A freelance permit is a licence that lets you work legally for yourself in the UAE, selling your own services under your own name or a registered trade name without forming a full company. It is the route used by designers, writers, consultants, marketers, IT specialists and media professionals who want to invoice clients properly, open a business bank account and apply for a residence visa through their permit.
What the Permit Allows — and What It Does Not
With a freelance permit you can contract with companies, issue invoices and receive payments into a bank account in your business name. Permits are issued by free zones and economic departments — well-known issuers include Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City (through the GoFreelance platform), RAKEZ, Fujairah’s Creative City, Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 and Sharjah’s Shams, among others. Each issuer limits the permit to a list of approved activities, mostly in media, education, consultancy and technology, so your exact profession must appear on their list.
What the permit does not do: it does not let you hire employees, rent a shop or trade in physical goods, and it is not the same as a visa. The visa is a separate step — most issuers offer a package combining the permit with an establishment card and a visa application, or you may already hold residence through a spouse, employer or Golden Visa and only need the permit itself.
Who Pays, and What It Typically Costs
You pay for your own permit — it is your business licence. Clients never pay for it directly, though your fees should quietly absorb it as an overhead. As a guide, permit-only packages typically cost around AED 5,000 to AED 10,000 a year depending on the issuing authority, while permit-plus-visa packages commonly come to roughly AED 12,000 to AED 20,000 over the visa period once establishment card, entry permit, medical and Emirates ID fees are included. These are estimates that change frequently; check the official portal of the issuer you choose for the current fee schedule before paying anything.
- Freelance permit fee — paid annually to the issuing authority
- Establishment card — needed before you can apply for your own visa
- Visa costs — entry permit, status change, medical test and Emirates ID
- Health insurance — mandatory in Dubai; a basic policy is typically a few hundred dirhams a year
- Optional extras — co-working desk, bank account, accounting or tax help
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Choose the issuer whose activity list matches your profession
- Submit your passport, photo, CV and any portfolio or qualifications requested
- Receive approval and pay the permit fee through the official portal
- If you need a visa, apply for the establishment card and entry permit
- Complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
- Open a bank account and register for corporate tax if your income requires it
Staying Compliant
Renew the permit every year before it expires — working on a lapsed permit puts your visa and bank account at risk. Since the UAE introduced corporate tax, freelancers earning above the registration threshold must register with the Federal Tax Authority and may file returns; many permit holders can use the small business relief or the natural-person rules, but the safe move is to keep clean invoices and bank records from day one and take advice if your turnover grows. Also keep your health insurance continuous, as a gap can block visa renewal.
Freelance Permit or Full Company?
Before you commit, weigh the permit against forming a small free zone company. The permit wins on simplicity and cost if you work alone, sell services and do not need to hire. A company becomes the better choice if you plan to employ staff, bring in a business partner, trade in goods or bid for contracts that require a full trade licence. Some freelancers start on a permit, test the market for a year, and upgrade once income is steady — a sensible sequence, since permit fees are modest and the learning is cheap. Whichever route you take, avoid working for clients on a tourist visa or without any licence: the fines and visa consequences fall on you personally, and reputable clients will ask for your permit and tax registration details before they pay you.
FAQ
Can I work for companies outside the UAE on a freelance permit?
Yes. Most permit holders serve overseas clients too; just invoice properly and keep records for tax purposes.
Can I sponsor my family with a freelance visa?
Usually yes, provided your declared salary or income meets the current minimum for sponsoring dependants — confirm the threshold on the official immigration channels.
Is a freelance permit the same as a remote work visa?
No. The remote work visa is for people employed by overseas companies; a freelance permit licences your own business activity inside the UAE.
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