Freelance Visa for Dubai

A “freelance visa” in Dubai generally refers to a situation that enables you to live and operate lawfully in the United Arab Emirates as a freelancer or self-employed person, as opposed to just being an employee of a UAE business. It typically involves two components:

A freelance licence/permit through a free-zone or relevant authority (for example in media, design, tech, etc).
A residence visa (and Emirates ID etc) tied to that permit, so you can live in UAE and operate.

Key eligibility & requirements

Some of the typical requirements are:

Valid passport (with at least 6 months’ validity)
Age 21+ (in many cases)
Educational certificates / degree or diploma (especially for some free-zone freelance permits)
Relevant work experience / portfolio (for creative/media/tech-freelancers)
Select the correct “field” of freelancing (media, tech, design, education, etc) and use the corresponding free zone or authority.
Undergo medical fitness tests, apply for Emirates ID (for residence visa) etc.