HIGHLIGHTS
- UAQ FTZ (Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone) sells all-inclusive company-formation packages: UAQ Lyte costs AED 5,500 (zero visa), while UAQ Start costs AED 12,500 with one residence visa included.
- The price renews flat every year — your setup figure is also your year-two and year-three cost, with the visa renewing inside it rather than through a separate renewal invoice.
- The bank account — not the license or the zone — is what makes a company actually work, and it sits outside the package. The zero-visa Lyte cannot open one; an account requires a residence visa, and approval depends largely on your source of funds. Emirabiz prices the bankable setup, not the cheapest sticker.
How much does a UAQ FTZ setup cost in 2026?
UAQ FTZ prices the whole setup, not just the license. UAQ Lyte costs AED 5,500 with zero visas, while UAQ Start costs AED 12,500 with one visa included. These prices already bundle the main residency costs and become your year-two and year-three totals because UAQ renews at the same fee every year.
Commercial & Service packages (all-inclusive)
| Package | Visas | All-in setup (AED) | Annual renewal (AED) | Visa included? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAQ Lyte | 0 | 5,500 | 5,500 | No visa |
| UAQ Start | 1 | 12,500 | 12,500 | Yes |
| UAQ Plus | 2 | 17,500 | 17,500 | Yes |
| UAQ Prime | 3 | 22,500 | 22,500 | Yes |
| UAQ Max | 4 | 25,500 | 25,500 | Yes |
Most UAE free zones quote a license price and then add visa processing, Emirates ID, medical testing and insurance separately. UAQ takes a different approach by bundling these items into the package itself. This is why the sticker price is unusually close to the real setup cost.
A license price is not an operating budget
UAQ's sticker is honest for what it covers: license, visa, Emirates ID, medical test and insurance. But those items make a company legal, not operational.
A realistic operating budget also includes banking requirements, compliance documents and, depending on the bank, a minimum balance requirement. The license is part of the budget, not the whole budget.
For more insight into the pricing in different UAE free zones and other setup aspects, start with our UAE free zone setup guide before making a choice.
Looking beyond the headline price? We help founders compare UAQ with other jurisdictions based on banking, visa needs, facilities, and long-term renewal costs.
Get your UAQ cost breakdownWhat does the UAQ all-inclusive price include?
UAQ FTZ bundles most of the costs that other free zones often invoice separately. Instead of paying for the license first and then adding visa processing, Emirates ID, medical testing, and insurance later, founders purchase a package that already includes the main company-formation and residency components.
Every package includes:
- Trade license (up to 10 business activities)
- Residence visa according to package tier (except UAQ Lyte)
- Medical fitness test
- Emirates ID
- Status change
- Medical insurance
- E-channel registration
- Co-working lease and registered business address
- Establishment Card (where a visa quota applies)
Why this matters
In many UAE free zones, the license is quoted first while the visa, medical test, Emirates ID and insurance appear later as separate invoices. UAQ bundles those items into the package from day one, which is why the sticker price is much closer to the final setup cost.
This does not mean every future expense is covered. Additional visa quotas, license amendments, workspace upgrades and certain government services can still generate separate charges. However, the core formation and residency costs are already built into the package structure.
The largest variable outside the package is banking. A company can be incorporated quickly, but a corporate bank account remains subject to the bank's own approval process. This is where the biggest practical differences between founders emerge, and it is covered later in this guide.
Does the UAQ price increase at renewal?
No. UAQ FTZ renews at the same fee every year for the same package. A company that starts on UAQ Start at AED 12,500 should budget the same AED 12,500 for renewal, provided the package structure remains unchanged.
This flat-renewal model is unusual in the UAE free-zone market. Many free zones use promotional first-year pricing and then renew at a higher standard rate. UAQ follows a different approach: the setup fee and renewal fee remain aligned.
| Package | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAQ Lyte | AED 5,500 | AED 5,500 | AED 5,500 |
| UAQ Start | AED 12,500 | AED 12,500 | AED 12,500 |
| UAQ Plus | AED 17,500 | AED 17,500 | AED 17,500 |
| UAQ Prime | AED 22,500 | AED 22,500 | AED 22,500 |
| UAQ Max | AED 25,500 | AED 25,500 | AED 25,500 |
The bundled residence visa renews within the package structure. Unlike in some jurisdictions, there is no separate visa-renewal package layered on top of the quoted renewal fee.
