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Umm Al QuwainGeneral businessIndustrialLogistics✓ Checked 2026-10-24

Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ)

منطقة التجارة الحرة بأم القيوين

UAQ FTZ publishes 2 current packages, the lowest without stated conditions at AED 12,500 for year 1, offers up to 1 visa in a published package, states incorporation in 1 day and requires at least a flexi-desk (checked 2026-10-24).

Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ) is a general business, industrial and logistics free zone in Umm Al Quwain, licensed by Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority (UAQFTZ Authority), established in 1987.

Official sources onlyOfficial site ↗

Key facts

Solo, no visa · year 1
AED 12,500
UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa): the smallest published package covers 1 visa
Founder + 1 visa · year 1
AED 12,500
UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)
Team, 3 visas · year 1
Not published
No published package for 3 visas with this office type. Three residence visas, flexi-desk or small office.
Lowest package, any size
AED 12,500
UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa) · packages with stated conditions excluded
Licence fee from
AED 5,500
Largest visa quota
1
In a published package
Minimum office
Flexi-desk
Incorporation
1 day
As stated by the zone
Min. share capital
AED 300,000
General trading
Yes
VAT Designated Zone
Yes
FTA list
Annual audit
Yes

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae, tax.gov.ae.

Figures as published by the zone. “Not published” means no official source states it. Scenario prices are the published package closest to each set-up: solo, no visa = one founder, no residence visa, no office beyond a desk or virtual address, one activity; founder + 1 visa = one founder with one residence visa, flexi-desk or virtual office; team, 3 visas = three residence visas, flexi-desk or small office.

Published packages

Conditions apply

UAQ LYTE (licence only)

AED 5,500year 1

0 visas · Flexi-desk

  • Free zone business licence
  • Co-working space
  • Bank account opening assistance
  • Up to 50 shareholders
  • Remote company formation
  • Not included: UAE residence visa
Renews AED 5,500Source ↗
Lowest priceFits: Solo, no visaFits: Founder + 1 visa

UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)

AED 12,500year 1

1 visa · Flexi-desk

  • Licence (commercial or consultancy/service)
  • UAE residency visa
  • Coworking space with lease agreement
  • Medical test
  • Emirates ID
  • Medical insurance
  • E-channel registration
  • Establishment card
  • Company registration
  • Bank account opening assistance
Renewal not publishedSource ↗

Official UAQFTZ Package Monthly Business Setup (AED 2,266/month)

—year 1

1 visa · Flexi-desk · 10 activities

  • Business license
  • UAE investor visa
  • Emirates ID
  • Medical fitness test
  • Basic medical insurance
  • Co-working space
  • License documentation
  • Bank account opening assistance
  • Dedicated setup support
Renewal not publishedSource ↗
Freelance permit

Freelance Package (freelance permit with residency visa)

—year 1

1 visa

  • UAE Freelance License
  • Residency visa
  • Medical test
  • Emirates ID
  • Bank account assistance
Renewal not publishedSource ↗

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Packages differ in what they include; compare visas, office and fees before choosing.

Identity and legal basis

Official name (Arabic)
منطقة التجارة الحرة بأم القيوين ↗
Former, merged or alternative names
UAQ Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ), ABRFZ (Ahmed Bin Rashid Free Zone) ↗
Licensing / regulating authority
Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority (UAQFTZ Authority) ↗
Parent group / government body
Government of Umm Al Quwain ↗
Zone type
General business, Industrial, Logistics ↗
Year established
1987 ↗
Official website
uaqftz.gov.ae ↗
Listed on the Ministry of Economy and Tourism register of free-zone company registrars
Yes ↗
  • Physical locations / campuses: Ahmed Bin Rashid Port; Umm Al Thoub; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. [1]
  • Public contact phone: +971 6 764 7272. [2]
  • Number of registered companies: 11,000. [3]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  3. [3] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae, moet.gov.ae.

Business activities

Licence types offered
Trading, General trading, Services / consultancy, Industrial, Freelancer, E-commerce ↗
General trading licence available
Yes ↗
  • Total number of approved activities: 1,500. [1]
  • Activity categories offered: commercial; consultancy; e-commerce; service. [2]
  • Activities included in base licence: 2. [1]
  • Trading and services on one licence: yes. [1]
  • Restricted activities: Manufacture and marketing of contraband items or items prohibited by UAE law; Storage of combustible or explosive substances without Authority consent; Arms, ammunition and explosives. [3]
  • Conditions for general trading: Commercial-category licence covering multiple trading activities except those requiring clearance from UAE authorities; trade into the UAE local market must go through an agent or distributor. [4]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  3. [3] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  4. [4] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Cost - year one

Lowest licence fee (zero-visa)
AED 5,500 ↗
  • Extras included: Bank account opening assistance; Dedicated setup support; Co-working space with lease agreement. [1]
  1. [1] promotion.uaqftz.com · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae, promotion.uaqftz.com.

