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Learn about our supportA UAE freelance permit lets you work for yourself legally: issue invoices, sign contracts and receive payment into a business account. The licence can be obtained without a visa (for example, a freelancer licence in Abu Dhabi costs from AED 790 plus fees, according to Emirates 24|7), while the full package with a residence visa through a free zone starts, according to expat chats, at AED 8,000. This article covers how a freelance permit works, why DDA/Gofreelance is frozen, who a licence without a visa suits and which free zones are operating in 2026.
More on free zones, employment and all the routes in the guide to work and business in the UAE.
What a freelance permit is and how it works
A freelance permit is a licence for individual professional activity issued by UAE free zones. Unlike a free zone company, a freelance permit is issued to an individual and covers specific activities: design, development, consulting, media, copywriting, marketing.
A freelance permit has two components:
- The licence gives the right to do business in the UAE: issue invoices, sign contracts, open a business account
- The residence visa (optional) gives the right to live in the country, an Emirates ID, access to banking and health insurance
The key point: the licence can be obtained without a visa. These are two separate elements that are often confused.
The DDA/Gofreelance freeze: current status
Since October 2025, the Gofreelance platform (Dubai Design District, DDA) has stopped issuing new freelance visas. The licence can be renewed, the visa cannot. A detailed timeline and action plan are in the article on the DDA freeze.
Key facts:
- In applicants' experience, the freeze was announced in letters from AXS and the free zone
- In November 2025, Dubai's GDRFA denied rumours of a suspension of freelance visas and said they were being issued as usual under tighter controls (according to Gulf News)
- According to KPMG, a suspension of new freelance visas in the UAE until further notice was reported in July 2025
- In applicants' experience, the restrictions affected DDA/Gofreelance, while other free zones continue to issue licences and visas
Freelancers whose current DDA visa expires in the coming months should start moving to an alternative free zone 2–3 months before the visa ends. A gap in visa status means an overstay fine of AED 50 a day (flat rate, u.ae).
A licence without a visa: who it works for
A freelance licence without a visa is an option for those who need a legal basis for their work but do not need a residence visa.
Who it suits:
- People who have a visa through another route: a spouse's employer, a Golden Visa, an employment visa
- People who work for foreign clients and already live in the UAE on another basis
- People who want to receive payment legally through a UAE business account
Who it does not suit:
- People who specifically need a residence visa for long-term residence
- People who plan to open a bank account as residents (this usually requires a residence visa and Emirates ID)
- People who count on health insurance through the free zone (it is tied to the visa)
A licence without a visa is a budget way to legalise freelance income in the UAE without full residence.
Free zone alternatives: who issues visas
For those who need the full package, licence plus 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:
- The visa fee: AED 7,000–9,500 (according to chats; at Meydan, the first investor visa is about AED 7,850, meydanfz.ae)
- Medical fitness test
- Emirates ID
- Mandatory health insurance
The real cost of a "licence + visa" package can be 1.5–2 times the base licence price.
You can check government fees yourself on the UAE government portal (u.ae) to avoid overpaying intermediaries. More on comparing free zones in the guide to work and business in the UAE.
Freelance permit vs free zone company: which to choose
A freelance permit is for those who work alone and want minimal costs. A free zone company is for when you need a legal entity, several activities or visa sponsorship for family and employees.
Practical nuances for freelancers in the UAE
VPN and internet
Freelancers who work remotely should know that the UAE restricts VoIP services and a number of websites. VPNs work unreliably.
"Mobile internet effectively doesn't work. Many services don't work even with a VPN."
— from a chat of residents with freelance permits, 2026
YouTube and MS Teams work intermittently. For stable video calls, in residents' experience, home internet is better (from USD 150 a month); mobile data is not always suitable for work calls.
Health insurance
When you get a freelance permit through a free zone, basic health insurance is usually included in the package. But it covers the minimum, often not even enough for a blood test.
"Whoever arranges the health insurance (you or the company; if the company,"
it will most likely be the basic minimum that won't even cover a blood test)" — from a residents' chat, 2026
Good insurance costs AED 7,000–9,000 a year for men and AED 9,000–12,500 a year for women (according to Russian-speaking expat chats, January–July 2026). You can compare options on policybazaar.ae.
Bank account
To open an account as a resident, you usually need a residence visa and Emirates ID. The main banks that work with freelancers:
- ENBD: the most popular among Russian-speaking residents. Opens accounts quickly if the licence is good
- Mashreq: you can try to open an account remotely. ATMs without the bank's own fee for UnionPay withdrawals
- ADCB: recommended by residents
- WIO: a digital bank, but there is a risk of the account being closed without explanation
For freelancers with a licence but no visa, opening a bank account can be difficult: most banks require an Emirates ID.
All UAE visa routes are in the residence guide. Work, free zones and employment are in the guide to work and business. More on our services on the UAE residence page.
Choosing the visa route, documents, application and Emirates ID, end to end, with specialists on the ground and payment in stages.
Learn about our supportFrequently asked questions
Yes. A freelance licence without a visa (for example, in Abu Dhabi from AED 790 plus fees, according to Emirates 24|7) lets you work legally, issuing invoices and receiving payment, without a residence visa. But long-term residence, a bank account and health insurance require a residence visa.
According to Russian-speaking expat chats, the licence costs AED 1,000 to 8,000 depending on the free zone, plus the visa fee (AED 7,000–9,500), medical fitness test, Emirates ID and health insurance; the full package is AED 8,000 to 18,000. The free zones publish official package prices themselves (for example, Meydan from AED 12,500 for a company package).
In applicants' experience, since autumn 2025 new freelance visas have not been issued through DDA/Gofreelance, though the licence can be renewed. In November 2025, Dubai's GDRFA, according to Gulf News, denied a suspension of freelance visas, so check the status before applying. Alternative free zones (SHAMS, IFZA, RAKEZ, Meydan), in applicants' experience, operate as usual.
According to chats, SHAMS (Sharjah) and IFZA (Dubai), from AED 1,000 for a licence; the free zones give official prices on request. But consider the full cost with the visa and government fee: the real price will be 1.5–2 times higher.
Yes, health insurance is mandatory when you get a residence visa through a free zone. Basic insurance is included in the package but covers the minimum. Good insurance, according to chats: AED 7,000–12,500 a year.