Additional charges typically appear only when the company changes its visa quota, upgrades its workspace, adds activities or amends its corporate structure.
In practice, founders rarely regret paying for the right structure. They regret choosing a package based only on year-one pricing. This is why we model UAQ setups over three years rather than around the first invoice.
How much does each UAQ license type cost?
License category is one of the biggest variables in UAQ pricing. Two companies with the same visa package can pay different amounts because they fall into different license categories.
License category pricing (AED)
| License category | Lyte (0v) | Start (1v) | Plus (2v) | Prime (3v) | Max (4v) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial & Service | 5,500 | 12,500 | 17,500 | 22,500 | 25,500 |
| General Trading | 7,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 24,000 | 27,000 |
| Premium | 15,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 28,000 | 31,000 |
| Special Premium Commercial | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| Freelancer Permit (separate product) | — | 9,999 (1 visa) | — | — | — |
Commercial & Service is the lowest-cost category and covers many consulting, marketing, technology, e-commerce and professional-service activities. General Trading, Premium and Special Premium categories apply to broader trading permissions or selected higher-tier activities and therefore carry higher license fees.
The common mistake we see is focusing on the visa count while overlooking the license category. In practice, the latter often has a larger impact on the final cost than small administrative fees. This is one reason we review business activities before recommending a package: changing the license category can alter the cost more than changing the visa tier.
Not sure which license type applies to your business? Our guide to UAE trade licenses explains the differences between their main types, including Commercial, Professional, and Freelance ones.
How many visas can a UAQ company get, and what does an extra visa cost?
UAQ packages are organised around visa tiers ranging from zero to four visas. The selected package determines the company's initial visa allocation and can be upgraded later if the business requires additional capacity.
| Package | Visa quota |
|---|---|
| UAQ Lyte | 0 |
| UAQ Start | 1 |
| UAQ Plus | 2 |
| UAQ Prime | 3 |
| UAQ Max | 4 |
Moving from a zero-visa company to a visa-enabled company typically adds around AED 7,000 to the setup cost. Additional visa capacity generally increases package pricing by AED 3,000–5,000 per tier, depending on the selected structure.
The common mistake we see is choosing a package based only on today's visa needs. A growing business often spends less by selecting the right quota from the beginning than by making multiple upgrades later.
Most founders who need a UAE corporate bank account start from UAQ Start rather than UAQ Lyte. The banking implications of a zero-visa company are covered later in the banking section of this guide.
Once a company needs more than four visas, the quota typically follows the workspace. Larger office or warehouse solutions can support higher visa allocations than the standard package ladder.
What documents does a UAQ company receive?
Every UAQ company receives a standard incorporation package regardless of the selected visa tier. These documents establish the company legally and are typically requested by banks, payment providers, and corporate counterparties after incorporation.
The standard document set includes:
- Trade License
- Memorandum and Articles of Association (MOA/AOA)
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Share Certificate
- Co-working lease agreement
- Establishment Card (where a visa quota applies)
UAQ uses a nominal share-capital structure. The declared share capital (AED 1,000 increments) is not typically treated as a setup expense and does not form part of the package price.
How long does setup take?
UAQ company formation is largely remote and typically takes around one working day once all required documents are available. Applicants using a visa package normally need a single UAE visit for biometrics, medical testing and Emirates ID procedures.
In practice, the document-collection stage usually takes longer than the incorporation itself. Most delays occur because documents arrive incomplete or require clarification rather than because of the free zone's processing timeline.
Can a UAQ company actually open a UAE bank account?
Yes, a UAQ company can open a UAE corporate bank account — but the account is not part of the license package, and no free zone can guarantee approval. The decision belongs to the bank and depends primarily on the shareholder profile, source of funds, business activity and expected transactions.
This is the point many founders underestimate.
A working company runs on its bank account, not on its license. The license allows the company to exist; the bank account allows it to operate. In most cases, obtaining the account is the slower and more difficult step.
UAQ's package includes what is described as bank-account-opening assistance. In practice, this is not an opened account, and it is not a banking guarantee. The free zone does not approve the account. It introduces the client to a banker, just as it does for many other companies. The banker then reviews the case independently and decides whether it fits the bank's risk profile.
Several UAE banks regularly work with UAQ companies, including Emirates NBD, Mashreq, RAKBANK, Ajman Bank and National Bank of Fujairah. However, approval remains case-by-case.
