A residence visa enables its holder:
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Services
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Fees
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Obtaining a Freelance Permit and a Freelance Residence Visa, including:
· preparing necessary documentation; · accompanying the applicant; · transport expenses (trip to a medical clinic and migration authority). |
USD 2 200
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Refundable deposit requested by the free zone for the validity period of a freelance visa (where visas for family members are required, a separate deposit is made for each of them)
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AED 2 500 – 3 000
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Supporting the opening of a personal account at a UAE bank:
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== services of:
- analysing the company’s structure, its activities / business model / turnover OR, in the case of a personal account, information on the individual’s sources of funds / residence / account balance;- selecting banks individually for you – up to 3 options; - preparing descriptions of banks indicating the criteria by which they were selected; - preparing a description of further steps in the account opening procedure; |
500 (Stage I)
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== services of:
- collecting and analysing the corporate and other documents required to be submitted to the selected bank; - putting together a detailed account opening application, including complete information on the company, its owners and counterparties; - sending the application to one of the banks of your choice; - preparing a detailed description of all further steps in the account opening procedure; - preparing for an interview; - accompanying you to a personal / online meeting with a banker if necessary; - interacting with the bank at ALL stages; |
2 000 (Stage II)
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== payment of the remainder of the full fee – after receiving notification from the bank that the application is under final review by the bank’s compliance team;
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750 (Stage III)
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== an additional success fee is charged if the account is opened faster than the average standard procedure time, which is:
- for corporate accounts – 3 months, - for personal accounts – 1 month. |
+ 10% to the fee
for the service |
The UAE does not have such a concept as a residence permit. The country’s migration rules require the issuance of residence visas, which in practice are similar to a residence permit.
Until recently, the main ways to obtain a residence visa were:
But now it has become possible to obtain a permit and then a residence visa for freelancers who want to officially work and reside in the UAE:
The following professions are eligible for a freelance permit:
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Actor
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Fashion Stylist
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Aerial Shoot Photographer
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Graphic Designer
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Animator
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Information Writer
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Apparel Designer
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Internet Programmer
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Artist
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Journalist
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Audio/Sound Engineer
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Makeup Artist
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Cameraman
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Media Specialist
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Choreographer
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Musician
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Cinema Director
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Photographer
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Composer
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PR Specialist
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Content Provider
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Presenter (TV/Radio)
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Costume Designer
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Social Media Specialist
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Event Management Executive
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Translator
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Events Planner
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Web Designer
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Fashion Artist
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Web Developer
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Fashion Designer
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Fitness Trainer
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A holder of a residence visa can sponsor his/her family members applying for residence visas (dependent visa):
Normally, it is a man who acts as sponsor. A woman’s ability to sponsor visas for family members is limited: there may be requirements for the profession or higher salary requirements than for men.
The sponsor must prove the availability of accommodation by providing a tenancy agreement or a title deed, a utility bill, as well as proof of adequate income.
Sponsored residence visas will require health insurance policies for all family members.
Getting a residence visa for a family member takes 5 - 7 working days, on average.
After obtaining a freelance permit, one can apply for a visa. The process includes several steps:
1. Opening an Establishment Card (migration file) – 3 - 5 days.
2. Submitting documents for a residence visa and obtaining an Entry Permit (permission to enter the country) – 5 - 7 days.
To obtain a residence visa, an applicant must enter the UAE with an Entry Permit. Once the Entry Permit is received (it is sent by email), one can plan a trip to the UAE. An Entry Permit is valid for 60 days.
If at the time of issuing of Entry Permit the applicant is already in the UAE, then in order to complete the issuance of a residence visa without leaving and re-entering the country, it is necessary to change the status of the visa. The service of changing the status of a visa is provided upon request and is subject to additional charges.
3. Visiting the UAE to obtain a residence visa – in most cases, a visa can be obtained within 5 working days.
The applicant needs:
After receiving a passport with a residence visa inserted into it, one can leave the country.
4. Obtaining a resident’s ID card – Emirates ID.
The card is issued a few days after the issuance of a visa. Personal presence is not required to collect it. It can be handed over later.
The applicant will need the following for their visa application:
In the event of termination of the basis on which the visa was issued, a residence visa must be cancelled.
A freelancer is required to annually renew their permit by paying the relevant fee.
At the same time, freelancers registered in UAE free zones are exempt from corporate income tax, capital gains tax, property tax and other taxes, with the exception of VAT.
The UAE introduced value added tax (VAT) on 1 January 2018.
VAT as a general consumption tax applies to all transactions with goods and services unless such transaction is exempted or taxed at 0% rate.
The standard VAT rate in the UAE is 5%.
There is no obligation to register for VAT and file VAT returns unless the sales turnover within the country exceeds the registration threshold, which is AED 375 000 (~ USD 100 000) in the UAE.
Before starting a business, we recommend that an individual consult a tax adviser to assess the possible tax burden.
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Services
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Fees
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Obtaining a Freelance Permit and a Freelance Residence Visa, including:
· preparing, executing and agreeing the necessary documentation with the migration authorities; · accompanying the applicant to a medical clinic for medical examination; · accompanying the applicant to the Federal Migration Service for fingerprints scan and biometrics; · submitting documents to the migration authority for issuing and stamping a visa; · filing an application for and obtaining a resident’s card; · selecting an insurance company for getting health insurance (if necessary); · transport expenses. Note: the following expenses are payable by the applicant additionally: |
USD 2 200
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Obtaining a Residence Visa for a freelancer’s family member, including:
· preparing, executing and agreeing the necessary documentation with the authorities; · accompanying the applicant to a medical clinic for medical examination; · accompanying the applicant to the Federal Migration Service for biometrics; · submitting documents to the migration authority for issuing a visa; · filing an application for and obtaining a resident’s card; · selecting an insurance company for getting health insurance. Note: the following expenses are payable by the applicant additionally: · government fees (Medical Fitness Report & Emirates ID, Visa Stamping on the Passport) – approximately USD 900; · cost of health insurance; · translation and consular legalization of documents that prove the relationship. |
USD 1 800
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Refundable deposit requested by the free zone for the validity period of a freelance visa (where visas for family members are required, a separate deposit is made for each of them)
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AED 2 500 – 3 000
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Cancellation of a residence visa
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The visa cancellation cost depends on the visa category and location of the applicant (in or outside the UAE).
Please ask a GSL consultant for a fee quote. |
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Supporting the opening of a personal account at a UAE bank:
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Stage I
== services of: - analysing the company’s structure, its activities / business model / turnover OR, in the case of a personal account, information on the individual’s sources of funds / residence / account balance; - selecting banks individually for you – up to 3 options; - preparing descriptions of banks indicating the criteria by which they were selected; - preparing a description of further steps in the account opening procedure; |
USD 500
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Stage II:
== services of: - collecting and analysing the corporate and other documents required to be submitted to the selected bank; - putting together a detailed account opening application, including complete information on the company, its owners and counterparties; - sending the application to one of the banks of your choice; - preparing a detailed description of all further steps in the account opening procedure; - preparing for an interview; - accompanying you to a personal / online meeting with a banker if necessary; - interacting with the bank at ALL stages; |
USD 2 000
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Stage III
== payment of the remainder of the full fee – after receiving notification from the bank that the application is under final review by the bank’s compliance team; |
USD 750
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== an additional success fee is charged if the account is opened faster than the average standard procedure time, which is:
- for corporate accounts – 3 months, - for personal accounts – 1 month. |
+ 10% to the fee
for the service |
[1] The fees are valid as of July 2024. Invoices will include 5% VAT on the services rendered.