Residence visa for remote work in Dubai

Residence visa for remote work in Dubai

This visa is officially called the "one-year virtual working programme" (as it is valid for only 1 year). It should not be confused with the visa for freelancers, which is valid for 2 years.

Conditions for a remote work visa in Dubai

For people who are employees or self-employed outside the Emirates, it is possible to obtain a one-year visa.

To do so, you must provide proof of:

For employees

For employees:

  • An employment contract with a duration of at least 1 year;
  • A minimum salary of AED 12 853 / USD 3 500 per month.

You will need to provide:

  • Your latest payslip;
  • Bank statements for the last 3 months.
For freelancers

For self-employed individuals:

  • Proof of ownership of a company for at least 1 year;
  • An average income of at least AED 12 853 / USD 3 500 per month.

You will need to provide:

  • Bank statements from the last 3 months.

Processing times for a remote work visa in Dubai

First, approval from the Authorities must be obtained for this type of visa: the processing time is approximately 3 weeks.

Then, you have 2 options:

Case no. 1

Case no. 1: you are in Dubai for 3 weeks (from Monday morning to Thursday evening 2 weeks later) to obtain your visa;

Case no. 2

or Case no. 2: we submit your application to the Immigration Services 3 weeks BEFORE your arrival in Dubai. You will then need to be present in Dubai for only 6 business days (from Wednesday morning to Wednesday evening of the following week) to obtain your visa.

Emirates ID

Regarding the EmiratesID (= an identity card in bank card format): you are now required to make an appointment with the authorities to have your fingerprints taken. The current waiting time to get an appointment is 3 weeks. To make this appointment, you must be in Dubai and have already completed the medical examination. A maximum of 2 hours is required to have your fingerprints taken (we will of course accompany you). The EmiratesID will then be delivered to our PO box at least 7 working days after your fingerprints are taken (your presence is not required to receive it; of course, we will keep it for you if you are no longer there).

Fees for a remote work visa in Dubai

The costs are as follows:

  • Authority fees (application, medical check, Emirates ID): AED 2 243 / USD 611;
  • Our assistance fee: AED 2 000.