SRTIP company setup, costs and visas
A university-linked research and innovation park: low-cost entry for R&D, prototyping and environmental tech, with lab access as the main draw.
SRTIP in numbers
Estimate as of 27 Jul 2026. The zone publishes no tariff. This figure is our market estimate; the zone confirms the fee in writing when you apply.
Who SRTIP fits and who should look elsewhere
SRTIP (the Sharjah Research and Innovation Park) is a specialist zone. It sits alongside the University of Sharjah campus, and its whole value proposition is proximity to labs, testing facilities and maker space. It fits founders doing genuine R&D: clean and environmental tech, prototyping, health and materials science, IoT hardware, agri-tech. If your work needs a wet lab, a workshop or a research partner more than it needs a prestige address, this is one of the few UAE zones built for exactly that.
It does not fit the founder who wants a broad trading licence, a holding company, an e-commerce store or a consultancy that could sit anywhere. SRTIP’s activity list is narrow (R&D and tech) so if you were drawn only by the estimated AED 5,500 entry price, a zone with a wider list, such as SHAMS (AED 6,885 for any five activities, up to 50 visas per licence), will serve you better.
What the AED 5,500 licence includes and what sits beyond it
SRTIP publishes no tariff, so AED 5,500 is our market estimate for the licence itself; ask the park for a written quote. It buys the right to operate an R&D/tech activity from the park; it does not, on its own, include immigration access, physical space or lab time. Budget realistically for the immigration establishment card, e-channel registration, and (the part specific to SRTIP) usage fees for the very facilities that are the reason to be here. A desk, a bench or lab access is priced separately, and it often costs more than the licence.
Treat the AED 5,500 estimate as the entry ticket. Our setup-cost calculator helps you assemble the rest before you commit.
Visas and office: what the “0 quota” really means
The spec table shows a visa quota of 0. That is a design choice more than a restriction: SRTIP does not bake a visa allocation into the base licence the way a flexi‑desk zone does. Visas here follow physical space: lease a desk or facility inside the park and the corresponding establishment card and visa slots open up.
This works well for a funded research team that will occupy the park, and awkwardly for a solo founder who wanted a cheap licence plus one visa and nothing else. For that profile a zone with a bundled desk-and-visa package is simpler.
SRTIP vs SHAMS
The natural comparison inside Sharjah is SHAMS. Both are budget zones, both waive a mandatory private office. The difference is what you are buying.
| Zone | Licence from | Visas in the price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRTIP | About AED 5,500 (estimate) | 0 (space-linked) | Deep-tech R&D, lab & prototyping |
| SHAMS | AED 5,760 (media), AED 6,885 (any 5 activities) | 0; up to 50 per licence, paid separately | Freelancers, content, media |
If your business is research or hardware and you value the park’s facilities, SRTIP earns its place. If you want a low-cost licence with room for visas and no need for a lab, SHAMS is more efficient for roughly the same money. Weigh substance too: operating physically from SRTIP gives you genuine presence in Sharjah, which matters if you plan to rely on the corporate-tax free-zone regime.
How to set up a company in SRTIP
Activities and trade name
Choose the licensed activities and reserve a trade name. The activities decide which approvals you need, how banks read your file and whether your income can qualify for the 0% QFZP rate.
Documents and KYC
Passports, application forms and a clear account of where the money comes from. Free zone companies can be 100% foreign-owned, so no local sponsor is needed.
Licence and establishment card
The zone issues the licence (typically 3–5 business days). The immigration establishment card comes next and opens visa processing.
Visas and bank account
Each visa holder needs an entry permit, a medical test and an Emirates ID. The corporate bank account is opened in parallel and is usually the slowest step.
SRTIP: questions founders ask
Can I get a residence visa with an SRTIP licence?
What does the AED 5,500 SRTIP licence cover?
Is SRTIP or SHAMS the better choice?
What kinds of business can SRTIP license?
Where does the AED 5,500 figure come from?
Can this company do business on the UAE mainland?
Does 0% corporate tax apply here?
This is general information on UAE rules. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice for your situation. Rules and government fees change; we confirm the position for your facts in writing before you act.