Freelance Visa in Dubai (2026): Permits, Real Costs and How to Apply

Dubai doesn't issue a visa called a "freelance visa". What people mean is a freelance permit from a free zone, which lets you sponsor your own two-year residence visa and work for clients in your own name. This guide is for designers, developers, writers, consultants, tutors and other independents who want to live in Dubai without an employer sponsor. It compares the permits that publish their prices, explains who qualifies, walks through the visa and Emirates ID steps, and sets out when a freelancer owes corporate tax or VAT, with figures in dirhams.

Quick answer

Get a freelance permit from a free zone, then use it to apply for your own residence visa and Emirates ID. On GoFreelance's published prices, that's AED 7,520 for the licence, AED 2,000 for the establishment card and AED 5,042 for a two-year visa, about AED 14,562 in year one before insurance.

• UAQ Free Trade Zone publishes an all-in package at AED 9,999; RAKEZ permits start at AED 6,100 (visa extra)

• Higher earners can apply for the 5 years Green Visa with a MoHRE freelance permit

• No personal income tax; corporate tax applies only above AED 1 million of business turnover a year

• VAT registration is required once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000

What a freelance visa in Dubai actually is

A freelance setup in Dubai has three separate pieces, and mixing them up is behind most of the confusion online.

1. The permit or licence. It's issued by a free zone authority and lets you carry on listed professional activities in your own name. It's usually renewed every year.
2. The establishment card. This immigration file lets the permit act as a sponsor. You need it only if you want a visa.
3. The residence visa. Valid for one or two years, it's linked to your permit. You also get an Emirates ID, which now serves as your proof of residence.

Because the permit is personal, it's issued in your name exactly as it appears in your passport. You can't use a trading name, you can't hire or sponsor staff, and contracts and invoices are in your own name. That's the main difference from a company licence. If you want a brand, employees or more than a few activities, a free zone company is usually the better tool. Our Dubai business setup guide compares the two.

There is also a federal route. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) issues a freelance work permit for self-employed people, and that permit is the basis of the Green Visa for freelancers, a self-sponsored residence visa valid for 5 years. It's covered further down.

Freelance permits and their published prices

Prices in this market are often quoted by setup agents as "from" figures that leave out half the costs. The table below uses only prices published by the providers themselves, read on 8 October 2026.

Freelance permits with published prices

Provider	Published price	What it includes	Visa
GoFreelance (Dubai Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Park, Design District)	AED 7,500 headline; AED 7,520 in its FAQ	Licence, 24/7 hot desk, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms	Extra: AED 2,000 establishment card + AED 4,600 (1 yr) or AED 5,042 (2 yrs)
UAQ Free Trade Zone	AED 9,999	Permit with 2 related activities, residence visa, medical test, Emirates ID, medical insurance, co-working lease	Included
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah)	From AED 6,100	Permit and Compass Coworking Centre access	Extra; check RAKEZ's price list

GoFreelance (Dubai Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Park, Design District)

Published price

AED 7,500 headline; AED 7,520 in its FAQ

What it includes

Licence, 24/7 hot desk, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms

Visa

Extra: AED 2,000 establishment card + AED 4,600 (1 yr) or AED 5,042 (2 yrs)

UAQ Free Trade Zone

Published price

AED 9,999

What it includes

Permit with 2 related activities, residence visa, medical test, Emirates ID, medical insurance, co-working lease

Visa

Included

RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah)

Published price

From AED 6,100

What it includes

Permit and Compass Coworking Centre access

Visa

Extra; check RAKEZ's price list

GoFreelance in Dubai

GoFreelance is run by TECOM Group across four business communities: Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai Design District. Activities sit in four categories. Tech covers web, mobile and software development, data science, IT networking and customer service. Media has about 50 roles, including photographer, copywriter, journalist, graphic designer, social media specialist, translator and producer. Education covers trainer, researcher, executive coach and education adviser. Design includes fashion, interior, jewellery and textile designers and stylists.

The licence includes a flexible hot desk in the business centre, open around the clock, with Wi-Fi, meeting rooms and community events. The site advertises AED 7,500 a year with "conditions apply", and its FAQ gives the licence fee as AED 7,520, without a visa. The extra AED 20 matches the knowledge and innovation fees Dubai adds to many licence transactions. All GoFreelance application fees are non-refundable, so check your activity is on the list before paying.

