Everything about the freelance permit
| Registry | Offered by Mainland Registry and several Free Zones. |
| Authorized Activities | Interior designer, web designer, events planner, photographer, personal trainer, etc. |
| Minimum Capital | None. |
| Capital Release | Not Applicable. |
| Manager | 1 Natural Person |
| Partners | Not Applicable. |
| Local Sponsor/ Agent | Not Required. |
| Bank Account | No Business Bank Account possible. Personal Bank Accounts only. |
| Accounting | Mandatory |
| Audits | Not Required. |
| Registration timeline | 1 week max. |
Here is the list of possible activities with a Freelance license. You can select up to 3 activities from the same category: Media / Education / Design or Tech.
| MEDIA ACTIVITIES |
EDUCATION ACTIVITIES |
DESIGN ACTIVITIES |
TECH ACTIVITIES |
|
| Actor | Market analyst | Education advisor | Apparel designer | Web, Mobile, Software Development and Architecture Freelancer |
| Aerial shoot photographer | Marketing specialist | Elearning advisor | Concept designer | IT and Telecommunication Networking Freelancer |
| Animator | Media planner | Executive coaching | Costume designer | Data Science and Analytics Freelancer |
| Artist | Music Director | Researcher | Fashion artist | Customer Service Freelancer |
| Audio/Sound engineer | Musician | Trainer | Fashion designer | |
| Brand consultant | New media specialist | Fashion stylist | ||
| Cameraman | Photographer | Image consultant | ||
| Choregrapher | Photojournalist | Hair stylist | ||
| Commentators: radio, events, sports, television | PR specialist | Interior designer | ||
| Composer | Presenter TV/Radio | Jewellery designer | ||
| Content Provider | Print media specialist | Make-up artist | ||
| Copywriter | Producer | Object designer | ||
| Creative director | Scriptwriter | Personal shopper | ||
| Critics: music, film, theatre | Set and exhibit designer | Textile designer | ||
| Director: film, television, music, theatre | Social media specialist | Visual merchandiser | ||
| Editor: audio/video | Social media influencer | Wedding planner | ||
| Editor: publishing | Special effects producer | |||
| Events planner | Translator | |||
| Furniture designer | Wardrobe stylist | |||
| Graphic designer | Web developer | |||
| Illustrator | Web designer | |||
| Journalist | Writer | |||
| Lighting specialist | ||||
Prices for the permit and the residency
Package for freelance permit
Here are the rates for the Freelance Permit:
Please note:
- It is possible to rent an office space from a business center or coworking space.
- It takes approximately 1 week to obtain your Freelance Permit.
- Your bank account will be opened within a maximum of 48 hours after receiving your Emirates ID.
- The Freelance Permit can be obtained remotely; you do not need to be present in person. However, your presence is required for obtaining your residence visa (see below) and opening a bank account.
- You can sponsor your family (spouse/children) to obtain a residence visa for the UAE (see below).
Package for Residency
Here are the rates for the residency:
Please note:
– If a residence visa is requested while you are present in the Emirates on a tourist visa, there is a surcharge of AED 1600 to change its status to a residence visa.
– Medical check: the cost of the medical check is deductible for children under 15.
– Local medical insurance is required for all residence visas (from AED 800 per year, please contact us).
– The visas below are automatically cancelled if the holder spends more than 6 consecutive months outside the Emirates.
– Exchange Driving License: for AED 1055, it is possible to exchange a foreign driving license with an Emirates license (see list of available countries on next page). This fee must be paid on site (we will assist you free of charge). Please note: for certain countries (France, Belgium, etc.), the original license is returned to you with the new Emirates license.
