UAE Freelance Visa

Freelance Work Permit
Investor Freelance Visa
Media Freelancer Visa
Freelance Permit For Women

With this UAE freelance visa, a skilled freelancer can work in the UAE legally and can get great success opportunities in its diverse job market. A freelance visa provides work and location flexibility with diverse opportunities to work across different industries to the visa holder. Moreover, with a freelance visa, an individual also gets tax advantages, a residency permit, and access to business support services.

UAE Freelance Visa

Not everyone can get a UAE freelance visa; instead, there is an eligibility requirement that you have to fulfill to get a UAE freelance visa. Let’s first put light on the requirements that you have to fulfill before applying.

Who Can Apply? Eligibility Requirements

You have to make sure that you are at least 18 years of age to get a UAE freelance visa.
You also have to make sure that you have a valid passport.
You have to provide proof that you are earning a minimum of AED 360,000 per annum. Alternatively, you also have the option of providing proof that you have enough finances to bear the cost of living in UAE throughout residency.
You should have a minimum of 2 years of freelancing experience in your field.
You should have a clear criminal record.
Moreover, you also have to make sure that you have also cleared the medical fitness test.
You should have your educational documents like a degree or diploma.
Moreover, remember the minimum educational qualification you should have is either a bachelor’s degree or a specialized diploma or equivalent to get a freelance visa in UAE.

Types Of UAE Freelance Visa

Let’s discuss the type of freelance visa UAE is offering to freelancers. Pay attention so you can get to know which visa would be appropriate for you according to your skills and needs.

Freelance Work Permit
Investor Freelance Visa
Media Freelancer Visa
Freelance Permit For Women

Freelance Work Permit

The freelance work visa of UAE is a flexible and versatile choice that permits foreign nationals so they can work independently in UAE territory. You can be a web developer, graphic designer, and writer and can apply for a freelance work permit to get permission to work in UAE as a freelancer to offer your services there. Particularly those who only want to deliver their services in UAE as a freelancer without establishing a company can apply for freelance work permits.

Investor Freelance Visa

UAE also provides the opportunity for investor freelance visas to freelancers. This ties your freelance work with an investment in a free zone company. If you establish a business entity with enough free zones, you can easily get a freelance visa that provides you with the flexibility to monitor the freelance work under your company title.

Media Freelancer Visa

A media freelancer visa is another type of visa that professionals working in the media field can obtain. Those who are working as journalists, content creators, or photographers, can get a media freelancer visa of UAE to work in UAE. It provides individuals with opportunities in the vibrant media landscape of Dubai.

Freelance Permit For Women

You can also get freelance permits issued by the UAE, particularly for women, to get the unique benefits of freelance work. It is explicitly made for women to empower them and provide them with facilities to pursue their careers in freelancing.

Step-By-Step Application Process To Get a UAE Freelance Visa

Here is the step-by-step procedure that you have to follow as it is to apply for a UAE freelance visa. Make sure to pay attention so you can understand the appropriate procedure for applying for the visa. You can get a freelance visa either in a free zone or can apply for a freelance visa in Dubai mainland.

Applying in a free zone
Applying in Dubai’s mainland

Applying In The Free Zone

To apply for a freelance visa in the UAE, you have to first select your field and your area of freelancing such as technology, design, education, or media.
Then you have to select a free zone that is offering freelancer licenses according to your field.
Now secure a freelancer permit by applying for a permit in your selected field.
It works as a license that you can use as a freelancer.
There are online applications available on different free zone’s official pages.
You can simply visit them, fill in the application form, and attach all the necessary documents. You have to make sure to gather all the required documents beforehand.
Then you have to find the best package for you and apply for the freelance visa by simply submitting the documents and application form.
Now, you have to undergo a complete procedure and medical fitness test to obtain Health Insurance.
Wait until you receive a response from the organization.
If your visa application is approved and fees are cleared you will receive your freelance visa that gives you the permission to live and work in UAE as a freelancer.
Remember, a freelance visa requires periodic renewal, which means you have to keep an eye on its expiry date.