First-year cost with a two-year visa: AED 7,520 + AED 2,000 + AED 5,042 = AED 14,562. In year two you renew the licence (another AED 7,520 at today's price) but not the visa. GoFreelance lists valid medical insurance as a visa requirement and doesn't include it in the price. It also doesn't say whether the medical test and Emirates ID are inside the visa fee, so ask before you budget.

Free zone permits outside Dubai

You can live in Dubai on a visa sponsored by a free zone in another emirate, and many freelancers do because the packages are cheaper. UAQ Free Trade Zone publishes a AED 9,999 package. It includes a permit for two related activities (examples include photographer, web developer, graphic designer, tutor, consultant, translator and fitness trainer), the residence visa, the medical fitness test, the Emirates ID, medical insurance and a co-working lease. Family sponsorship is extra, and you may need to attend in person for the medical and biometrics. Our UAQ Free Zone guide covers the zone in more detail.

RAKEZ advertises freelancer permits from AED 6,100 with access to its Compass Coworking Centre. Its article doesn't break down visa costs, so get a written quote. Other zones such as Ajman Free Zone and Meydan Free Zone mainly sell company licences rather than personal permits. Those can still suit a solo consultant who wants a trading name.

The trade-off with an out-of-Dubai zone is location. Your permit lets you work within its listed activities, but you are licensed in another emirate. Clients who need a Dubai-licensed supplier, or work that has to be done at a client's mainland premises, may need more than a permit. Ask the free zone what it allows before you sign.

Have these ready before you apply

0/6

• Passport valid well beyond the visa term, with your name spelt exactly as you want it on the licence
• Passport-size photo on a white background
• UAE mobile number for portal verification
• CV or portfolio for the activity you're choosing
• Medical insurance that meets the emirate's rules (needed for the visa)
• No-objection letter from your current sponsor, if you're on someone else's visa

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Who can get a freelance permit: eligibility

The basic requirements are simple: a valid passport and work in an activity on the provider's approved list. The activity matters most. If what you do isn't listed, the application will be refused or reshaped into something close. GoFreelance asks for a passport, a passport photo, a UAE phone number and, for the visa, valid medical insurance. Depending on the zone and activity, you may also be asked for:

• a CV or portfolio showing experience in the activity,
• a passport-size photo and a passport copy,
• a UAE mobile number, and
• for some activities, proof of qualification, for example teaching or certified translation.

If you already live and work in the UAE, check two things. GoFreelance lets an employed resident take just the licence, without its visa, by submitting a declaration form. Many employment contracts restrict outside work, though, and people on another person's or company's visa may be asked for a no-objection certificate. If you're overseas, you can apply online. GoFreelance says you should fly in as soon as your entry permit is issued, to finish the medical and Emirates ID steps in the country.

The Green Visa for freelancers

The Green Visa is a self-sponsored residence visa valid for 5 years, so you aren't tied to a free zone sponsor. To qualify as a freelancer you need a freelance work permit from MoHRE, at least a bachelor's degree or specialised diploma, and either annual self-employment income of at least AED 360,000 in each of the last two years or proof of financial solvency for your stay. Applications go through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). It suits established freelancers with documented income. Newcomers usually start on a free zone permit and move across later.

How to get a freelance visa in Dubai: step by step

The exact screens differ between free zones, but the order is the same everywhere. Here it is for GoFreelance, which runs through the axs portal.

From application to Emirates ID

1. 1

   Register and choose your activity

   Register your interest on GoFreelance, verify your email and log in to the axs portal. Pick activities from the published list for tech, media, education or design.

   Open GoFreelance
2. 2

   Apply and pay for the licence

   Upload your passport, photo and any portfolio, then pay AED 7,520 by card, bank transfer or in person. The licence is issued in your passport name.

3. 3

   Get the establishment card

   If you want a visa, select it in the portal and pay AED 2,000 for the establishment card, which immigration requires before your permit can sponsor you.

4. 4

   Apply for the entry permit or change of status

   Apply for a one-year (AED 4,600) or two-year (AED 5,042) visa. If you're abroad you'll get an entry permit; if you're already in the UAE on another visa, you'll usually change status in the country.

   Tip: Keep valid medical insurance ready; it's a listed requirement.

5. 5

   Medical fitness test and biometrics

   Complete the medical test at an approved centre and give fingerprints and a photo for your Emirates ID.

6. 6

   Receive your Emirates ID

   Your residence is recorded electronically and shown on your Emirates ID; passports no longer get a visa sticker. Use the ID to open a bank account, rent a home and set up utilities.

