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Not for crypto / Web3
→ Compare launch routesVirtual-asset activities need a VARA / FSRA / DIFC licence; this zone doesn't issue one.
Not for F&B
→ MainlandRestaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens need a mainland DED foodservice licence. Free zones don't issue these.
Not for clinics
→ DHCCDHA-regulated medical/clinical activity requires Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).
Visa cap: 9
→ Browse higher-cap zonesPlanning a team of 10+? You'll hit this zone's visa cap. Compare SRTIP, IFZA, RAKEZ, or another launch route with the right visa capacity.
Ras Al Khaimah · Free Zone
First-party verifiedRas Al Khaimah Economic Zone
Fast licence review path. Saqr Port industrial hub with clear document and banking notes.
1d est.
Licence pace
9
Visa quota
4000+
Activities
7/10
Bank score
RAKEZ hosts 40,000+ companies across 50+ industries and 100+ countries, with 19,000 new licences in 2025 alone (+44% YoY). Starting at AED 6,000, it runs a fully digital Portal 360 + UAE PASS flow, supports 4,000+ activities, and is the only channel-partner zone with a 5-minute Instant Licence plus a Dual Licence that covers free zone AND mainland under one certificate.
Starting from
VerifiedAED 6,000
RAKEZ Instant Licence · 5-minute issuance · 1 year
Includes: Zero-Visa / Instant Licence — up to 6 activities, Portal 360 digital issuance, RAKEZ Designated Zone status
Instant licence in 5 minutes · AED 6,000 starting · Saqr Port industrial hub
40,000+ companies across 50+ industries and 100+ countries — 19,000 new in 2025 (44% YoY). 4,000+ business activities, Portal 360 with UAE PASS, and the Dual Licence that lets you trade in the free zone and the mainland under one certificate. Every figure channel-partner verified.
Cheapest channel-partner licence · 5-minute issuance
AED 6,000 starting — licence in 5 minutes online
RAKEZ ties ANCFZ for the cheapest published channel-partner licence in the UAE — but with 4,000+ activities vs 1,455 and a 5-minute Instant Licence flow that no other zone matches. The Zero-Visa Package, the Instant Business Licence, and Straight-to-Business 24-hour all start at AED 6,000. Every figure below is channel-partner verified.
What does RAKEZ cost in 2026?
From AED 6,000
RAKEZ publishes 9 packages starting at AED 6,000 — the Instant Business Licence issues in 5 minutes online, Straight-to-Business in 24 hours, plus Zero-Visa, E-Commerce (with Amazon shopfront), BusinessWomen, One-Visa, SME, All-Inclusive (10 activities + 1 visa), and a 10-year Executive Office at AED 202,500. Pick the shape that matches your operation.
Cheapest RAKEZ licence
Zero-Visa
Basic — licence only, up to 6 activities
AED 6,000
Published RAKEZ rate
Up to 6 activities
Flagship
Instant Business Licence
5-minute online issuance
AED 6,000
Published RAKEZ rate
Up to 6 activities
fast review route
Straight to Business 24hr
Full setup in 24 hours
AED 6,000
Published RAKEZ rate
Up to 6 activities
Includes Amazon shopfront
E-Commerce
Online retail + Amazon shopfront
AED 6,000
Published RAKEZ rate
E-commerce activities
Dedicated female-founder track
BusinessWomen
Female-founder package
AED 6,000
Published RAKEZ rate
Up to 6 activities
Cheapest 1-visa package
One-Visa
Licence + 1 visa (AED 8,900 – 11,500)
AED 8,900
Published RAKEZ rate
Activity-dependent
SME Business Setup
Small / medium enterprise package
AED 12,010
Published RAKEZ rate
SME-scoped activities
Best-value bundle
All-Inclusive
10 activities + 1 visa + coworking
AED 14,000
Published RAKEZ rate
10 activities
Premium long-term lock-in
Executive Office
10-year package, 1 visa included
AED 202,500
Published RAKEZ rate
Activity-dependent
Visas & extras
AED 3,800 starting employee visa · AED 3,750+ per additional visa
One-Visa packages run AED 8,900 – AED 11,500 depending on activity. All-Inclusive bundles 10 activities + 1 visa + coworking at AED 14,000. Executive Office is a 10-year lock-in at AED 202,500 with a visa included. The Freelance Permit is AED 6,000–AED 10,000, or AED 17,070 with a visa attached.
Physical workspace is optional
Zero-Visa packages need no office — industrial tenants get Al Ghail + Al Hamra + Al Hulaila
The Instant Licence and Zero-Visa routes don't require you to lease a desk — you can run the licence fully online through Portal 360. When you need physical space, RAKEZ has the largest industrial land inventory of any UAE free zone: Al Ghail at 28.2M m², Al Hamra at 12.5M m², and Al Hulaila right next to Saqr Port. Plus RAKEZ Business Zone (services), Academic Zone (education), and Media Zone (publishing).
Invoice transparency · RAKEZ
What lands on your invoice. Line by line.
Every fee, in the order it hits. No “admin” tax, no hidden markup — Formenzo's margin is the zone's channel-partner commission, not a line on your invoice.
