The UAE remote work visa, explained

The UAE remote work visa lets a person live in the UAE for a year, renewable, while working remotely for an employer or clients outside the country. It suits remote employees and freelancers who want a UAE base without a local employer or their own company. The income and employment evidence are what it turns on.

What is the UAE remote work visa?

It is a residence route that lets a foreign national live in the UAE while earning from outside it, whether as an employee of an overseas company or as a freelancer with international clients. It gives a one-year renewable residence and the ability to access local services, without needing a UAE employer to sponsor you or a UAE company to be formed. It is aimed squarely at the remote and digital workforce.

Who qualifies for the remote work visa?

Broadly, a remote worker with a valid employment contract or business ownership abroad, proof of income at the published monthly level, and valid health insurance and a passport with sufficient validity. The exact income threshold and documents are set by the federal authorities and confirmed at application. We check your employment evidence and income against the current criteria so the application is not refused on a missing proof.

How does it differ from a company residence visa?

A company residence visa comes from being employed by, or owning, a UAE entity, and ties your status to that job or company. The remote work visa does neither: your income comes from abroad and your residence stands on the visa itself. For someone who does not want to form a company or take a local job, it is the cleaner route; for someone building a UAE business, a free zone company with its own visa is usually better.

Can the family join on a remote work visa?

In principle a remote work visa holder who meets the income and housing conditions can sponsor dependants, subject to the standard family sponsorship rules. The thresholds are the same ones that apply to other residents sponsoring family. We confirm whether your income and tenancy meet the requirement and handle the dependant applications alongside the main visa if they do.

What is the next step?

Tell us your employment situation and income and we will confirm whether the remote work visa fits or whether a free zone company suits you better. See the visa services overview and the UAE Government visa guide. Every number here is checked against its source, such as the UAE Government free zones overview, before you rely on it, because published fees change.