qualifying Income, 0% vs 9%
Whether a UAE free zone company pays 0% or 9% corporate tax: the six Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions (substance,…
23 min readRelated services for Expo City firms
- Monthly Corporate PRO PlansOne retainer for ECDA renewals, visas and letters, starting at AED 799.
- Meydan Free Zone PRO ServicesImmigration Card, visa allocations and portal requests for Meydan companies.
- DMCC PRO ServicesMember Portal filings, PIC cards and establishment card renewals for DMCC firms.
- Free Zone Visa ServicesHow residence visas compare from one Dubai free zone to the next.