Permits & visas
Licence application, entry permit or status change, medical, biometrics, Emirates ID. We run the full file so nothing bounces back.
UAE freelance permits & residency assistance
Work for yourself. Live in Dubai.
We assist in arranging your freelance permit, residency visa and Emirates ID end to end, typically in 10–12 working days, at the price we quote up front.
YouUAE resident
- Processing
- 10–12 working days
- Client rating
- 4.9 / 5
- Quotes
- In writing · instalments
What we handle
Everything between you and a legal freelance life.
We hold a Dubai documents-clearing licence, which is what lets us lodge your paperwork with the government departments directly. We prepare your documents, file your application with the relevant authorities, and manage every step through to your Emirates ID, so it goes in right the first time.
Family sponsorship
Once your residency is issued, we help you sponsor your spouse, children, or parents, with free PRO assistance on the paperwork.
Banking & set-up
A licence is only useful if you can get paid. We assist with business and personal bank account opening, free of charge.
Not sure which route fits you?
WhatsApp us12,000+clients assisted in the UAE
10–12working days, typical processing
4.9 / 5average client rating
0hidden fees, every quote in writing
How we work with you
Three routes. One free consultation to find yours.
Three routes, and a free consultation to work out which one fits. Your consultant explains what the authorities require and what it costs, in writing, before anything begins.
Pay your way: instalment plans are available through Tabby & Tamara. Nothing is owed, and nothing is filed, until you have agreed the quote.
Freelance Permit
For people who already hold UAE residency — dependants, Golden Visa holders and GCC nationals — and need a licence to invoice in their own name.
Residence visa not included
- Freelance permit application
- Activity selection, up to 10
- Invoicing & licence guidance
- P.O. Box & office address
- Shareholder structure advice
- Bank account opening support
Quoted in writingafter your free consultation
Most enquired
Freelance Licence & Residency
Everything needed to start living and working in the UAE, self-sponsored, in one application.
- Residency application support
- Freelance permit application
- Entry permit or status change
- Medical & Emirates ID booking
- Invoicing & licence guidance
- Family sponsorship guidance
Quoted in writingafter your free consultation
2 Year Residency
A longer runway for people who already have work arranged — two years, and no annual renewal to think about.
One-year option also available
- Two-year residency support
- Entry permit or status change
- Medical & Emirates ID booking
- Family sponsorship guidance
- Renewal timing advice
- Bank account opening support
Quoted in writingafter your free consultation
Every route is quoted individually in writing after a free consultation, and our fee is separate from the charges the authorities set. Compare what each one covers on the pricing page.
How it works
Four steps. We do the heavy lifting in all of them.
- 01
Consultation
Tell us your situation, whether you are in the UAE or abroad, permit only or full residency. We recommend the right package, free of charge.
- 02
Documents & application
We review your passport, photo, and activity choices, then file your application with the relevant free-zone authority. Initial approval usually lands within 48 hours.
- 03
Entry permit or status change
Coming from abroad? You travel in on your entry permit. Already here? We process your status change, with no exit needed.
- 04
Medical, biometrics & Emirates ID
The final formalities. Once your Emirates ID is issued, you are a legal UAE resident, licensed to work for yourself.
Most applications complete in 10–12 working days. Initial approval usually arrives within 48 hours.
Step one costs nothing.
Call +971 50 256 1678Why it matters
What a freelance permit gives you.
A permit is more than permission to work. It is the legal foundation for running your own practice in the UAE, and for bringing your family with you.
- Invoice clients in your own nameYour licence makes you a legal business, so you can quote, bill, and get paid directly.
- Up to 10 business activitiesMix and match activities under a single licence as your work evolves.
- UAE bank account eligibilityOpen business and personal accounts, with our assistance included.
- Visa quotas for a small teamBring on help under your own licence as your workload grows.
- Sponsor your familyResidency holders can sponsor a spouse, children, and parents.
- Fully legal UAE statusResidence visa, work permit, and Emirates ID, all of it above board.
Client reviews
People remember how the process felt.
4.9 out of 5 average client rating
“Extremely cooperative staff, very happy with the customer service. Loved my experience with them.”
“Very helpful, professional, and fast. Got my licence the same day. I am very pleased.”
“The overall experience was excellent from start to finish.”
Get the same experience.
Questions, answered
The things people ask before they start.
Can't find yours? Ask a consultant directly. No obligation, and you'll get a straight answer.
01What is a UAE freelance visa?
A UAE freelance visa is two things bought together: a freelance permit or licence issued by a free-zone authority, which makes you a legal business and lets you invoice clients, and a residency visa, which lets you live in the country, open a bank account, and sponsor family. You can hold the permit alone if you already have residency, but you cannot legally freelance on residency alone.
02What is the difference between a company-sponsored visa and a freelance visa?
A visa issued under a private company is an employment visa: your employer sponsors it and pays for it, and your status depends on that job continuing. A freelance visa is applied for through a UAE government authority or an authorised service provider, and you sponsor yourself. You pay for it, and it does not end when a client relationship does.
03Can I work anywhere in the UAE, or outside it, with a freelance visa?
Yes. With a legal freelance permit or licence from a UAE free zone you can work anywhere in the UAE, and take on clients outside the country as well. The emirate that issued your permit does not restrict where you live or work.
04Can I work with any company in the UAE as a freelancer?
Yes. Your freelance permit allows you to work with companies across the UAE under a legal contract, and to invoice them in your own business name.
05Is a freelance licence the same as a business setup?
It is a form of business setup, yes. Any entity created in the mainland or a free zone counts. The practical difference: free-zone licences usually do not require office space or a tenancy contract, while mainland setups typically do.
06Do I need a degree to get a UAE freelance permit?
Not for most activities. Education, training, and certain technical or advisory activities do require a degree certificate, and where the activity is regulated it must be attested in the country that issued it. Whether it applies depends on the activity you select, not on the free zone.
Guides & updates
Read before you apply.
Sponsoring your family on a UAE freelance visa
Once your own residency is issued you can sponsor a spouse, children, and in some cases parents. What is required, and what it costs per person.
Which free zone should issue your freelance permit?
Your permit can come from any of several emirates, and the choice changes your cost, your activity list, and what your licence says at the top.
What a UAE freelance visa actually costs, line by line
Permit fee, establishment card, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, insurance. Here is what each line item is for, and which ones quotes tend to leave out.
Talk it through with a consultant.
No fee, no obligation. Call, WhatsApp, or send the form, and we reply within an hour during business hours.