Dubai One Freezone Passport: Simplifying Business Across Free Zones

On July 22, 2025, the Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC) announced the One Freezone Passport, a groundbreaking initiative designed to make doing business across Dubai’s free zones simpler and faster. The program allows companies to operate in multiple free zones under a single licence, reinforcing Dubai’s commitment to an investor-friendly business environment. This initiative aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to strengthen Dubai’s global economic position by 2033.

First Corporate Beneficiary: Louis Vuitton

The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Free Zone, part of the DWTC Authority (DWTCA), quickly adopted the initiative. Louis Vuitton became the first corporate member to benefit from the One Freezone Passport, combining its warehousing operations in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) with its corporate office at One Za’abeel within the DWTC Free Zone. Impressively, this cross-zone expansion was completed in just five business days, highlighting the speed and efficiency the initiative offers.

Why Investors and Businesses Should Take Note

The Dubai One Freezone Passport opens new opportunities for companies looking to expand and operate efficiently across Dubai’s free zones. Businesses can now:

• Consolidate operations by managing warehousing, regional offices and retail under a single licence, reducing registration fees and compliance costs across multiple free zones.

• Access new markets faster with streamlined entry into additional zones and availability of co-working spaces.

• Leverage Dubai’s strategic location and premium infrastructure by seamlessly combining logistics hubs with client-facing offices across zones.

• Benefit from cross-zone collaboration and tailored incentives, fostering operational efficiency and business growth.

Key Benefits

• For Businesses: Enables faster expansion across multiple Dubai free zones, reduces administrative burden, and delivers significant cost efficiencies for companies operating in the UAE.

• For the Dubai Economy: Strengthens Dubai’s global competitiveness, attracts multinational companies, and supports the emirate’s vision as a leading international business hub.

• For Startups and SMEs: Provides easier access to free zone infrastructure and resources, encouraging innovation and fostering growth in Dubai’s dynamic business ecosystem.

  
  

Exclusions and Restrictions

To maintain regulatory integrity and sector-specific oversight, the Free Zone One Passport initiative currently excludes certain activities and sectors, based on official Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC) guidance. These may be subject to change as the framework evolves:

• Professional activities that are not eligible for warehouse use.

• Retail operations, Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), and regulated financial institutions.

• Companies where shareholders, directors, or managers differ from the primary licence.

• Virtual offices, flexi desks, or hot desks in secondary zones.

• Business activities in secondary zones must match the primary licence.

These restrictions ensure operational efficiency while upholding Dubai’s regulatory standards.

Benefits and Strategic Impact

The Dubai One Freezone Passport offers significant advantages for businesses and contributes to the broader Dubai economy:

• Operational Efficiency: By removing duplicative licensing requirements and streamlining administrative processes, companies can achieve faster market entry, lower setup costs, and improved agility across multiple Dubai free zones.

• Cross-Zone Collaboration: The unified framework enables resource sharing and collaboration across sectors, fostering innovation and new business models in Dubai’s dynamic free zone ecosystem.

• Enhanced Competitiveness: The initiative reinforces Dubai’s position as a global investment hub, attracting international businesses and supporting its goal to become the world’s leading center for commerce, logistics, technology, and finance.

• Regulatory Certainty: Clear, standardized compliance requirements provide legal certainty and predictability for investors, legal advisors, and policymakers navigating Dubai’s free zone landscape.

By combining efficiency, collaboration, and regulatory clarity, the One Freezone Passport strengthens Dubai as a strategic destination for business expansion and cross-zone operations.