Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) Free Zone

It is a center point for all possible business domains, from trading and tourism to the media industry. It has been mentioned in many articles that Dubai is the heart of the business world. 

Since we are talking about the heart, how can we not talk about the healthcare system and business ecosystem which supports healthcare in Dubai? Yes, even the medical industry finds Dubai to be a suitable platform. On a narrow search, one can easily find out that the Dubai Healthcare City Free zone (DHCC) is one of the areas for that purpose.

Dubai Health Care City Free Zone – A Quick Run Through

DHCC was established to provide foreign investors with high-end healthcare services and development possibilities. It is a particular area dedicated to healthcare excellence and patient care. It is also the first Medical Free Zone in the world. 

Healthcare professionals who work inside DHCC must meet rigorous international quality standards to practice in Dubai Healthcare City. DHCC brings together a wealth of services in healthcare, medical education, research, pharmaceutical, medical equipment, wellness, and allied support through its strategic partnerships. 

Dubai Healthcare City Authority

The Healthcare City free zone is supervised by the Dubai Healthcare City Authority, which facilitates a proper ecosystem for business setup and governs the entire healthcare system to provide top-quality services. DHCA works hard to make the free zone the international center for medical services. It has the following departments:

• The Healthcare Department
• The Education and Research Department
• The Regulatory Department
• The Investment Department

Types of Business Licenses Available in DHCC

There are three types of business licenses available in DHCC:

• Service License
• Industrial License
• Trading License

Documents Required to Set Up a Business in DHCC

For a new company setup:

• Proof of trade name reservation and initial approval for the activities
• Passport copies of the shareholders
• Passport copy and résumé of the manager
• Personal Information sheet for each shareholder and manager
• Documents for lease agreement [it is mandatory to have a physical business/office address in the UAE for company setup]
• Attested and notarized Memorandum of Association/Articles of Association from the UAE Embassy at the place of origin (only for corporates)
• An attested and notarised power of attorney appointing a business advisor as your legal representative to act on your/shareholder’s behalf
• Attested and notarized certificate of registration or incorporation and business license of your existing company/entity by the UAE Embassy (only for corporates)
• A physical address for your business

For Branch setup:

• Passport copies and personal information sheet of the manager and shareholders, along with the résumé of the manager (the manager must have a university degree)
• Proof of trade name reservation for the new branch and initial approval sheet for the activities performed by each shareholder and manager
• Initial approval proof for the activities to be performed in the new branch
• Notarized Memorandum of Association/Articles of Association of your existing main branch at the place of origin by a UAE public notary
• The lease agreement of the new branch [it is mandatory to have a physical UAE business address with a minimum of 60 sq. m space]
• Existing company or entity’s certificate of registration/incorporation or license, duly attested and notarized by the UAE Embassy
• Board resolution of the directors of your existing company at the place of origin showing the expression of interest for establishing a branch of the current entity in DHCC (only for corporate shareholders)
• Company profile of your main branch (only for corporate shareholders)
• Your physical business address.

The above documents must be submitted to Dubai Healthcare City free zone authority.

The process to Start a Healthcare Business in Dubai Health Care City

To start a healthcare business in Dubai, follow the following steps.

Decide the Company Structure

The very first step is to decide on the company structure. In Dubai, you will have numerous options for selecting the appropriate business structure that suits your business needs. It is essential to choose a corporate structure based on the number of shareholders and the capital to be invested at the initial stage.

Reserve the Company Trade Name

In the second stage, you need to decide on a trading name for your company. It is to be noted that the name shouldn’t be offensive and should be unique. Once you decide on the company name, you must take the required approvals from the Dubai Government Authorities.

Select a Strategic Location

The location serves to be one of the fundamental essentials in business success. Setting up a company where the target audience is not present would lead to loss; on the other hand, selecting the right location would help you to generate huge revenue. Additionally, Dubai has specific areas like Mainland, Free Zones, and Offshore that follow the rules regarding company incorporation.

Apply for the DED Approval

The next step is to identify your company's Shareholders and General Manager. The application forms will be submitted to the Department of Economic Development Dubai along with their passports and the legal documents of the shareholders.

Apply for DHA Approval

Simultaneously submitting the DED Application, you also need to approach Dubai's Department of Health Authority (DHA) to get approval to perform the business activity. They will drill down to identify the business activities that the organization will carry out, and after proper scrutiny, they will approve.

Draft the Relevant Documents

One of the essentials is to draft documents like Memorandum and Articles of Association that include relevant information regarding the business activities. These documents are required to present to the Government Authorities to obtain the required licenses and approvals.

Obtain the Final Approval from DED

Once the incorporation documents get complied with the other rules and regulations, final approval will be issued by the DED, following which you will be given the licenses.

Obtain the Relevant Licenses

The last step after approval is to issue the license to carry out the business operations. You need to obtain a clinic license in Dubai to start a clinic. Once the relevant permits are obtained, depending on the business activities, you will be able to carry out the business operations in a legal way.

The business domain in Dubai is an open ground for all possible business industries. If you are considering setting up your medical business in Dubai, this is the best time to act. Starting a business in UAE health care turns out to be easy if you have a helping hand like Commitbiz beside you.

Contact us for complete guidance.