Cost - ongoing

  • Renewal costs more than the first-year price: no. [1]
  • Visa validity: 2 years. [2]
  • Late renewal penalty: Fine as set out in the Authority's Tariff (amount not published) plus any third-party fines; licences not renewed within 6 months of expiry will not be renewed and facilities are repossessed. [3]
  • Current promotions and expiry: UAQ LYTE AED 5,500 licence-only package (no expiry stated); UAQ START one-visa package AED 12,500 (no expiry stated; conflicting figures on site); Monthly all-inclusive plan AED 2,266/month (term not stated); Freelance package 'starting at AED 9999' (unit unclear); Industrial land leasing promotion (no price on listing). [4]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  3. [3] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  4. [4] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Visas and residency

  • Visa quota rule: Number of visas determined at the absolute discretion of the Authority based on the licence activity and operations. [1]
  • How to increase quota and cost: Additional visas can in many cases be added, subject to business activity, facility and current free-zone requirements; confirm quota with the zone. [2]
  • Investor / partner visa available: yes. [3]
  • Employee visa available: yes. [3]
  • Dependant / family visa sponsorship allowed: yes. [3]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  3. [3] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Office and facilities

Minimum facility requirement
Flexi-desk ↗
Office / facility types
Flexi-desk, Serviced office, Private office, Warehouse, Land plot, Staff accommodation ↗
Warehouse available
Yes ↗
  • Warehouse sizes: From 100 sqm upwards. [1]
  • Land plots for build-to-suit: yes. [1]
  • Premises outside the zone allowed: no. [2]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Market access and customs

Physical operations on the mainland allowed without an extra licence
No ↗
  • GCC / re-export notes: Goods leaving UAQFTZ for the UAE or GCC are treated as foreign goods and subject to applicable UAE customs duty. [1]
  • Customs duty in the zone: Foreign goods brought into UAQFTZ and taken out to outside the GCC or to other free zones are not subject to customs duties, subject to UAE customs laws; goods moved into the UAE or GCC are treated as foreign goods and subject to applicable customs duty. [1]
  • Customs duty exemption details: No customs duty on foreign goods entering the zone and re-exported outside the GCC or to other free zones; duty applies on entry into the UAE/GCC market. [1]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Tax status

VAT Designated Zone (per the FTA list)
Yes ↗
  • Which areas of zone are designated: Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone in Ahmed Bin Rashid Port; Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. [1]
  • The zone states that it is a Free Zone for UAE corporate-tax purposes: yes. [2]
  • The zone states that its companies can qualify as a Qualifying Free Zone Person: yes. [2]
  • Help with corporate tax registration: yes. [3]

Corporate-tax statements above come from the zone or from general FTA guidance. The schedule of Free Zones under Cabinet Resolution 54/2023 was not available to this research, and the FTA advises taxpayers to confirm their Free Zone or Designated Zone status with the Free Zone authority. The 0% rate applies only to the Qualifying Income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person that meets all conditions; other income is taxed at the standard rate.

  1. [1] tax.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  3. [3] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from tax.gov.ae, uaqftz.gov.ae.

Compliance and reporting

Annual audited financial statements required by the zone
Yes ↗
Beneficial-owner register filing required
Yes ↗
  • Substance requirements enforced by zone: UAQ FTZ acts as the Economic Substance Regulations regulatory authority for its licensees (Cabinet Resolution 58/2019); licensees carrying on Relevant Activities had to file ESR notifications/reports. Licensees must conduct business within the zone from a leased premises. [1]
  • Annual return and renewal documents: Licence renewal application form; Passport copies of individual shareholders; Corporate shareholder trade licence or certificate of good standing with shareholder details; Shareholder letter on parent letterhead (corporate shareholders/branches); UBO declaration form and UBO passport copies; Renewed lease agreement; Civil Defense certificate (industrial licence); Insurance copy (warehouse/land); Payment of UAQFTZ fees. [2]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Banking

