UAE residence, end to end
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What applicants report: GoFreelance is not issuing visas
According to chats (July 2026), AXS/Dubai Media City has not renewed or issued freelance visas since October 2025; there is no official confirmation. A working alternative is residence through your own business licence in a free zone: SHAMS and similar zones issue a licence and a residence visa in 2–4 weeks. We handle this route end to end through our own SHAMS licence.
Review my caseAccording to Russian-speaking expat chats, since October 2025 the GoFreelance platform has stopped issuing new freelance visas: the licence can be renewed, the visa cannot. There is no official announcement of a suspension. The situation has remained uncertain for more than nine months. This article covers the timeline, the concrete consequences, alternative routes and an action plan for those affected by the freeze.
A detailed look at all free zone, freelance and employment routes is in the guide to work and business in the UAE.
What happened: a timeline of the freeze
GoFreelance is a joint programme of Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai Design District (according to gofreelance.ae) through which freelance licences and residence visas were issued to individual professionals: designers, developers, copywriters, consultants. Until autumn 2025, it was one of the most popular routes for freelancers in the UAE: clear fees, minimal bureaucracy, fast processing.
October 2025: issuance of new freelance visas through DDA/Gofreelance stopped. Chat participants refer to emails from AXS and the free zone itself; there has been no public statement from the free zone.
November 2025 – July 2026: the situation has not changed. DDA publishes no official statements and does not comment on when issuance might resume. According to applicants, the GDRFAD (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) says it "knows nothing about it", which adds to the uncertainty.
At the time of publication (July 2026), according to chats, the restriction had lasted more than nine months. No public statement about plans to resume visa issuance through DDA has been recorded.
What is frozen and what is not
It is important to understand that the freeze concerns a specific element, the visa part through DDA/Gofreelance, not the whole freelance market in the UAE.
Frozen:
- Issuance of new freelance visas (residence visas) through DDA/Gofreelance
- According to chats, it affects the TECOM zones in Dubai
Not frozen:
- Renewal of existing DDA licences: the licence can be renewed
- Issuance of freelance licences and visas through other free zones (SHAMS, IFZA, Meydan, RAKEZ and dozens of others)
- A minimal freelance licence from AED 550 (without a visa), for those who need only the licence and get their visa another way
For those who already hold a valid freelance visa through DDA: when the visa expires, the visa part cannot currently be renewed through DDA. You will need to switch to an alternative route.
Who the freeze affects
The DDA freeze affects two groups:
1. Current holders of DDA freelance visas. When the current visa expires, it will need to be reissued through another free zone. The licence can be renewed (it remains valid), but the visa cannot. This means moving the licence to another free zone or getting a visa another way.
2. New applicants who planned to get a freelance visa through DDA. This route is closed; you need to choose an alternative free zone.
Freelancers already working in the UAE on a DDA visa should start moving to an alternative free zone in advance, 2–3 months before the current visa expires. Changing free zones at the last moment can lead to a gap in visa status and a potential overstay (a fine of AED 50 for each day after the grace period).
Alternatives: free zones still issuing visas
For those who need to freelance in the UAE with a residence visa, alternative free zones are available. Below is a comparison of the most popular ones among Russian-speaking residents.
Prices according to Russian-speaking expat chats, January–July 2026. Check current rates on the free zones' official websites.
Important: the licence price is not the full cost. On top of it come:
- Visa fee: AED 7,000–9,500 (depends on the term; according to chats)
- Medical fitness test: ~AED 300–500 (according to chats)
- Emirates ID: ~AED 370 (according to chats)
- Mandatory health insurance
The real cost of a "licence + visa" package can be 1.5–2 times the base licence price. Before deciding, ask the free zone for a full breakdown of all mandatory payments.
You can check government fees yourself on the UAE government portal (u.ae) to avoid overpaying intermediaries.
A licence without a visa: who it works for
A minimal freelance licence from AED 550 (without a visa) is an option for those who only need to be able to work legally in the UAE: issue invoices, receive payment into a business account, sign contracts.
Who it suits:
- Those whose residence visa comes from another route: a spouse's employer, their own company, a Golden Visa
Who it does not suit:
- Those who specifically need a residence visa to live in the UAE
- Those who plan to open a bank account (to open an account as a resident, you usually need a residence visa and Emirates ID)
When it might be lifted: an honest answer
The honest answer: nobody knows.
The free zone publishes no timelines. According to applicants, the GDRFAD "knows nothing about it". There have been no public statements about plans to resume. The freeze has lasted more than nine months with no visible change.
Building plans on the hope that it will "unfreeze soon" is risky. If you need a freelance visa in the UAE, we recommend treating alternative free zones as your main route rather than waiting for a DDA decision.
We will update this article when there is confirmed information about a change in status.
What to do right now: an action plan
If you hold a valid DDA visa with more than 3 months left:
- Find out the expiry date of your current visa
- Look into alternative free zones (SHAMS, IFZA, RAKEZ, Meydan) and ask for a full cost breakdown
- Start the switch 2–3 months before the visa expires to avoid a gap in status
If your DDA visa expires in the next 1–2 months:
- Do not delay: start the reissue immediately
- Remember: a visa overstay costs AED 50 a day (according to u.ae)
- Check whether you need to close the current DDA visa before getting a new one (change of status)
If you were planning to get a freelance visa through DDA:
- This route is closed. Choose an alternative free zone
- Compare the full cost of the packages (licence + visa + insurance + Emirates ID + medical fitness)
- Check government fees on u.ae: intermediaries often inflate prices 2–3 times
If you only need a licence (without a visa):
- Consider the minimal freelance licence from AED 550
- Make sure you have a valid visa of another type
More on all freelance, free zone and employment routes in the UAE in the guide to work and business. An overview of all visa routes is in the UAE residence guide.
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Learn about our supportFrequently asked questions
According to Russian-speaking expat chats, new freelance visas have not been issued through GoFreelance since October 2025; according to the same sources, the licence can be renewed but the visa cannot. There is no official statement about a suspension: gofreelance.ae still lists visas among its services, so check the status directly with the free zone.
Start moving to an alternative free zone (SHAMS, IFZA, RAKEZ, Meydan) 2–3 months before the visa expires. This avoids a gap in visa status and overstay fines (AED 50 a day, according to u.ae).
SHAMS (Sharjah) and IFZA (Dubai) are among the cheapest: a licence costs AED 1,000 to 5,000. But the visa fee (AED 7,000–9,500), medical fitness test, Emirates ID and health insurance come on top. The real cost of a package with a visa can be 1.5–2 times higher.
Yes. A minimal freelance licence from AED 550 lets you work legally (issue invoices, receive payment) without a residence visa. It suits those who have a visa through another route: an employer, a spouse or a Golden Visa.
According to chats, the restrictions concern only GoFreelance (the TECOM zones in Dubai). Other free zones, including SHAMS, IFZA, RAKEZ, Meydan and DMCC, continue to issue licences and visas; check the terms on their official websites.