What is Dubai’s ‘ground-breaking’ One Freezone Passport?

The Dubai Free Zones Council recently announced the successful implementation of the One Freezone Passport, an initiative that provides businesses with access to multiple free zones while maintaining a single licence.

In other words, companies licensed at one free zone can benefit from facilities located in other free zones across the emirate without requiring additional licensing.

While the statement did not specify what facilities this would include, it likely refers to office space, warehousing, HR services, and even R&D or legal support.

Louis Vuitton becomes first member under Dubai’s ‘One Freezone Passport’ initiative

In a statement, the Council described the Passport as a “ground-breaking initiative aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business across Dubai’s free zones.”

It is worth noting that global luxury brand Louis Vuitton has become the first company to leverage this initiative through the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTC), which operates the Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone. It took the company five days to complete the process.

Louis Vuitton will maintain its warehouse operations in Jebel Ali Free Zone while establishing its corporate office at One Za’abeel, part of the Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone.

Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Assistant Secretary General at Dubai Free Zones Council, said that “by enabling businesses to expand seamlessly across our world-class free zones, we are reinforcing Dubai’s reputation as a premier investment destination.”

So what does this mean for businesses? According to the government, companies can expand their operational footprint through a streamlined and fast-paced process. The programme could also encourage cross-sector collaboration across Dubai.

“The One Freezone Passport initiative fundamentally transforms Dubai’s business landscape by allowing companies to operate across all 30-plus free zones with a single license,” Bas Kooijman, CEO of asset management firm DHF Capital SA, told Business Recorder.

“For companies, this dismantles operational silos and offers significant advantages. It drastically cuts administrative and legal costs by eliminating redundant license fees and accelerates expansion time from months to as little as five days.

Strategically, businesses can now adopt efficient ‘hub-and-spoke’ models, combining the specialized strengths of different zones, like JAFZA’s logistics and DWTC’s commercial prestige, under one corporate umbrella,” he added.

“For the wider Dubai economy, the Passport is a strategic tool aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). By creating a unified, frictionless ecosystem, it enhances Dubai’s global competitiveness against hubs like Singapore and London,” he said.

He explained that the initiative is designed to attract higher-value foreign direct investment (FDI) by enabling complex multinational operations to be managed seamlessly from the emirate.

“This move positions Dubai at the forefront of the global value chain, fostering long-term economic growth and solidifying its position as a premier international business destination.”

The idea is to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global economic hub while enhancing operational efficiency for businesses.

Abdalla Al Banna, Vice President of Free Zone Regulatory Operations at DWTC, said the programme enhances Dubai’s attractiveness for global enterprises by enabling seamless operations across the city’s free zones, “contributing to Dubai’s vision of becoming the world’s leading destination for international investment and business setup.”

The DWTC Free Zone is home to global companies, innovators, and entrepreneurs across over 40 diverse sectors.

It is one of over 30 specialized free zones in Dubai, each designed to support specific industries such as technology, media, finance, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. These zones are governed by their own regulatory frameworks and offer 100% foreign ownership, full repatriation of profits, and exemption from corporate taxes and import/export duties.

Notable examples include Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, the world’s largest free zone for commodities trade; Dubai Internet City, a tech and digital innovation hub; and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) — a leading financial services jurisdiction in the region.

These free zones have been pivotal in attracting international companies and startups by offering streamlined setup processes, modern infrastructure, and strategic access to global markets.

Each has its own special facilities and infrastructure. For instance, DIFC has financial services frameworks, including banking, fintech support, and legal arbitration facilities.

Dubai Design District (d3) and Dubai Media City has creative hubs for content creators, designers, and fashion brands while Dubai Healthcare City, has clinics, labs, and academic medical centers.

The One Freezone Passport is one of many initiatives the government is implementing to encourage businesses in these zones.

For instance, previously a company in the free zone could operate only within the zone and outside the UAE. It could not conduct its operation in a non-free zone in the UAE.

However, back in March, the emirate announced new rules according to which any company or institution licensed by a free zone relevant authority may operate outside the free zone and within Dubai, as long as it obtains the necessary licences or permits from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025