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Dubai freelance visa requirements depend on the route. For the DDA freelancer licence behind GoFreelance, you need a passport copy, an NOC where the rules ask for one, and a self-declaration form if you already hold a UAE visa. The visa stage adds health insurance, a medical test and Emirates ID. The green visa adds a degree and AED 360,000 income proof.
Below, each route has its own checklist. Not sure which route you're on? Start with freelance visa in Dubai.
Route A: free zone licence (DDA and GoFreelance)
For the licence
- Passport copy, with your UAE visa page if you have one
- NOC, but only if the Licensing Categories Decision requires it for your case
- Self-declaration form, if you hold a valid UAE visa now
- Your activity, which must appear on the zone's activity list
That's the DDA document list for the Freelancer (Sole Professional) Licence. It doesn't ask for a degree or a portfolio.
For the zone visa
- Valid medical insurance (GoFreelance states the visa needs it)
- Personal photo
- Passport valid for at least six months
- Medical fitness result, after the entry permit or status change
- Emirates ID biometrics at ICP
If you're on an employer's visa now, ask the zone when and how that visa gets cancelled in your file. Our employment visa cancellation page explains the order.
Route B: MOHRE freelance permit
u.ae lists the freelance work permit as one of MOHRE's 13 permit types. It's for people who work for themselves, with no employer as sponsor, including foreign nationals on self-sponsored residence. MOHRE's own service page couldn't be read when we checked, so we don't publish its document list. Check it in the MOHRE app before you apply. Work permits are applied for through the MOHRE app, website or other digital channels.
Route C: green visa for freelancers
| Condition | What GDRFA asks for |
|---|---|
| Permit | A MOHRE freelance or self-employment permit |
| Education | Bachelor's degree, specialised diploma or equivalent |
| Income | At least AED 360,000 from self-employment over the two preceding years, or proof of financial solvency |
Source: GDRFA green visa for freelancers and self-employed, checked .
Papers to prepare for this route:
- MOHRE freelance permit
- Degree or specialised diploma certificate
- Bank statements and invoices covering the last two years
- Passport copy valid six months or more, and a photo
- Health insurance for the green residence entry visa
ICP reads the income rule as annual income over the previous two years. If your earnings are close to the line, read the green visa requirements page before you file. GDRFA's freelancer page doesn't say the degree must be attested. Ask before you rely on an unattested copy.
Fees tied to each stage
| Stage | Official fee |
|---|---|
| DDA licence | AED 7,500 plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
| GoFreelance visa | AED 4,600 (1 year) or AED 5,042 (2 years) |
| GoFreelance establishment card | AED 2,000 |
| Medical, standard | AED 270 |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year plus AED 100 |
| Green visa residence (GDRFA) | AED 200, plus AED 10, AED 10 and AED 20 delivery |
Sources: DDA, GoFreelance, Dubai medical fitness charges, ICP and GDRFA pages, checked . The full breakdown, with the agency range, is on freelance visa cost.
Processing time once papers are complete
- DDA licence: about 2 working days
- Medical result: 24 hours on the standard service
- Emirates ID card: 5 days at ICP
- GDRFA residence or green visa: 48 hours
Gaps that get files sent back
- Unlisted activity. The zone can't license work it doesn't list.
- Missing NOC when your case needs one.
- Insurance that doesn't meet the zone's terms.
- Short passport, under six months.
- Weak income evidence for the green visa: screenshots instead of bank statements, or invoices with no matching payments.
- Diploma mismatch. A short online course isn't a specialised diploma.
Tips
- Scan every document in colour at full page size. Phone photos with shadows are the first thing to bounce.
- Keep a separate business bank account from day one. It makes the green visa income proof far easier later.
- Bringing dependants? The health insurance for residence visas page covers their cover too.
How it works with us
Send scans of what you have on WhatsApp or through the form on this page, plus a line on your work. A visa adviser checks each paper against the route you're on, lists what's missing, and gives you one total price before you pay. Once the file is complete, the team submits the licence, the visa stage and the Emirates ID, and chases any request for extra documents. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service; the free zone, MOHRE and GDRFA decide each application.
When a file is refused, the authorities don't refund government or zone fees. Before you pay, the adviser writes down which part of our total, if any, is returned in that case.
Official sources
- DDA freelancer licence: licence documents and timing.
- GoFreelance: insurance rule for the visa, prices.
- u.ae work permits: MOHRE freelance permit.
- GDRFA green visa for freelancers: conditions and fees.
- ICP green residency: income wording.
Checked . Requirements can change, so confirm on the zone or GDRFA page before you submit.
