# Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ)

> 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.

- Emirate: Umm Al Quwain
- Licensing authority: Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority (UAQFTZ Authority)
- Official website: https://uaqftz.gov.ae/
- Also known as: UAQ Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ); ABRFZ (Ahmed Bin Rashid Free Zone)
- Last checked: 2026-10-24
- Page: https://freezoneguide.com/uae/umm-al-quwain/uaq-ftz

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Solo, no visa (year 1): one founder, no residence visa, no office beyond a desk or virtual address, one activity | AED 12,500 (UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)) — UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa): the smallest published package covers 1 visa |
| Founder + 1 visa (year 1): one founder with one residence visa, flexi-desk or virtual office | AED 12,500 (UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)) |
| Team, 3 visas (year 1): three residence visas, flexi-desk or small office | Not published |
| Lowest package of any size, without stated conditions (year 1) | AED 12,500 (UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa)) |
| Lowest licence fee | AED 5,500 |
| Largest visa quota in a package | 1 |
| Minimum office | Flexi-desk |
| Licence types | Trading, General trading, Services / consultancy, Industrial, Freelancer, E-commerce |
| Minimum share capital | AED 300,000 |
| Incorporation time (stated) | 1 day |
| On the FTA VAT Designated Zone list | Yes |

## Packages

| Package | Year 1 | Renewal | Visa quota | Office | Includes | Excludes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| UAQ LYTE (licence only) | AED 5,500 | AED 5,500 | 0 | Flexi-desk | Free zone business licence; Co-working space; Bank account opening assistance; Up to 50 shareholders; Remote company formation | UAE residence visa |
| UAQ START (all-inclusive one visa) | AED 12,500 | — | 1 | 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 |  |
| Official UAQFTZ Package Monthly Business Setup (AED 2,266/month) | — | — | 1 | Flexi-desk | 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 |  |
| Freelance Package (freelance permit with residency visa) | — | — | 1 | — | UAE Freelance License; Residency visa; Medical test; Emirates ID; Bank account assistance |  |

## 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: https://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]

Sources: [1] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/umm-al-quwain) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/contact) · [3] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.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]

Sources: [1] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/licenses-entity) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/blogs/uae-business-license-without-visa-who-is-it-best-for) · [3] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf) · [4] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/uae-general-trading-license)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://promotion.uaqftz.com/uaq-start-emi/)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/blogs/uae-business-license-without-visa-who-is-it-best-for) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/business-support-service) · [3] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf) · [4] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/promotions)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/blogs/uae-business-license-with-visa-cost-inclusions-and-setup-guide) · [3] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/business-support-service)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/leasing-services) · [2] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf)

## Legal structure and ownership

- Entity types available: FZE (single shareholder), FZCO (several shareholders), Branch of a foreign company, Branch of a UAE company, Freelancer permit
- Legal system: UAE civil law
- Minimum share capital: AED 300,000

Minimum shareholders: 1. [1] Maximum shareholders: 50. [1] Corporate shareholders allowed: yes. [1] Foreign corporate shareholders allowed: yes. [2] Share capital must be paid in: yes. [1] Courts and arbitration: Authority Mediation Body first; unresolved disputes may go to the Umm Al Quwain courts (referral of licensee-Authority disputes subject to prior written consent of the UAQ Ruler's Court). [3]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/UAQFZ_Company_Regulation.pdf) · [2] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/UAQ-FTZ-License-Renewal-Required-Documents.docx.docx) · [3] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf)

## 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.

Sources: [1] [Government source (opened 2026-10-24)](https://tax.gov.ae/DataFolder/Files/Legislation/Designated%20Zones%20-%2021%2009%202021%20sep21.pdf) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/free-trade-zone) · [3] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/value-added-services)

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Economic-Substance-Reporting-Regulations.pdf) · [2] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/UAQ-FTZ-License-Renewal-Required-Documents.docx.docx)

## Banking

- Zone offers bank-account facilitation: Yes

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/UAQ-FTZ-New-Company-Required-Documents.docx) · [2] [Zone website (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/refund-policy)

## Operations, ecosystem and flexibility

Moving a company in or out (re-domiciliation): yes. [1]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/UAQFZ_Company_Regulation.pdf)

## Freelancer and solo founder

- Freelancer permit available: Yes

## 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]

Sources: [1] [Zone document (opened 2026-10-24)](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf)

## Notes and history

- **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](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/free-trade-zone) [source](https://www.moet.gov.ae/documents/20121/416990/UM+alqueen+freezone+eng.pdf/3df17c14-1401-11b2-7b41-3a7337548e85?t=1631908130050)
- **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](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/gallery/Freezone_rules_and_regulations.pdf)
- **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](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/umm-al-quwain) [source](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/free-trade-zone) [source](https://tax.gov.ae/DataFolder/Files/Legislation/Designated%20Zones%20-%2021%2009%202021%20sep21.pdf)
- **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](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/UAQ-Port-Freezone) [source](https://uaqftz.gov.ae/free-trade-zone)

## FAQ

### 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.

## Compare with

- [UAQ FTZ vs Meydan Free Zone](https://freezoneguide.com/uae/compare/custom?z=meydan&z=uaq-ftz)
- [UAQ FTZ vs SPC Free Zone](https://freezoneguide.com/uae/compare/spc-vs-uaq-ftz)
- [UAQ FTZ vs RAKEZ](https://freezoneguide.com/uae/compare/rakez-vs-uaq-ftz)

Rules that apply to every zone: [corporate tax](https://freezoneguide.com/guides/qualifying-free-zone-person-corporate-tax.md), [VAT Designated Zones](https://freezoneguide.com/guides/vat-designated-zones.md), [mainland access](https://freezoneguide.com/guides/free-zone-vs-mainland.md)

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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.
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Source: FreezoneGuide (https://freezoneguide.com/). AED, as published by each zone on its official channels. 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.