Since 11 April 2022, residence details have been held on the Emirates ID rather than in a passport sticker, so the ID is your main proof of residency. If you need a copy of the visa itself, it can be downloaded from the immigration authority's channels.

Timelines depend on the zone and on how quickly you finish the medical and biometrics. Most delays come from activity mismatches, weak portfolios for media roles, and passport name spellings that don't match exactly. Fix spelling at the start, because the licence, visa and Emirates ID must all match your passport.

Banking, invoicing and day-to-day rules

GoFreelance's FAQ says you can open a personal bank account and that all transactions run in your own name. Banks still apply their own checks, so expect to show your licence, Emirates ID, a contract or invoices, and sometimes proof of income. Invoices should carry your name as licensed, your licence number and, if you're VAT-registered, your Tax Registration Number. Our free invoice generator handles that layout, and the hourly rate calculator helps you set a day rate that covers the permit, visa, insurance and unbilled time.

You can work for companies as an independent contractor. GoFreelance says this can include working from a client's free zone premises. What you can't do is act as an employee, hire staff, or trade in activities outside your licence. If a client wants you on payroll, they need to sponsor you; if you want to subcontract work to others, you need a company.

Renewal comes round every year for the licence and every one or two years for the visa. Missing a renewal can lead to fines and can put your residence at risk, so set reminders 60 days ahead.

Which route suits you

If you work in tech, media, education or design and want a Dubai address for your licence, GoFreelance is the straightforward choice. Its prices are published, its business centres are in Dubai, and the licence can be held without its visa if you're already a resident. Expect the highest total of the three published options once the visa is added.

If cost matters most and your clients don't care which emirate licenses you, an all-in package such as UAQ's is easier to budget for, because the visa, medical test, Emirates ID and insurance are bundled. Read the activity list carefully, since cheaper zones sometimes have narrower lists.

If you already earn well and can prove it, compare those with the Green Visa. It lasts 5 years and isn't tied to a free zone sponsor, but it needs a MoHRE freelance permit and the AED 360,000 income test (or proof of solvency). And if you plan to hire, trade under a brand or bid for larger contracts, skip the permit and look at a company licence through our UAE business licence guide.

Do freelancers pay tax in Dubai?

The UAE has no personal income tax on employment or freelance earnings for individuals below the corporate tax threshold. Two federal taxes can still apply to you.

Corporate tax. An individual carrying on a business or business activity is a taxable person only when total turnover from those activities in a calendar year exceeds AED 1 million. Salary, personal investment income and income from property held in your own name don't count. Once you pass the threshold, you register with the Federal Tax Authority by 31 March of the following year, and your tax period is the calendar year. You file a return within nine months, by 30 September, and pay 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000. While your revenue stays at AED 3 million or less in that year and every earlier one, you can elect Small Business Relief for tax periods ending by 31 December 2029 and pay nothing.

Tax thresholds that matter to freelancers (2026)

0%

Personal income tax

AED 1 million

Turnover that brings an individual into corporate tax

AED 3 million

Small Business Relief revenue limit

to 31 December 2029

AED 375,000

Mandatory VAT registration

Example. Leila, a GoFreelance UX designer, invoices AED 600,000 in 2026. That's under AED 1 million, so corporate tax doesn't apply to her at all. Rahul, a freelance software architect, invoices AED 1.4 million and has AED 800,000 of profit after business costs. He's above the threshold, so he must register by 31 March of the following year. Under the standard rules he'd pay (800,000 − 375,000) × 9% = AED 38,250. Because his revenue is under AED 3 million, he can elect Small Business Relief and pay AED 0, but he still has to register, keep records and file. Our UAE corporate tax guide covers registration, the waiver and the return in detail.

VAT. VAT works on supplies, not profit. If your taxable supplies in the last 12 months, or expected in the next 30 days, exceed AED 375,000, you must register for VAT and charge 5% where it applies. You may register voluntarily from AED 187,500. Services to clients outside the UAE can be zero-rated if the conditions are met, but zero-rated sales still count towards the threshold. Leila, at AED 600,000, is over the VAT threshold even though she pays no corporate tax. GoFreelance's own FAQ makes the same point. Use the UAE VAT calculator to price invoices.

Your home country may still tax you. A UAE visa doesn't end your tax residence somewhere else by itself, so check your home country's rules and any double tax treaty before you stop filing there.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Comparing headline prices. A AED 7,500 licence isn't a visa. Add the establishment card, the visa, medical insurance and any medical or Emirates ID fees before you compare providers.

