Ajman Free Zone activity register
Freelancer licence activities in Ajman Free Zone
Get my UAE setup planThe short answer
The Ajman Free Zone Authority (AFZ) issues its freelancer licence as the Sole Professional Licence, marketed as the Freelancer Package, to one individual who must be the only shareholder. It covers 124 named roles in AFZ's 1,689-activity register, from Actor and Animator to Aerial Shoot Photographer, with co-working space in the Freelancer & Pioneers Hub. AFZ's pages disagree on visas: the licence-types page says one residence visa, the Hub page and FAQ say two, so confirm the number with AFZ. Velarozone checks your profession against the register and prepares the application, but AFZ alone decides eligibility.
Ajman Free Zone is run by the Ajman Free Zone Authority (afz.gov.ae). Its FAQ lists Industrial/Manufacture, Commercial, Services, Pioneers, Freelancer, E-commerce and Offshore licences. The Sole Professional Licence, marketed as the Freelancer Package, is the one built for a single working professional.
The 124 roles on this page are a separate slice of AFZ's register from the Commercial, Services and Industrial activities that company licences use. Sample names are Actor, Advertising Editor, Aerial Shoot Photographer, Analyst-Strategy & Policy Planning and Animator. AFZ's licence-types page says freelancers must fall within one of 40 categories, while the register captured here lists 124 named roles, so confirm the exact wording with AFZ. You apply under the role name that matches your actual work.
The licence comes with co-working space in the Freelancer & Pioneers Hub, which AFZ describes as open 24 hours with free Wi-Fi and no overhead charges, instead of a leased office or warehouse. AFZ's pages give two visa figures: one residence visa on the licence-types page, two on the Hub page and in the FAQ. AFZ calls its renewal rates economical, but the pages we reviewed give no renewal cycle, fee or processing time, so confirm those at application.
Matching your profession to the exact role name on AFZ's register, and reading what that role permits, is a single lookup. The advisers described in [why work with Velarozone](/why-velarozone) run it before you approach the authority.
What the Freelancer classification covers
Entries here are individual professions, not company activities. The register names the practitioner, such as Actor, Advertising Editor, Animator or Analyst, and the licence is issued to a person working in their own name.
RAKEZ sets the eligibility rules itself. An applicant provides a passport copy and either a portfolio of work or a qualification certificate. Residency is a choice: take RAKEZ visa sponsorship, or bring a copy of a valid UAE residence visa with the existing sponsor's No Objection Certificate.
What a freelancer licence here is structured for
Suited to one person selling their own professional work. AFZ allows one shareholder and, per its FAQ, one employee, so it does not fit a business that needs partners or a team, or one that holds stock and trades goods.
Decide between the permit and a company licence on three facts: whether you will hire anyone, whether you need a corporate bank account, and whether you can accept personal liability for debts from the work. A yes to either of the first two, or a no to the third, points to a company licence.
From the register
Named Professions on RAKEZ's Freelance List
A sample of the 124 activities Ajman Free Zone files under Freelancer, exactly as the register names them. Activity names are the authority's own wording and are shown in English in every language; register codes are not published.
- Actor
- Advertising Editor
- Aerial Shoot Photographer
- Analyst-Strategy & Policy Planning
- Animator
- Announcer
- Art Critic
- Artist
- Audio / Sound Engineer
- Audiology Technician
- Business Analyst
- Cameraman
- Career Counsellor
- Career Development Specialist
- Career Ladder Advisor
- Chief Editor
- Choreographer
- Commentators: Radio, Events, Sports, Television
- Composer
- Computer Instructor
- Computer Sciences Trainer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Concept Designer
- Content Provider
- Copywriter
- Correspondent
- Costume Designer
- Critics: Music, Film, Theatre
- Data Analyst
- Data Science and Analytics Freelancer
What this page does not decide
Decision factors
How the Permit Differs from a Company Licence
These points set the Sole Professional Licence apart from AFZ's Business, Industrial and Services licences.
- One shareholder only: AFZ's FAQ says the Freelancer and Pioneer licences allow a single shareholder, so there is no partner to add.
- Room for one employee at most: AFZ's FAQ says a freelancer licence holder can hire one employee, with the employment visa provided under the employee's company.
- Paired with co-working space in AFZ's Freelancer & Pioneers Hub, which AFZ describes as open 24 hours, rather than a leased office, showroom or warehouse.