Zone offers bank-account facilitation
Yes ↗

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Setup process and speed

Typical incorporation time stated by the zone
1 day ↗
Direct application without an agent
Yes ↗
  • Documents for an individual shareholder: Colour passport scan (valid 6+ months); UAE visa or entry stamp, if applicable; Proof of address issued within 90 days; Mobile number and email of shareholders and manager; Three proposed company names; Shareholding structure (if multiple shareholders); Passport-size photograph. [1]
  • Attestation requirements for corporate shareholders: Certificate of incorporation and board resolution attested by the UAE embassy in the home country and MOFA in the UAE; also good standing certificate and ownership chart to the ultimate beneficial owners. [1]
  • Refund policy if rejected: No refund or cancellation once payment is made and the service is availed; no refund of licence fees on cancellation or revocation. [2]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24
  2. [2] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Operations, ecosystem and flexibility

  • Moving a company in or out (re-domiciliation): yes. [1]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Freelancer and solo founder

Freelancer permit available
Yes ↗

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Industry-specific regulation

  • Hazardous goods and environmental approvals: Industrial licence requires feasibility and environmental impact studies and Authority clearance; an Operation Fitness Certificate before operating, renewed annually; Civil Defense certificate at licence renewal; hazardous waste must be declared to the Authority. [1]
  1. [1] uaqftz.gov.ae · opened 2026-10-24

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Activity fit (our view)

Needs a regulator's approval

  • None

Not offered

  • None

Our assessment from the zone's published licence types. Always confirm your exact activity on the zone's official activity list. Licence types the zone publishes: Trading, General trading, Services / consultancy, Industrial, Freelancer, E-commerce.

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae.

Notes and history

  1. Names · 2014

    According to the zone's own history page, Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone began in 1987 as Ahmed Bin Rashid Port and Free Zone, set up to complement Ahmed Bin Rashid Port. The Ministry of Economy's registrar factsheet states that the name changed in 2014. Listings under the former name, such as Ahmed Bin Rashid Free Zone (ABRFZ), refer to this zone. [source 1][source 2]

  2. Legal basis · 2014

    The zone's Rules and Regulations (first edition, March 2015) state that the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority was established under Law No. 3 of 2014. The rules they apply also include Emiri Decree No. 2 of 1987 on the incorporation of a free zone in Ahmed Bin Rashid Port, the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Ordinance 1987 and Law No. 1 of 2013 on the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation in Umm Al Quwain. [source]

  3. History · 2017

    In 2017 the Government of Umm Al Quwain awarded the operating contract for Ahmed Bin Rashid Port, next to the zone, to Hutchison Ports; the port now operates as Hutchison Ports UAQ. [source 1][source 2]

  4. Good to know

    The zone says it is based at two locations, Ahmed Bin Rashid Port and Umm Al Thoub, and that it lies on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. The FTA's Designated Zones list dated 21 September 2021 has two entries for it, 'UAQ FTZ in Ahmed Bin Rashid Port' and 'UAQ FTZ on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road', both effective from 1 January 2018. [source 1][source 2][source 3]

Verified on 2026-10-24 from uaqftz.gov.ae, moet.gov.ae, tax.gov.ae.

Questions worth asking

How much does a UAQ FTZ licence cost?

The lowest package UAQ FTZ advertises is AED 12,500 for the first year (UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)). Packages differ in what they include, so check visas, office and fees before comparing.

Does UAQ FTZ require a physical office?

The minimum facility UAQ FTZ states is: flexi-desk. Facility types offered: flexi-desk, serviced office, private office, warehouse, land plot, staff accommodation.

How many visas come with a UAQ FTZ package?

The largest visa quota in a package UAQ FTZ publishes is 1. Larger quotas usually need more office space; ask the zone for the rule that applies to you.

How long does UAQ FTZ company setup take?

UAQ FTZ states about 1 day for incorporation. Visas take extra time after the licence is issued.

Can I get a general trading licence in UAQ FTZ?

Yes, UAQ FTZ offers a general trading licence.

Is UAQ FTZ a VAT Designated Zone?

UAQ FTZ appears on the Federal Tax Authority's list of VAT Designated Zones. Often only some areas of a zone are designated; see the tax section and confirm with the zone.

What is the minimum share capital in UAQ FTZ?

UAQ FTZ states a minimum share capital of AED 300,000.

About this data

Every fact comes from UAQ FTZ's own channels or a UAE government source, linked next to it. Last checked 2026-10-24. Information collected from free-zone authorities and UAE government sources on the dates shown. Fees and rules change; the zone's current schedule prevails. Not legal, tax or financial advice.

Rules for every zone

Explained in the guides on corporate tax, VAT Designated Zones and mainland access.

How we check

Prices are re-checked every 90 days and other facts on a schedule. How we verify →