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Dubai's remote work visa, called virtual work by GDRFA, gives you a one-year renewable residence while you work for a company or clients outside the UAE. You need a monthly income of at least USD 3,500 and valid health insurance. The entry visa costs AED 200 plus 5% VAT, the residence permit AED 200 plus small fees, and GDRFA states 48 hours for each.
People also call it the Dubai digital nomad visa. It is the same GDRFA service. Nobody sponsors you: the visa rests on your foreign income.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It fits you if you are employed by a company abroad, or run a business registered abroad, and want to live in Dubai while that income keeps coming in. It does not let you take a job with a UAE company. For that you need a Dubai work visa from an employer. If your clients are in the UAE, the freelance visa route is the one to look at.
The old USD 5,000 figure
Dubai first launched a remote work programme with a USD 5,000 monthly income rule. Many blogs and videos still quote it. That figure is out of date. GDRFA's current virtual work page says USD 3,500 a month or the equivalent.
Fees: two GDRFA stages
| Stage | Applying from abroad | Applying inside the UAE |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual work entry visa | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | add AED 500, AED 10 and AED 10 |
| Virtual work residence permit | AED 200, AED 10, AED 10, AED 20 delivery | add AED 500 |
| Medical fitness, standard | AED 270 | AED 270 |
| Emirates ID, one year | AED 100 plus AED 100 smart service | same |
Source: GDRFA virtual work entry visa and residence pages, ICP Emirates ID card and Dubai medical fitness charges, checked .
Health insurance is on top and is set by the insurer. We do not quote a single total because GDRFA does not publish one.
What Dubai agencies charge
We found no Dubai agency that publishes its own service fee for the remote work visa, so there is no fair market range to show. Guides that publish all-in estimates mostly differ on the cost of insurance.
Documents checklist
- Personal photo
- Passport copy, valid at least 6 months
- Salary certificate showing at least USD 3,500 a month
- Proof that you work remotely for an entity outside the UAE, such as an employment letter or company registration
- Health insurance copy
- Medical fitness result (residence stage)
- Emirates ID application receipt (residence stage)
Some advisers say bank statements for the last 6 months are now expected. GDRFA's page lists the salary certificate, so bring both if you can.
Processing time
GDRFA states 48 hours for the entry visa and 48 hours for the residence permit. The medical result takes 24 hours on the standard service. You need to be in Dubai for the medical and biometrics, so plan your arrival inside the entry visa's window.
Family on a remote work visa
GDRFA lets you sponsor family members for the same period as your own visa. They need their own documents, such as an attested marriage certificate for a spouse and birth certificates for children. A one-year sponsor means one-year family visas, renewed with yours.
Renewal and the 60-day grace period
The residence is valid for one year and GDRFA says it is renewable. You must still meet the income rule. After expiry or cancellation you have 60 days. Golden and green visas give 180 days, which is one reason long-term remote workers compare the UAE green visa once they earn enough.
Why remote work visas get refused
- Salary certificate from a company that is registered in the UAE.
- Income under USD 3,500 once converted, or paid irregularly.
- Insurance that does not cover the UAE.
- Passport too close to expiry.
- Starting from inside Dubai on a visit visa that runs out mid-process; see change visa status in the UAE.
How it works with us
Send your passport copy, your salary certificate and a short note on who pays you, using WhatsApp or the form on this page. A visa adviser checks the employer is abroad, converts your income against the USD 3,500 rule and says whether to apply from home or from Dubai. You get one total price before you pay. The team files both GDRFA stages, books the medical and biometrics, and sends you the residence details. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA approves or refuses the visa.
A refused application does not get its government fees back from GDRFA. Before you pay, the adviser confirms in writing how much of our total, if any, would be returned on a refusal.
Official sources
- GDRFA virtual work entry visa: income, insurance, fees, family, validity.
- GDRFA virtual work residence permit: residence fees, documents, 60-day grace period.
- ICP Emirates ID for residents: card fee.
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