Is the Two Visa Package Worth the Extra Cost: The Full Bill From License to Visa
Topic Summary
Side-by-Side Comparison of All Three Visa Packages
Comparing all three DSBH packages side by side shows the 2 Visa Package costs AED 18,200, the 1 Visa Package AED 16,350, and the 0 Visa Package AED 12,500. That's a clear step up tied directly to sponsorship capacity, not license scope, when you're weighing a 2 visa package free zone dubai option.
What Sits Outside the Headline two visa package dubai cost
Beyond the AED 18,200 license fee, founders should budget for 5% VAT on qualifying invoices, 9% corporate tax above AED 375,000 net profit, medical testing, Emirates ID issuance, and visa stamping fees. None of these are bundled into the headline package price.
Five Steps to Decide Which Visa Package Fits Your Plan
Deciding on a visa package involves five steps: count immediate sponsorship needs, project hiring within 12 months, confirm partner visa requirements, compare total first-year costs across tiers, then match the tier to actual headcount rather than future ambition.
Which Founder Type Suits the 2 Visa Package
The 2 Visa Package suits co-founder teams, small trading companies bringing in an operations partner, or professionals relocating with a spouse who also needs sponsorship. Solo consultants with no near-term hiring plans typically overpay by choosing this tier.
Common Questions About the two visa package dubai cost
Founders most often ask whether the 2 Visa Package can be downgraded, whether unused visa quota carries over, and how renewal pricing compares to the first year. Renewal generally mirrors the initial package tier, and unused quota does not reduce the fee.
The two visa package dubai cost is AED 18,200 at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, covering the trade license plus allocation for two residency visas. It's the highest of three standard packages, sitting AED 1,850 above the 1 Visa Package and AED 5,700 above the visa-free option. Get the tier wrong and you'll either overpay upfront or scramble to upgrade mid-year.
The Three Standard DSBH Packages
0 Visa Package: AED 12,500, no sponsorship capacity attached
1 Visa Package: AED 16,350, covers one residency visa slot
2 Visa Package: AED 18,200, covers two residency visa slots
Take a two-founder consultancy weighing all three tiers before signing paperwork. If both partners plan to relocate and hold Emirates IDs, the 2 Visa Package is the only tier that fits without a costly mid-cycle upgrade.
What the License Fee Actually Buys
Your license fee pays for trade license issuance and an establishment card, the document that legally lets you sponsor employees or partners. It does not pay for the visa itself.
Think of the license as your right to sponsor, not the sponsorship outcome. Medical testing, Emirates ID issuance, and visa stamping are separate steps handled after the license is active, each carrying its own government fee.
DSBH Visa Package Cost Comparison
Feature | Package | Total Cost (AED) |
|---|---|---|
0 Visa Package | No sponsorship quota, lowest entry cost | AED 12,500 |
1 Visa Package | One founder or employee visa slot | AED 16,350 |
2 Visa Package | Two visa slots for co-founders or family | AED 18,200 |
VAT: 5% above FTA threshold | Applies to qualifying invoices, not license fees | Variable, based on revenue |
Corporate tax: 9% above AED 375,000 net profit | Applies once net profit crosses threshold | 9% on excess profit |
Side-by-Side Comparison of All Three Visa Packages
Comparing all three DSBH packages side by side shows the 2 Visa Package costs AED 18,200, the 1 Visa Package AED 16,350, and the 0 Visa Package AED 12,500. That's a clear step up tied directly to sponsorship capacity, not license scope, when you're weighing a 2 visa package free zone dubai option.
Reading the Table Correctly
Base license fee structure is identical across all three tiers
The price gap reflects visa quota, not business activity scope
Renewal fees typically mirror whichever tier you first selected
A trading firm choosing between tiers shouldn't base the decision on what it sells. It should base it on how many people it plans to sponsor in year one.
Important Considerations
A 2 visa package free zone dubai option locks in two sponsorship slots from day one
Downgrading later is possible, but upgrading mid-cycle usually costs more
Match the package to confirmed headcount, not aspirational hiring plans
What Sits Outside the Headline two visa package dubai cost
Beyond the AED 18,200 license fee, founders should budget for 5% VAT on qualifying invoices, 9% corporate tax above AED 375,000 net profit, medical testing, Emirates ID issuance, and visa stamping fees. None of these are bundled into the headline package price.
Tax Obligations You Cannot Skip
5% VAT applies once you cross the Federal Tax Authority registration threshold
9% corporate tax applies above AED 375,000 in net profit
Dubai South Business Hub is not a designated zone for VAT purposes, so standard VAT rules apply
Picture a services firm that crosses AED 375,000 net profit in its second year. That firm now owes 9% corporate tax on the excess, a cost that has nothing to do with which visa package it picked, per Federal Tax Authority guidance.
Per-Visa Costs Beyond the License
Each visa carries its own downstream costs: a medical fitness test, an Emirates ID application through ICP, and a visa stamping or status change fee. These aren't optional add-ons, they're mandatory steps in the residency process.
A two-founder team should budget separately for each person's medical and Emirates ID steps on top of the AED 18,200 license fee. It's worth flagging that these costs scale with headcount, not with license tier.
Five Steps to Decide Which Visa Package Fits Your Plan
Deciding on a visa package involves five steps: count immediate sponsorship needs, project hiring within 12 months, confirm partner visa requirements, compare total first-year costs across tiers, then match the tier to actual headcount rather than future ambition.
Step 1: Count Confirmed Sponsorship Needs
Founder visa alone differs from founder plus co-founder
Spouse or dependent sponsorship is separate from employment visas
Only count people relocating in the next 90 days, not "maybe later"
Two co-founders both relocating to Dubai need two visas from day one, making the 2 Visa Package the obvious fit before you even look at cost.
Step 2: Project 12-Month Hiring
Avoid upgrading mid-year, which often costs more than choosing correctly upfront
Match the package to realistic growth, not best-case scenarios
A retail trading startup planning to hire a manager within six months should book that visa now
Step 3: Compare Total First-Year Spend
Add license fee, tax exposure, and per-visa costs together
Don't judge the package by its AED 18,200 sticker price alone
Model VAT and corporate tax exposure against projected revenue before committing
You can calculate the full first-year bill before settling on a tier, which beats guessing.
Which Founder Type Suits the 2 Visa Package
The 2 Visa Package suits co-founder teams, small trading companies bringing in an operations partner, or professionals relocating with a spouse who also needs sponsorship. Solo consultants with no near-term hiring plans typically overpay by choosing this tier.
Good Fit: Co-Founder and Family Setups
Two working partners launching together are the clearest fit. A husband-and-wife team starting a professional license dubai venture together also fits neatly, since both need residency under the same establishment card.
Founder-plus-spouse sponsorship is another common scenario. If your spouse isn't working in the business but needs residency through you, the second visa slot covers that too.
Poor Fit: Solo Founders Testing the Market
A single founder with no hiring plan is better served by the 0 or 1 Visa Package initially. Why pay AED 18,200 upfront for a slot you won't use this year?
A solo ICT consultant validating a service before committing to headcount, exploring ICT license dubai options, should start lean and upgrade once revenue justifies the second hire. Per MOHRE guidance, sponsorship obligations only apply once a visa is actually issued, so unused quota carries a cost but no employment liability.
Does the second slot ever pay for itself immediately?
Yes, when both people are relocating together on day one. If only one person needs residency this year, the extra AED 1,850 over the 1 Visa Package sits idle until you actually use it.
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