Freelance Visa Dubai 2026: Cost, Options and Steps

A freelance visa in Dubai is really two things: a freelance permit or licence that lets you work for yourself, and a residence visa linked to it. The most common route is a free zone permit, such as GoFreelance from the Dubai Development Authority’s business communities, which costs AED 7,500 a year plus a one-time AED 2,000 establishment card and AED 4,600 (1 year) or AED 5,042 (2 years) for the visa. Freelancers with a degree and strong income can instead apply for the 5-year Green Visa, which needs no sponsor.

Do this next to freelance legally in Dubai

• Decide if you need a visa: residents already sponsored by a spouse or parent may only need the permit.
• Match your work to an activity: free zone permits cover set sectors such as media, tech, education and design.
• Check the Green Visa test: a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma, a MOHRE freelance permit and proof of income or solvency.
• Budget the whole cost: permit, establishment card, visa, medical test, Emirates ID and health insurance.

Your freelance visa options in Dubai

Route	Issued by	Main cost	Visa length	Best for
GoFreelance permit plus visa	Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Design District, Dubai Knowledge Park	AED 7,500 permit, AED 2,000 establishment card, AED 4,600 or 5,042 visa	1 or 2 years	Media, tech, education and design freelancers
Expo Freelance package	Expo City Dubai	AED 9,020 a year (1-year visa) or AED 16,020 a year (2-year visa) as listed	1 or 2 years	Freelancers who want workspace and visa in one package
Green Visa (self-employment)	MOHRE permit, then GDRFA or ICP	Government residence fees plus the permit	5 years, renewable	Graduates with proven freelance income or savings
Permit only, no new visa	A free zone or MOHRE	Permit fee only	Uses your existing residence	Spouses and children already on a family visa

Prices are the ones published by each authority or programme at the time of writing. Free zones review fees regularly, so confirm the invoice before paying.

Route 1: GoFreelance permit and visa

GoFreelance is the freelance package of four Dubai business communities: Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Design District and Dubai Knowledge Park, all licensed under the Dubai Development Authority (DDA). The DDA calls it a Sole Professional License, which lets you trade under your own name rather than a brand name.

Item	Fee (AED)
Freelance permit (per year)	7,500 plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams
Establishment card (needed before the visa)	2,000
Employment visa, 1 year	4,600
Employment visa, 2 years	5,042
Not included	Medical test, Emirates ID, health insurance, any status change fee

For a two-year setup, the permit for two years, establishment card and visa add up to about AED 22,042 before medical, Emirates ID and insurance. The DDA quotes 2 working days to issue the permit once the application is complete. GoFreelance’s own FAQ quotes AED 7,520 for the permit, which is the AED 7,500 fee plus the AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, and it does not include the visa.

Documents for GoFreelance

• A valid passport copy, with your UAE residence visa page if you already have one.
• A self-declaration form if you already hold a valid UAE visa.
• An NOC from an external authority if your activity requires one under the DDA’s licensing rules.
• For the visa stage: the freelance licence, establishment card, a UAE phone number, valid medical insurance, your original passport and a passport photo.

How to apply for GoFreelance

1. Register your interest on the GoFreelance website or choose Set up as a Freelancer on the TECOM Group site, and verify your email.
2. Log in to the axs online portal with the details you receive.
3. Choose your activity, upload the documents and submit.
4. Pay by card, bank transfer or at a designated location, then receive the permit.
5. Apply for the establishment card, then the entry permit or change of status, medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa.

Route 2: Expo City Dubai freelance permit

Expo City Dubai runs its own freelance programme. Its published packages are AED 9,020 a year with a one-year residence visa and AED 16,020 a year with a two-year visa. Both are described as covering the visa from entry permit to Emirates ID, and they bundle workspace, parking and dining access at Expo City. A permit-only option is also offered for people who do not need a visa. You apply by expressing interest online, completing the application and waiting for review.

Route 3: the 5-year Green Visa for freelancers

The Green Residence is a 5-year, renewable residence that needs no sponsor. ICP lists these requirements for freelancers and self-employed people:

• A freelance work permit or self-employment permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
• At least a bachelor’s degree, specialised diploma or equivalent.
• Proof of stable income or financial solvency for the whole stay.
• Freelance income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years, or the foreign currency equivalent. Abu Dhabi’s residency office accepts financial solvency as an alternative.
• A passport valid for at least six months.

Green Visa fee	GDRFA Dubai	ICP (other emirates)
Entry permit	AED 200 plus 5% VAT	Included in the application
Residence permit	AED 200, plus AED 100 a year for permits over two years	AED 100 a year
Application and smart service	Amer or typing charges	AED 100 plus AED 100
If you are inside the UAE	AED 500 plus AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams	Status adjustment fee
Delivery	AED 20	Courier

Green Visa holders can sponsor their spouse and children, and they get a longer grace period when the residence ends. The visa suits established freelancers, but you need the MOHRE permit and income evidence first.

Already in the UAE on a family visa?

If your residence is sponsored by a spouse or parent, you do not need a second visa to freelance. You only need a freelance permit, from a free zone such as GoFreelance or through MOHRE, so that your work is legal. Expect to sign a self-declaration form, and some authorities ask for a no objection letter from your sponsor. Freelancing without a permit is not allowed and can lead to fines.

Total cost: what a Dubai freelancer really pays

Cost item	Year 1	Year 2
GoFreelance permit	AED 7,500	AED 7,500
Establishment card	AED 2,000	Renewal as invoiced
2-year visa	AED 5,042	None
Medical test, Emirates ID, insurance	Varies	Insurance renewal
Approximate government total	AED 14,542 plus extras	AED 7,500 plus extras

Agencies sell all-in freelance visa bundles, often around AED 20,000 for two years, but always ask for an itemised quote and check that the permit is issued by a licensed authority in your own name.

Tax, banking and invoicing for freelancers

• VAT: registration with the Federal Tax Authority becomes mandatory once your taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 in 12 months.
• Corporate tax: an individual’s business income is in scope once turnover from that business exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year.
• Bank account: open a personal or business account once you have your Emirates ID; banks usually ask for the freelance permit and proof of income.
• Invoices and contracts: invoice in your licensed name, and keep contracts and bank statements, because the Green Visa income test relies on them.

After your visa is issued

• Track your card with our Emirates ID status check.
• Note your file details; our guide explains the residence visa number.
• Switching from a job to freelancing? Read our employment visa cancellation guide and check your grace period after cancellation so there is no gap between visas.

Official sources: the Dubai Development Authority’s Freelancer License Registration, GoFreelance, ICP’s Green Residence Guide and GDRFA Dubai’s green residence permit (self-employment) page.

This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.