RAKEZ Business Zone Headquarters - Al Nakheel

RAKEZ and IFZA (International Free Zone Authority) target similar SME investors but differ on geography, ecosystem and visa quotas. IFZA is based in Dubai Silicon Oasis and benefits from Dubai's banking ecosystem, larger talent pool and quicker bank-account opening (typically 2-4 weeks versus 5-10 weeks for RAKEZ). RAKEZ is cheaper at the entry level (AED 5,750 vs IFZA's roughly AED 12,500 for a comparable consultancy licence), offers integrated industrial-zone access for manufacturers, and is closer to RAK port for re-export trade. IFZA limits a flexi-desk to 1 visa quota; RAKEZ allows 1-2 depending on package. Tax treatment is identical under the federal corporate-tax regime. Investors prioritising Dubai banking, address prestige and fast onboarding lean to IFZA; those prioritising cost, manufacturing access and a denser SME ecosystem lean to RAKEZ. Many investors prototype with RAKEZ and migrate to IFZA or DMCC once cash flow stabilises.

No appointment is required for the customer happiness reception. Walk-ins are served through a queue ticket dispenser during all working hours. For complex matters such as new industrial licence applications, bulk visa onboarding for 50+ staff, or shareholder dispute mediation, RAKEZ Business Set-up Advisors recommend pre-booking through rakez.com or the dedicated relationship manager. Existing licensees can also use the RAKEZ360 client portal to file most renewals without visiting the counter, authenticated via UAE PASS.

Routine commercial and consultancy companies are issued within 1-3 working days from the moment shareholders sign the Memorandum of Association at the on-site Notary. Industrial licences requiring a physical warehouse lease, civil-defence approval and customs registration take 7-14 working days. Educational and media licences require pre-approval from the RAK Ministry of Education or RAKEZ Media Council respectively, which adds 5-10 working days. Most clients complete remote signing through power of attorney and the licence is issued without the shareholder needing to travel to RAK. The fastest set-up on record is one working day for a single-shareholder consultancy with pre-cleared name and digital Memorandum.

Not directly. RAKEZ free-zone licences allow trading within RAKEZ, with other UAE free zones, and internationally without restrictions. For onshore sales to mainland UAE customers, the company must appoint a mainland-licensed distributor or open a mainland branch through the relevant emirate's Department of Economic Development. A common workaround is forming a parallel mainland LLC for onshore sales while keeping the export and free-zone-to-free-zone business under the RAKEZ licence. The corporate-tax treatment differs between the two structures, and RAK DED offers a dual-licence package that mirrors the SEDD route in Sharjah.

Business Zone is the white-collar district at Al Nakheel housing professional, consultancy, trading and head-office activities, with serviced offices, flexi-desks and executive suites starting at AED 12,000 per year. Industrial Zone covers Al Hulaila and Al Ghail with warehouses from 200 square metres upwards and land plots from 2,000 square metres for manufacturing. Industrial licences require a physical warehouse or plot lease and pre-approval of production processes. Both zones operate under the single RAKEZ regulator and share the same visa and Emirates ID infrastructure. Industrial Zone proximity to RAK port and Stevin Rock quarry suits cement, glass and ceramics manufacturers.

Yes for every activity offered through the free zone. There is no requirement for an Emirati partner, sponsor or local services agent. Foreign shareholders may hold 100 per cent of the equity, repatriate profits in full, and retain all intellectual property within the company. The free-zone treatment also includes a five-year corporate-tax holiday on qualifying income under the federal corporate-tax regime introduced in 2023, subject to substance and de-minimis tests verified by the Ministry of Finance. Non-qualifying income (such as mainland UAE sales) is taxed at 9 per cent above AED 375,000 of annual profit.

Visa quotas are tied to workspace size. A flexi-desk includes 1-2 visa quotas, a serviced executive office of 12 square metres includes 4 visas, and a full office of 25 square metres includes 6 visas. Warehouses receive one visa quota per 80 square metres. Additional visas can be purchased subject to a workspace upgrade or by leasing a workspace augmentation contract. Visa stamping, medical fitness and Emirates ID are all processed within the same compound at the on-site visa-and-amer counter.

RAKEZ does not open accounts directly but operates a structured Bank Account Opening service through introductory partnerships with Mashreq, Emirates NBD, RAK Bank, FAB, ADCB and several international banks. The on-site Mashreq desk can complete account opening within 5-10 working days for clients with clear KYC profiles. High-risk activities such as cryptocurrency, gold trading or politically exposed person profiles take 4-8 weeks and require enhanced due diligence. A minimum opening deposit of AED 25,000-50,000 is typical.

RAKEZ HQ operates 09:00-14:00 Sunday to Thursday during Ramadan, with the centre closed Friday and Saturday. The ticket dispenser stops issuing tickets 30 minutes before counter close to allow staff to clear the queue before Iftar. The on-site notary follows the same hours but reduces capacity from three desks to two. Plan to file Memorandum signings during the first half of the morning because Notary slots fill quickly during the holy month.

Yes. Investors holding a RAKEZ licence with paid-up capital of at least AED 2 million and audited financial statements showing operations for at least two years qualify for the ten-year golden visa under the federal investor category. RAKEZ's Investor Aftercare wing prepares the nomination dossier and forwards it to ICP Abu Dhabi for issuance. Specialised talent and outstanding scientist categories are open to RAKEZ employees with the relevant ministry endorsements. The golden visa fee of AED 2,800 plus medical and Emirates ID is paid through the same counter.

Yes provided the licence has no outstanding government dues, no unsettled labour disputes, and no unpaid lease obligations. The de-registration workflow is initiated through the RAKEZ360 portal, requires a board resolution by the shareholders, and includes a 45-day public notice period during which creditors may file claims. Once the notice period expires and the auditor's clearance report is filed, the licence is cancelled and any remaining visa quotas are returned to the establishment file for closure. The cancellation fee is AED 2,000.

RAKEZ free-zone companies have a physical UAE presence, qualify for residence visas, can open standard UAE bank accounts and operate within RAKEZ premises. RAK ICC offshore companies, issued by the separate RAK International Corporate Centre registry, are non-resident vehicles used primarily for international holding, IP licensing and asset protection structures - they cannot lease UAE office space, cannot sponsor UAE residence visas, and most UAE banks decline to open accounts for them without an underlying onshore operating company. Investors often use RAK ICC for upstream holding alongside an operating RAKEZ FZ-LLC for the trading layer. Filing rules, fees and regulator are entirely different.

Yes. Most RAKEZ company formations can be completed remotely through power of attorney executed at a UAE embassy abroad or via the RAKEZ360 e-signing platform launched in 2023. The shareholder mandates a RAKEZ business-set-up advisor or a UAE-resident representative to sign the Memorandum at the on-site Notary on their behalf. Emirates ID biometric capture still requires one in-person visit by the visa holder, but the licence itself, the establishment card and the customs code can all be issued before the shareholder arrives. The RAKEZ Dubai JLT satellite office also accepts pre-launch document handover for clients flying via DXB.