Applying In Dubai Mainland

If you want to apply through Dubai Mainland to get a UAE freelance visa, you have to first choose your business activity and select your fields, such as education, technology, or media.
Then, you have to get a freelance permit by applying for a freelance permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
While applying here you have to submit the required documents and have to make sure that you are fulfilling the specific requirements.
Now you have to apply for NOC, a No Objection Certificate, particularly when you are a UAE resident under some other visa category.
Then make sure you have all the necessary documents mentioned below.
Undergo medical fitness tests and get health insurance.
Now apply for a residency visa. You can do this by simply using your freelance permit.
After receiving your residency visa, live and work as a freelancer in Dubai.

Documents You Need to Submit

Here is the list of documents that you have to submit along with the application to the authorities so they can check your eligibility. Keep in mind that the documents you are submitting are all legal and genuine to avoid any consequences later on.

You have to submit a copy of your passport that should be valid.
You have to submit your passport size and clear photographs with a white background.
You have to submit your portfolio showcasing your achievements and work.
You have to submit previous visa copies if you have any particular UAE resident.
You have to submit your updated CV.
You also have to submit your educational certificate, degrees, and professional qualification.
Moreover, you also have to submit a NOC No Objection Certificate, if you are employed in the UAE.
You also have to submit the documents covering health insurance details.
Moreover, you have to submit proof of income and a business plan that should explain your freelancing activities.

Processing Time

The exact processing time of a UAE freelance visa may vary based on different factors. We can generally estimate that a freelance visa can take somewhere between 10 to 30 days. It varies on the basis of the type of visa you have applied for, the freezone you are selecting and workload on the UAE authorities.

Cost Of Freelance Visa

The cost of a freelance visa for UAE varies on the basis of different factors particularly the applicant’s residential status and the type of visa they are paying for. The fee for a freelance visa for the UAE is somewhere between 7500 AED to 17000 AED. This is for both 1-year and 2-year visas.

Remember, this is the base fee and in addition to this, you also have to pay for the processing fee and medical fitness test fee. The processing fee is somewhere around 300 AED, and the medical fitness fee is somewhere around 250 AED.

What Should I Do If My UAE Freelance Visa Application Is Declined?

In case you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed because your visa is rejected, you don’t need to feel bad. Here are some of the tips and steps that you can take to deal with the rejection of your visa application.

You have to first check the reason for rejection. You can do this by emailing or contacting the UAE visa officials.
Then, you have to re-apply after strengthening your application by simply considering your mistakes, focusing on them, and removing them.
Make sure to re-apply with the perfect application.
What you have to do is consider help from the officials of the UAE visa service to let you know how long you have to wait to reply for the visa.
After waiting for that particular time and re-applying then you have to wait until you receive a response from authorities.

How To Renew an Already Existing Freelance Visa?

The renewable procedure of a freelance UAE visa is similar to the first application procedure. You have to submit an online renewal application by filling the renewal form on the website of your selected freezone or authority.

In addition to the application form, you have to upload your latest and up-to-date documents. Remember to keep an eye on your visa expiry because renewal a month before the expiry date helps minimize penalties and fines. Renewal of freelance visa is possible for up to 5 years based on visa type.

FAQ’s

Yes, if you have got a freelance visa in Dubai, you can work remotely. But for that, you have to make sure that you are following the relevant rules and regulations and that you are also fulfilling the eligibility requirement to work remotely.

One of the cheapest freelance visas that are available for UAE visitors is somewhere around 7500 AED. The establishment card fee in these total charges is 2,000 AED whereas the residency visa fee is AED 5000.

Some of the common benefits that a pro freelance visa holder can get include work flexibility with multiple clients. It also gives legal permits to the freelancer to work in Dubai and ensures a freelancer can sponsor his family too. Moreover, a freelance visa holder can also apply for a residence visa, if he has been doing freelancing work continuously for 3 years.

Some of the common fields include web developers, brand consultants, cameramen, choreographers, composers, content providers, copywriters, directors, editors, market analysts, presenters, and web designers. Moreover, stylists, wedding planners, textile planners, and personal shoppers can also work as freelancers in Dubai.

Some of the common mistakes that can result in the rejection of a visa include an already active visa’s scanning errors, photograph issues, document problems, or even spelling mistakes. You need to make sure to fill in the application form and attached documents by confirming that they are accurate. Moreover, recheck twice or thrice to ensure a smooth visa processing.

Conclusion

You have to be aware of the step-by-step procedure to apply for a UAE freelance visa and the diverse types of available freelance visas that the country offers. Make sure to understand the documents, requirements, cost, procedure types, renewable process, and other relevant information, as mentioned above, to apply for the visa easily.