- AFZ's pages differ on visas: one residence visa on the licence-types page, two on the Hub page and in the FAQ. Both the licence-types page and the Hub page include family sponsorship.
- Drawn from 124 named roles within AFZ's 1,689-activity register, distinct from the Commercial, Services, and Industrial activities a company licence uses.
Where the Permit Is a Good Fit
- One professional, such as an actor, animator, editor or analyst, working in their own name with no more than one employee.
- Someone whose occupation appears by name on AFZ's freelancer list, such as Actor, Advertising Editor, Aerial Shoot Photographer, Analyst-Strategy & Policy Planning, or Animator.
- An applicant content with a co-working base in AFZ's Freelancer & Pioneers Hub rather than a dedicated office or warehouse.
- Someone comparing costs. AFZ's licence-types page calls this the most cost-effective licence in all the Emirates, which is AFZ's own claim, so compare it with a written quote.
When to Choose a Company Licence Instead
- A founder who needs partners or a team: this licence allows one shareholder and, per AFZ's FAQ, one employee. A company licence fits that structure.
- A profession that doesn't appear by name on AFZ's freelancer list, even where a related activity exists in the zone's company-licence register.
- An operator who needs a leased office, showroom, or warehouse rather than co-working space.
- Anyone who needs the role match, visa count or renewal fee confirmed before applying. AFZ decides those, not an advisory review, and its own pages give different visa figures.
About this listing
Questions
Frequently asked
- Who can apply for Ajman Free Zone's freelancer licence?
- An individual whose occupation matches one of the 124 roles on AFZ's freelancer list can apply. AFZ's FAQ says the licence allows only one shareholder, so the applicant is the sole owner and partners cannot be added.
- Freelancer licence or a company licence: which fits me?
- A freelancer licence is held by one individual who is the only shareholder. It pairs with co-working space in AFZ's Freelancer & Pioneers Hub and carries one or two residence visas, depending on which AFZ page you read. A company licence (Business, Industrial or Services) can lease dedicated premises, and AFZ's FAQ says its visa quota follows the location. One actor, animator or analyst working alone suits the freelancer licence. Needing partners, a team or dedicated premises points to a company licence. AFZ's FAQ says a freelancer package cannot be upgraded to a business centre package, though licence type can be changed, so decide before you apply.
- What does the freelancer licence look like in practice?
- Take an aerial shoot photographer. They apply under the role name AFZ lists, Aerial Shoot Photographer, not a broader company activity such as photography services. The licence is issued in their name as sole shareholder, they work from the Freelancer & Pioneers Hub rather than a leased studio, and AFZ's FAQ says the licence can be used on the mainland. If they later want a partner, the licence cannot take a second shareholder, so they would need to change licence type.
- Does the freelancer licence come with a residence visa?
- AFZ's pages disagree. Its licence-types page says one residence visa with family sponsorship, while its Hub page and FAQ say two. Family sponsorship starts with a salary certificate from the AFZ portal, then Immigration, and AFZ's FAQ says family visa insurance is compulsory in Ajman. Confirm the visa count with AFZ before you apply.
- Do I need to register for UAE Corporate Tax as a freelancer?
- Possibly, depending on turnover. The Federal Tax Authority requires a natural person who conducts business in the UAE, including a freelancer, to register for Corporate Tax once turnover from that business exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year. Salary, personal investment income and real estate investment income do not count towards that threshold. The duty sits with the Federal Tax Authority, not AFZ or Velarozone, so test it against your own turnover.
- What if my profession isn't on AFZ's freelancer list?
- A role outside the 124 named freelancer roles is not covered by this licence. The same activity may exist under a Business or Services licence, but AFZ's FAQ says one licence is either a service or a commercial activity licence, never both. A higher package cannot be downgraded to a freelancer package: AFZ says you cancel and apply again.
Check your job title against RAKEZ's freelancer list
Velarozone checks your profession against the 124 freelancer roles, flags where AFZ's visa figures differ, and prepares the application for AFZ's review.
General information drawn from the CBUAE Rulebook, including the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation (C 15/2021), and Cabinet Resolution No. (134) of 2025 as published, not legal or tax advice. Rules and guidance change, so confirm the current text and each institution's own requirements before you submit.