Start with the GDRFA Dubai private-sector service
After your Dubai mainland trade licence is issued, apply for the establishment card through GDRFA Dubai’s “Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector/Free Zone” service. Prepare the partners’ names appendix, passport copies for authorised signatories and—where a manager is the authorised person—the notarised authorisation. GDRFA lists digital application channels and a 48-hour service duration; the published fee schedule includes optional charges, so check the final amount before paying.
This guide covers the Dubai immigration establishment-card service, not the separate MOHRE labour-file process. For the labour-side checklist, see our MOHRE establishment-card guide.
Documents to prepare for the GDRFA application
For its private-sector/free-zone establishment-card service, GDRFA Dubai lists these supporting documents:
- A copy of the appendix showing the partners’ names.
- Passport copies of the authorised signatories.
- A copy of the authorisation certified by a notary public for authorised persons, in the case of a manager.
GDRFA lists additional documents for certain specialised establishment types on the same service page. Treat the list above as the private-sector checklist shown there, not a guarantee that no case-specific information will be requested. Before submitting, check that the partner and signatory names in your documents match the company records, and confirm any extra requirement with GDRFA or the service channel handling your application.
How to apply after the mainland licence is issued
GDRFA Dubai describes the following digital application route:
- Sign in to the GDRFA smart services system using UAE Pass or a username.
- Search for the establishment-card service and select the issuance application.
- Complete the application information and provide the applicable supporting documents.
- Pay the fee shown for your application and follow the service’s instructions for the result.
GDRFA also describes an in-person route through a Customer Happiness Centre. Its service page lists the main GDRFA Dubai building and Amer service centres as locations; if you use an Amer centre, account for the extra charge shown in the fee schedule below.
GDRFA establishment-card fees shown on the service page
GDRFA Dubai’s published fee breakdown for the service lists an AED 200 issuance fee, plus VAT at 5%, an AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, an AED 10 Innovation Dirham and an AED 50 service fee. Based on those listed amounts, the standard charges total AED 280 before optional fees.
- Urgent fee: AED 100, listed as an extra charge.
- Amer Centre: an additional AED 100 if the application is submitted through Amer Centres.
The same GDRFA page also says the issuance or renewal fee is AED 100 per year, alongside its AED 200 issuance-fee line. Because the page presents both amounts, confirm the current payable total in the application or with the service centre before payment; don’t assume a third-party estimate overrides the portal’s final charge.
Processing time: what GDRFA publishes
Once you have the GDRFA documents ready, keep the labour-file task separate: the MOHRE establishment-card application has its own checklist and process. If you want help reviewing the paperwork for your GDRFA submission, contact Final Exit for guidance before you file.
