Introduction
Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone is located in Umm Al Quwain emirates which is just 30 min from Dubai. Umm Al Quwain Free Zone is the destination of choice for global corporations, entrepreneurs and startups because of SME friendliness, cheap labour and cost of living, great customer care support, hassle free company setup and visa process, speedy development etc.
Benefits of Umm Al Quwain Free Zone
- Excellent Startup Accelerator
- No corporate and personal tax
- 100% capital and profit repatriation
- 100% company ownership
- No currency restrictions
- 100% import and export tax exemption within the Free Zone and outside GCC countries
- Progressive and investor-friendly rules and regulations
- The simple and fast registration process with excellent customer support
- No restrictions on hiring foreign employees
- Special concessions at UAQ’s sea port
- Quick, Easy & Remote Setup
- Future-focused Infrastructure
- Strategic location, Access to Global Markets
- Great for Logistics
- Versatile Business Ecosystem
- Transparency
- A one-stop-shop for business in UAE
UAQ Free Zone company setup require below license types
There are a total of 6 different license categories that exist in the Umm Al Quwain free zone for conducting business activities and are as follows:
Micro Business License
This license is issued to those looking to set up their startups who do not possess many finances. These businesses also do not require a physical space and a residency visa.
Commercial License
This license is given to those importing, exporting, and re-exporting goods, ranging from garments, food, beverages, textile, furniture, building materials, and more.
General Trading License
This license allows importers/exporters to trade almost all range of goods with certain exceptions such as alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and crude oils; they require special permission from relevant authorities.
Consultancy License
If you are looking to provide consultancy services, you may apply for this license. The businesses might vary from IT, accounting, HR, or management services.
Premium Consultancy License
Similar to the Consultancy License, Premium Consultancy License is also issued to those seeking consultancy services. However, these services are termed as “special.” These special consultancy services might include tourism, engineering, legal, financial, investment, shipping services, etc.
Freelance Permit
As the name suggests, this permit is reserved for people who are working as freelancers and offering their services online. For example, content writers, photographers, event planners, etc.
Minimum share capital requirement for UAQ FTZ company setup
The minimum share capital requirement for a company setup in Umm Al Quwain free zone shall be AED 300,000/-. There is no requirement to deposit the share capital into the bank account.
Umm Al Quwain free zone license cost
Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone has ready packages for all the licenses as mentioned earlier, and its cost is below:
| Sr. No. | Type of license | Package cost (AED) | Visa eligibility |
| 1 | Micro Business license | 8,000/- | 0 |
| 2 | Commercial license – Start up | 13,500/- | 2 |
| 3 | Commercial license – Standard | 20,500/- | 3 |
| 4 | General trading license – Start up | 20,500/- | 2 |
| 5 | General trading license – Standard | 27,500/- | 3 |
| 6 | Premium Commercial license | 20,500/- | 2 |
| 7 | Consultancy license – Start up | 13,500/- | 2 |
| 8 | Consultancy license – Standard | 20,500/- | 3 |
| 9 | Premium Consultancy license | 20,500/- | 2 |
| 10 | Freelancer license | 8,000/- | 1 |
Types of office available and cost
UAQ Free Zone offers below type of offices to the investors:
| Sr. No. | Type of offices | Amount (AED) | Visa eligibility |
| 1 | Premium Office (Flexi) | Includes in above packages | As per above |
| 2 | Physical office (14 Sq. Mt.) | 24,750/- | 4 |
| 3 | Warehouse (100 to 300 Sq. Mt.) | Provided on request | 1 visa per 9 Sq. Mt. |
| 4 | Land (starting from 2500 Sq. Mt.) | 18 to 25 per Sq. Mt. | 1 visa per 9 Sq. Mt. |
Read Also : Business Setup in DMCC free zone
Read Also : Business Setup in Shams free zone
Documents required for company setup in UAQ Free Zone
Following documents is required for company setup in Umm Al Quwain Free Zone:
- Three proposed names
- Passport copy
- Proof of residence either UAE or home country (latest utility bill with name & address) and
- UAE visit visa/Last UAE entry stamp/UAE resident visa.
UAQ Free Zone visa cost
UAQ free zone offers 3 years visa validity for both investors/employees and the cost of the same are as follows:
| Sr. No. | Particulars | Amount (AED) |
| 1 | E-channel registration (one time) | 2,400/- |
| 2 | Residence visa (3 years) | 2,500/- |
| 3 | Status change (if inside country) | 750/- |
| 4 | Medical examination (VIP 4 to 6 hrs) | 850/- |
| 5 | Emirates ID | 375/- |
| 6 | Security deposit (applicable only for freelancer visa) | 2,500/- |
Timeline
Timeline for all Umm Al Quwain Free Zone process are as follows:
| Sr. No. | Particulars | Working days |
| 1 | Issuance of trade license | 1 to 2 |
| 2 | Issuance of establishment card | 5 to 7 |
| 3 | Issuance of entry permit | 5 to 7 |
| 4 | Medical examination | 1 |
| 5 | Emirates ID | As per appointment date |
| 6 | Issuance of final visa | 2 to 4 |
Umm Al Quwain Free Zone license renewal cost
Trade license renewal cost in Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone is vary based on package cost chosen at the time of formation of company:
| Sr. No. | Type of license | Amount (AED) |
| 1 | Micro Business license | 8,000/- |
| 2 | Commercial license – Start up | 13,500/- |
| 3 | Commercial license – Standard | 18,500/- |
| 4 | General trading license – Start up | 20,500/- |
| 5 | General trading license – Standard | 25,500/- |
| 6 | Premium Commercial license | 20,500/- |
| 7 | Consultancy license – Start up | 13,500/- |
| 8 | Consultancy license – Standard | 18,500/- |
| 9 | Premium Consultancy license | 20,500/- |
| 10 | Freelancer license | 8,000/- |
UAQ Free Zone license amendments
Most amendments can easily be done remotely, like changes to the company’s name, business activity, shares transfer, and change of director/manager.
The shareholders must be present, or the shareholder can give power of attorney who can act on the shareholder’s behalf. Power of attorney can be issued in the home country of the shareholder, and it must be attested by the UAE embassy in the home country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in UAE.
UAQ FTZ company liquidation
The steps for liquidation of Umm Al Quwain Free Zone company are as follows:
- Visa cancellation
- Establishment card cancellation
- Advertisement in the local newspaper for 15 calendar days and
- Deregistration of license
The personal presence of a shareholder or POA holder is required for the liquidation of UAQ FTZ company. The whole process takes around 30 to 45 days to complete.
Conclusion
Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone is one of the finest free zone in the Northern Emirates. It is ideal for micro businesses and freelancers. It is a very client friendly free zone. They do not charge any urgent fee for their services but they finish all the services very quickly. We M/s The Prefect Advisors DMCC provide one stop solutions for all company related matters. You can contact us for more.
