RAKEZ – Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone
RAKEZ stands for Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone. It was established after the consolidation of 2 free zones – RAK Free Zone and RAK Investment Authority, which made the zone really huge.
It is one of the most popular free zones for business setup in the UAE – even people who have not heard much of UAE free zones, know about it and are interested in business setup in Ras Al Khaimah. It is situated not far from RAK Airport and has a seaport in close proximity, which makes for a very strategic location.
RAKEZ consists of 6 different field-specific zones.
- AL Ghail Industrial Zone. This zone is dedicated to massive industrial manufacturers.
- Al Hamra Industrial Zone. This zone is suited for enterprises in light and heavy industry sectors.
- RAKEZ Academic Zone. This zone hosts top international education institutions and service vendors.
- Al Hulaila Industrial Zone. This zone is meant for heavy industry producers.
- Al Nakheel Business Zone. This zone includes top-notch business centers for freelancers and SMEs.
- AL Hamra Business Zone. This zone is a business space with access to commercial, industrial, and logistics hubs, as well as entertainment and residential facilities.
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone is home to over 18,000 companies including entrepreneurs, SMEs, freelancers, startups, and manufacturers. It is a global-scale business and industrial hub covering over 50 industry sectors and providing free zone and non-free zone company formation solutions.
FREE ZONE OFFICES AND WAREHOUSES
Ras Al Khaimah company formation would be a good option for any business, but it’s specifically suitable for companies that need warehousing facilities.
RAKEZ is one of the few free zones that always has customizable warehouses and plots of industrial land for development. You can also build or rent ready-made staff and labor accommodations. They have all the benefits that Jebel Ali company setup offers but suit much smaller budgets.
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone has offices in RAK and Abu Dhabi. You can opt for a flexi-desk or a smart office in any of these Emirates. In Abu Dhabi, the cost will be about 2,000 AED higher. Office types vary from co-working spaces with flexi-desks to executive offices and are tied to the number of eligible visas.
RAS AL KHAIMAH ECONOMIC ZONE ACTIVITIES
Ras Al Khaimah business license can be obtained for a huge variety of business activities, and you can be sure that you will find what you need.
The activity array of RAKEZ is one of the largest among all the UAE free zones. Activities are divided into license categories that in turn are divided into multiple groups, each with its own activity list.
Some activities require a company manager to have a relevant educational degree, which should be proved by a certificate attested in UAE Embassy in the country of origin. Usually such activities are related to a professional service that requires certain qualifications, for example:
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Architectural design and consultancy
- Aviation consultancy
- Communication engineering consultancy and many more.
RAKEZ has enforced substance requirements and many activities now fall under it. They will need to be registered under special conditions, such as:
- Dedicated office space or a warehouse
- Submission of a business plan
- Having a company manager on the company resident visa
RAKEZ FREE ZONE COMPANY SETUP
Business setup in Ras Al Khaimah can be done within about a week. Your personal visit will be required, but you don’t have to go all the way to Ras Al Khaimah – you can visit the zone’s representative office in Dubai.
Company formation types in RAKEZ include FZEs (Free Zone Establishments) with a single shareholder, FZCs (Free Zone Company) with 2-5 shareholders, and branches of both local and foreign companies.
RAKEZ also has international offices in India, Turkey, and Germany, where your application can be filed.
The Ras Al Khaimah company register is not open to the public and kept confidential.
In case your setup is rejected due to any force majeure reason after you have made the payment to the free zone, you will be granted a 100% refund.
RAKEZ COMPANY RENEWAL
Ras Al Khaimah business license renewal costs 1,000 AED less than the incorporation. Renewal can be done without the personal presence of the shareholder.
RAKEZ requires financial audits of the companies. You need to submit it at the end of your financial year, which would be December by default or another month of your choice.
RAKEZ COMPANY AMENDMENTS
The company can be amended at any time. The most frequently happening amendments include the following changes:
- Shareholders/managers
- Company name
- Business activity
- Office facility
Personal presence of the shareholder or manager is required for the application for the amendments.
RAKEZ BUSINESS LIQUIDATION
Ras Al Khaimah free trade zone company liquidation takes about 3-4 weeks. Make sure to cancel all the visas under the company before you apply for its liquidation.
The government cost of company closure is 3,500 AED.
Overall, we usually recommend RAKEZ to those who are looking to open an industrial, manufacturing, or assembling business due to its ready-made facilities. It can also be recommended to individual professionals, startups, and SMEs as it offers flexi-desks, co-working spaces, and offices.
Apart from that, if you want to have a physical office and do not require a location near Dubai, RAKEZ would be a perfect choice as well.
If you are residing in Abu Dhabi and want to have an office facility with a reasonable price there, RAKEZ is also the free zone of your choice.
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