Ras Al Khaimah Free Zones
RAK Free Zones — RAKEZ for trading and industrial (30,000+ companies), RAKICC for offshore holding companies. Lowest-cost UAE setup with the option to scale into Mainland later.
Why Ras Al Khaimah for Your UAE Setup
Ras Al Khaimah hosts several Free Zones — RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone, the largest, formed by merging RAK Free Trade Zone and RAK Investment Authority in 2017), RAK FTZ, Al Hamra Free Zone, and RAKICC (the offshore corporate registry). The emirate is well-known for cost-efficiency, flexible licensing and ease of setup.
RAK Free Zones are excellent for trading, light industrial, media, consulting and e-commerce. They may not suit companies requiring a premium Dubai address or high-visibility brand positioning. Highly regulated service sectors (e.g. financial services) typically choose Dubai's DIFC or Abu Dhabi's ADGM instead.
Free Zones in Ras Al Khaimah (2)
Click any zone for detailed cost, visa quota, activities and setup process.
Key Advantages of Ras Al Khaimah Free Zones
When Ras Al Khaimah Might Not Be the Right Fit
RAK Free Zones are excellent for industrial, trading, creative and media activities, but they may not suit companies requiring a premium Dubai-based address or those focused on high-visibility brand positioning with enterprise clients. Highly regulated service sectors face limited activity options compared to Dubai's major Free Zones.
6 Steps to Launch in Ras Al Khaimah
Generic process — exact steps may vary slightly per Free Zone. Most companies complete this in 2-4 weeks.
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01
Initial consultation
We map your business activity to the right Free Zone within Ras Al Khaimah.
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02
Name reservation & activity approval
We submit name candidates and confirm your activity is on the approved list.
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03
License application & payment
We submit the application, MOA and lease through the zone portal. License issued in 3-21 days depending on zone.
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04
Establishment Card & investor visa
We apply for the Establishment Card and submit your investor visa entry permit.
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05
Medical, biometrics & Emirates ID
You complete medical (1h) and biometrics (30min) on UAE arrival. Emirates ID issued in 5-10 days.
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06
Corporate bank account opening
We introduce you to UAE banks matched to your zone and activity. Account opens in 2-4 weeks.
Ras Al Khaimah Free Zones — Frequently Asked Questions
RAKEZ is a standard Free Zone — companies can operate in the UAE, get residency visas, rent offices and trade locally B2B. RAKICC is an offshore registry — companies CANNOT operate inside the UAE and do not receive residency visas. RAKICC is purely for international holding structures, SPVs and asset structuring.
RAKEZ issues most licenses in 1-5 working days. The investor visa adds another 10-14 days. Corporate bank account opens in 2-4 weeks. Full setup with visa lands at ~30-45 days total.
RAK has lower government fees, lower office costs, and intentionally markets itself as the budget-friendly alternative to Dubai. The trade-off is a Ras Al Khaimah business address — fine for most B2B and international businesses but less impressive to enterprise UAE clients.
Yes — RAK Free Zone companies are recognised by all UAE banks. However, the bank-opening process can take longer (4-8 weeks) and require deeper documentation compared to Dubai-registered companies, as some banks favour Dubai-registered counterparties.
Yes — companies can be re-domiciled from one UAE Free Zone to another, or upgraded from Free Zone to Mainland. RAKEZ uniquely offers Mainland transition within the same authority. The process involves a new license and visa transfer.
No. RAKICC offshore companies cannot conduct business inside the UAE and do not provide UAE residency visas to shareholders. For both UAE residency and offshore structuring, you typically open both: a RAKEZ Free Zone (for visa) plus a RAKICC offshore (for international assets).
Open a Free Zone Company in Ras Al Khaimah