Choosing the wrong activity. Your permit covers only listed activities. A "social media specialist" permit doesn't cover software development. Pick the activities that match your real invoices, and add one if needed rather than stretching the wording.

Assuming a permit lets you hire. It doesn't. As soon as you need staff or a subcontractor on your licence, move to a company setup.

Ignoring VAT. Plenty of freelancers pass AED 375,000 in their first good year. Late VAT registration carries penalties, so check your rolling 12-month total monthly.

Letting the visa outlive the licence. The visa depends on the permit and the establishment card. If you let the licence lapse, the visa is at risk. Renew both on time, and cancel the visa properly if you leave the UAE.

Official links

• GoFreelance (TECOM Group)Activities, prices, visa options, FAQs
• UAQ Free Trade Zone — freelance permit packageAED 9,999 package inclusions
• RAKEZ — freelancing in the UAEFreelancer permit from AED 6,100
• Green Visa for freelancersEligibility; apply via ICP
• ICP smart servicesGreen Visa and Emirates ID
• FTA — Corporate Tax registrationAED 1 million natural-person test
• FTA — VAT registrationAED 375,000 mandatory threshold

What to do next

List your activities, your expected first-year invoices and whether you need a visa or just a licence. Then price two providers on their own published figures, including insurance. If you expect more than AED 375,000 of sales, plan VAT registration from day one. If you're heading towards AED 1 million, read our UAE corporate tax guide and consider whether a company licence would suit you better.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a freelance visa in Dubai cost?

On GoFreelance's published prices, the licence is AED 7,520 a year, the establishment card AED 2,000 and a two-year visa AED 5,042, so about AED 14,562 for the first year before medical insurance and any extras. UAQ Free Trade Zone publishes an all-in freelance package at AED 9,999. Prices change, so confirm on the provider's page before paying.

Is there a 'freelance visa' in the UAE?

Not as a single visa type. You get a freelance permit or licence from a free zone (or a MoHRE freelance permit), and that permit lets you sponsor your own residence visa. Highly paid freelancers can instead apply for the 5 years Green Visa, which needs a MoHRE freelance permit and either AED 360,000 of yearly income or proof of financial solvency.

Can I get a freelance permit while I have a full-time job?

GoFreelance says yes: an employed resident can take just the licence by submitting a declaration form, and doesn't need its visa. Check your employment contract first, because many restrict outside work, and anyone on another sponsor's visa may be asked for a no-objection letter.

Do freelancers pay tax in Dubai?

There's no personal income tax. Corporate tax applies to an individual only when business turnover in a calendar year passes AED 1 million; above that you register by 31 March of the following year and pay 9% on taxable income over AED 375,000, unless Small Business Relief applies. VAT registration is required once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000.

Can I sponsor my family on a freelance visa?

Usually yes, as with other residence visas, provided you meet the income and housing conditions that the immigration authority applies. UAQ Free Trade Zone lists family sponsorship as a separate service outside its package price. Check the free zone's dependant visa requirements before you commit, because a deposit and extra fees normally apply.

Can a freelancer hire staff in Dubai?

No. A freelance permit is issued in your own name and doesn't let you sponsor employees. GoFreelance's FAQ says so directly. If you need to hire, you'll need a company licence, such as a free zone LLC, which also lets you trade under a brand name.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 8 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.GoFreelance — Dubai's freelance package (prices, visa options, FAQs) — GoFreelance / TECOM Group · accessed 8 October 2026
2. 2.UAE freelance permit package — Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone · accessed 8 October 2026
3. 3.Important insights for aspiring freelancers in the UAE — RAKEZ · accessed 8 October 2026
4. 4.Abu Dhabi Green Visa — for freelancers — Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development · accessed 8 October 2026
5. 5.Corporate Tax Registration — Federal Tax Authority (UAE) · accessed 8 October 2026
6. 6.VAT registration — Federal Tax Authority (UAE) · accessed 8 October 2026
7. 7.Ministry of Finance announces extension of Small Business Relief until 31 December 2029 — UAE Ministry of Finance · accessed 8 October 2026
8. 8.Timelines for Corporate Tax registration specified (FTA Decision No. 3 of 2024) — KPMG Lower Gulf · accessed 8 October 2026
9. 9.Emirates ID replaces visa sticker: three residency proofs you can use — Gulf News · accessed 8 October 2026