Costs, routes & the tax part after
A freelance visa in Dubai is not one fee, it is a stack of them: permit, establishment card, residence visa, medical, Emirates ID and insurance. All in, most freelancers pay AED 13,000 to 16,000 in the first year through the popular GoFreelance route, and less through the federal MOHRE route. This guide breaks down every dirham, compares the three main routes, and covers the part most cost guides skip: what the visa triggers on the tax side once you start earning.
The essentials
Indicative 2026 rates. Free zones revise fees periodically, so confirm current figures with the issuing authority before you apply.
| Component | Typical cost (AED) |
|---|---|
| Freelance permit, free zone (annual) | 7,500 - 15,000 (GoFreelance/TECOM around 7,500) |
| Freelance permit, MOHRE federal | 1,200 - 2,500 |
| Establishment card | 2,000 - 2,500 |
| Residence visa, 2-year (inside UAE) | ~4,960 |
| Residence visa, 2-year (outside UAE) | ~3,330 |
| Status change (tourist visa to residency) | ~1,150 |
| Medical fitness test | 300 - 1,200 |
| Emirates ID | 370 |
| Health insurance (mandatory, annual) | 800 - 3,000 |
| Document attestation | 150 - 500 |
Add it up for the most common case, a freelancer already in the UAE on the GoFreelance route: AED 7,500 permit + AED 2,000 establishment card + AED 4,960 visa + roughly AED 2,500 for medical, Emirates ID and basic insurance, and you land around AED 17,000 before attestation. Coming from outside the UAE trims the visa line to about AED 3,330. Either way, the permit is the number to compare between routes, because everything else is broadly the same whichever door you walk through.
Pick your route
The right route depends on your profession and your client base, not just the headline price.
One permit covering Dubai Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Park and Design District. Around AED 7,500 a year. The default choice for media, tech, education and consultancy freelancers, and the route with the smoothest renewal process.
IFZA, SHAMS and similar zones can bring the all-in first-year cost down toward AED 8,500, depending on the activity. Worth comparing if your profession fits their licence categories, but check what is bundled before you compare.
The federal freelance permit at AED 1,200 to 2,500, with mainland recognition across sectors. Cheapest on paper and the most flexible for working across the UAE, though the process involves more paperwork than the free zone packages.
The process
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Apply for the freelance permit with passport, CV or portfolio, photo and qualifications. Approval usually takes 3 to 7 working days. |
| Week 1-2 | Entry permit issued. If you are in the UAE on a tourist visa, do the status change (around AED 1,150) instead of exiting. |
| Week 2 | Medical fitness test and biometrics. Book the medical early in the week to avoid weekend gaps. |
| Week 2-3 | Residence visa stamping and processing. |
| Week 3-4 | Emirates ID issued. You are fully set up. |
The documents that slow people down are almost always the same two: degree attestation (get MOFA attestation done before you fly in) and the NOC if you are switching from an employment visa. Have those ready and the timeline above holds. Without them, plan for six weeks.
Read the fine print
Even when your residence visa runs for two or three years, the freelance permit itself is annual. Budget the AED 7,500 (or your zone's equivalent) as a yearly line item, not a one-off.
DHA-compliant cover is mandatory for Dubai residency and gets checked at renewal. AED 800 to 3,000 a year depending on the plan, and letting it lapse can stall your visa renewal.
Foreign degrees and professional certificates usually need attestation, including MOFA, before the permit application accepts them. AED 150 to 500 per document, and it takes days you should plan for.
Once your residency is issued you can sponsor family, but each dependant adds roughly AED 2,500 to 5,000 for their visa, medical and Emirates ID. Factor it in before you promise timelines at home.
Picking a mismatched activity during registration is the classic expensive mistake: banks reject the account opening, clients question the invoice, and re-applying costs both fees and weeks. Match the activity to what you will actually bill for.
After the visa
The visa gets you legal. These are the obligations that start the day you invoice:
FAQs
Most freelancers pay AED 13,000 to 16,000 in the first year through the popular GoFreelance route: roughly AED 7,500 for the annual permit, AED 2,000 for the establishment card, AED 3,330 to 4,960 for the residence visa, plus medical, Emirates ID and mandatory health insurance. The federal MOHRE route is cheaper, with permits from AED 1,200.
The MOHRE federal freelance permit, at AED 1,200 to 2,500 for the permit itself, has the lowest headline cost and gives mainland recognition. Free zone routes like GoFreelance cost more but bundle industry-specific communities and simpler renewals. Compare the full first-year stack, not just the permit price.
Generally yes for services, but check the activities on your specific permit. Some free zone permits are scoped to certain sectors, and mainland government contracts can have their own requirements. If a big local client is your plan, confirm your permit covers it before you sign anything.
There is no personal income tax, but business taxes still apply. Register for VAT within 20 days of crossing AED 375,000 in taxable turnover (AED 10,000 penalty if you are late), and corporate tax rules apply to freelancers too. Our VAT for freelancers guide walks through the turnover test step by step.
Yes, once your residency is issued. The widely applied minimum is around AED 4,000 per month in income for sponsoring a spouse and children, though some free zones set it higher. Budget AED 2,500 to 5,000 per dependant for their visa, medical and Emirates ID.
Typically two to four weeks from application to Emirates ID: permit approval in three to seven working days, then the entry permit, medical and biometrics, visa stamping, and finally the Emirates ID. Incomplete documents are what stretch it to six weeks, so get attestations done early.
Keep reading
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