There are three realities we explain on the first call:
1. The cheapest package is not necessarily the cheapest workable setup
UAQ Lyte costs AED 5,500, but it does not include a residence visa. For most founders seeking a UAE corporate bank account, the practical starting point is UAQ Start with one visa.
2. Source of funds matters more than the free zone
A clean and well-documented source-of-funds profile usually has more influence on account approval than whether the company is registered in UAQ, Ajman, RAKEZ, DMCC or another jurisdiction. Strong profiles can bank successfully from lower-cost free zones. Weak or poorly documented profiles may struggle regardless of where the company is incorporated.
For a detailed explanation of UAE account-opening requirements, see our Corporate bank account guide.
3. Banking should be budgeted separately from licensing
The license package covers company formation and residency. The operating budget may also include minimum balance requirements, compliance documentation, transaction evidence, and banking-related requests that vary from bank to bank.
A license can be issued in days. A bank account can take months. Before choosing UAQ, we review whether your profile banks comfortably from a northern-emirate free zone and whether another jurisdiction would fit better.
Review my banking fitCorporate-account approval commonly takes one to three months. Even strong profiles can receive requests for additional documents, and approval is never automatic.
Is UAQ FTZ the right choice?
UAQ FTZ is best suited to founders who prioritise predictable costs, all-inclusive pricing and straightforward renewals. It works particularly well for consulting businesses, service companies, online businesses and founders who value long-term cost visibility more than a premium Dubai address.
Why founders choose UAQ
- Low entry cost
- All-inclusive package structure
- Setup and renewal fees remain aligned
- Simple visa ladder from zero to four visas
- Predictable annual budgeting
When another jurisdiction may fit better
UAQ is not automatically the right choice for every business.
If a Dubai address forms part of your company's positioning, a Dubai-based free zone may justify its higher cost. For some businesses, location itself influences how the company is perceived by clients, partners and investors.
Banking can also be a deciding factor. While UAQ companies can open UAE corporate bank accounts, founders with more sensitive banking profiles may benefit from comparing Dubai jurisdictions before choosing a lower-cost northern-emirate structure.
UAQ is strongest within its standard package model. Businesses expecting larger teams, dedicated office premises or more complex operational requirements from day one should compare alternative free zones before deciding.
The AED 5,500 UAQ Lyte package is genuine, but most operating businesses ultimately require a visa-enabled structure.
UAQ companies may qualify for the UAE's 0% Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) regime if the relevant conditions are met.
If you're comparing jurisdictions, check out our detailed cost guides for DMCC, Meydan Free Zone, IFZA, and RAKEZ to understand how pricing, visa structures, and renewal costs differ across the UAE free zone market.
Based on the cases we see, UAQ performs best when predictable costs matter more than location prestige, and the banking profile is relatively straightforward.
Bottom line
UAQ FTZ remains one of the UAE's most transparent low-cost free zones. Its all-inclusive package model means the advertised price is unusually close to the real setup cost, while the flat-renewal structure makes year-two and year-three budgeting easier than in many competing jurisdictions.
For consulting businesses, service companies, online businesses and founders looking for predictable costs, UAQ can be an excellent fit. However, the license price alone should not drive the decision. Banking profile, visa requirements, future growth plans and license category often have a greater long-term impact than the first-year setup fee.
The cheapest license is rarely the most important decision. The better question is whether the structure will still work in year three. That is usually where successful UAE company setups are won or lost.
Related reading
Price your case
Get a component-by-component UAQ cost breakdown for your exact license category, visa count, and workspace needs — package, renewal, and banking considerations in one number.
Get your UAQ cost breakdownHow Emirabiz works with UAQ FTZ
We focus on whether UAQ is the right structure for the business, not just whether it is the cheapest package.
- Review the business model. We assess activities, visa requirements, banking expectations and future plans.
- Confirm the jurisdiction. We compare UAQ against alternative free zones and mainland options where relevant.
- Coordinate the incorporation. We prepare the application, manage the setup process and support visa-related procedures.
- Support future changes. We assist with renewals, license amendments, visa upgrades and banking introductions when needed.
UAQ is attractive because the pricing is transparent. Our role is to help founders choose a structure that remains practical beyond the first year of operation.
Reviewed by
Andrey Ovchinnikov
Co-founder & CEO
Founded Emirabiz in 2013. Structures UAE companies and owns the sourced pricing dataset behind every figure on this site. Every figure he signs off traces to a named primary source with a verification date.
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Published June 23, 2026 · Updated June 23, 2026 · How this article was made →