0 visas · licence only
- RAKEZ licenceAED 6,000
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
1 visa · founder
- RAKEZ licenceAED 6,000
- Entry permit × 1AED 3,800
- Medical + EID × 1AED 690
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
2 visas · partners
- RAKEZ licenceAED 6,000
- Entry permit × 2AED 7,600
- Medical + EID × 2AED 1,380
- Gov + authority adminBundled
- Formenzo partner supportIncluded
Visa bundle uses RAKEZ-standard rates. Final visas stamped per applicant; typing-centre and translation fees are only added when they actually occur and billed at cost (usually AED 0 for English-passport applicants, AED 100–200 otherwise).
Banking reality · RAKEZ
The real bank-approval picture for a RAKEZ licence.
Channel-partner outcomes by passport bucket, over the last 90 days. “Limited” means the bank rarely approves this combo — we'll re-route you rather than waste your time.
| Bank | IN / UK / PH Low friction | PK / BD / NG Enhanced DD | RU / IR / SY Sanctions screen | US FATCA disclosure | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wio | Strong | Limited | Limited | Standard | 5–7 |
| Mashreq NeoBiz | Strong | Enhanced DD | Enhanced DD | Standard | 10–14 |
| Emirates NBD | Standard | Enhanced DD | Limited | Enhanced DD | 14–21 |
| RAKBANK | Strong | Enhanced DD | Limited | Standard | 12–18 |
Outcomes are directional channel-partner patterns, not a guarantee for any specific applicant. “Days” = typical bank review time after licence issuance and clean KYC documents.
Banking partners
Banking routes commonly reviewed for RAKEZ companies, with final decisions subject to each bank's KYC and risk review.
Banking-review estimate
21 days
after licence issuance; subject to KYC
Formenzo setup timeline
Day-by-day what we deliver end-to-end, from signed engagement to bank-file routing.
Initial approval
We file your application with the Free Zone authority.
~0 days
License issued
Trade license + Establishment Card in hand. You can sign contracts.
~1 day
Investor visa
Entry permit → medical → Emirates ID → stamping.
~11 days
Bank file routed
Clean KYC pack prepared and routed; final onboarding remains subject to bank review.
~9 days
RAKEZ — frequently asked questions
Quotable, answer-first, optimized for AI search (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Mode).
How much does a RAKEZ license cost in 2026?
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A Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) starts from AED 6,000 in 2026. Zero-Visa / Instant Licence — up to 6 activities, Portal 360 digital issuance, RAKEZ Designated Zone status. Add one investor visa and the customer-facing 1-visa route is AED 10,490 before any case-specific authority extras.
How long does RAKEZ company setup take?
+
RAKEZ publishes a typical licence-issuance estimate of 1 business day after initial approval (0 day). A residency visa adds an additional immigration stage. Banking preparation and review add another case-specific stage. Timelines vary by authority, immigration, document readiness, and bank risk review.
How many visas can I get with RAKEZ?
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RAKEZ default package includes 3 visas, and the maximum allowed per license is 9. A 1-visa customer route is approximately AED 10,490 based on the current pricing schedule.
Which UAE banks open accounts for RAKEZ companies?
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RAKEZ companies primarily bank with RAKBANK, Mashreq NeoBiz, WIO, and Emirates NBD. Formenzo prepares the KYC pack, identifies missing items, and routes the application to a suitable bank. Bank outcomes vary by nationality, activity, source of funds, and full risk review.
What business activities does RAKEZ allow?
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RAKEZ permits approximately 4,000 business activities. It is best suited for industrial, manufacturing, ecommerce, budget. Activities not allowed include restaurant, retail physical dubai — these require a UAE Mainland license.
Can I form a RAKEZ company without visiting the UAE?
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Yes — RAKEZ formation is fully remote through Formenzo. We handle document collection, trade name reservation, MOA drafting, and submission without a UAE visit. You only come to the UAE for one day to complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics — and only if you want a residency visa. The trade license itself can be issued with zero travel.
Is RAKEZ eligible for 0% UAE Corporate Tax?
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Yes. RAKEZ is a recognized UAE Free Zone, so companies qualifying as a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) can maintain a 0% Corporate Tax rate on qualifying income. Non-qualifying income is taxed at the standard 9% above AED 375,000. RAKEZ companies must register with the Federal Tax Authority within 3 months of incorporation — Formenzo handles this filing.
Why choose RAKEZ over other UAE Free Zones?
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Fast licence review path. Saqr Port industrial hub with clear document and banking notes.. Zero-Visa / Instant Business Licence from AED 6,000. 5-minute Instant Licence — fastest UAE issuance. Banking readiness score: 7/10. Published licence pace: 1 days, subject to document and authority review. Starting cost: AED 6,000. Run Formenzo's 60-second match to compare RAKEZ against indexed UAE formation options based on your nationality, budget, and business activity.
Other Ras Al Khaimah Free Zones
Compare RAKEZ with other options in the same emirate.
RAK ICC
RAK holding route — asset, IP, and group structures
Meydan FZ
Premium Dubai address with strong banking & ecommerce support
IFZA
Best balance of price, speed, and Dubai address
SHAMS
LLC without the 'FZ' — 4-hour formation for media & creative entrepreneurs
Ready to form your RAKEZ company?
Run the 60-second match. We'll prepare your docs, file with RAKEZ, and track the case-specific licence timeline.