The freelance permit, priced honestly
Who it fits, what it costs in year one and at renewal, and where it falls short.
A freelance permit is a licence plus a visa allocation, sold as a package. IFZA, SHAMS, Meydan and DIFC all offer one and the price gap between them is large. What matters is whether it lets you invoice the clients you actually have, and whether a bank will open an account off it.
How we help
- 01What each zone's permit costs in year one and at renewal
- 02Which activities you may invoice for, and which need a different licence
- 03Whether you can sponsor a spouse or a child on it
- 04Which banks open accounts for freelance permits right now
- 05When a full company licence turns out to be the cheaper answer
What people are asking right now
Ranges from the market, not live listings. We move them when the market moves.
| Route | Validity | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa (property) | 10 years | AED 2,000,000 | threshold |
| Investor / partner visa | 2 - 3 years | AED 50,000 + | share capital |
| Freelance permit (IFZA) | 1 - 2 years | AED 12,500 + | setup |
| Freelance permit (DIFC) | 1 - 2 years | AED 30,000 + | setup |
| Employment visa | 2 - 3 years | employer paid | - |
Swipe sideways for the rest
Tell us what you need
The more concrete you are, the more useful our answer.
Questions people ask first
What does a freelance permit cost?
From about AED 12,500 a year including one visa allocation at IFZA, and closer to AED 30,000 at DIFC. Renewal costs almost as much as the first year, so budget for it annually.
Can I work for a UAE company on it?
You can invoice them as a contractor. You cannot be their employee on a freelance permit, and mixing the two is what gets people in trouble.
Is it enough for a bank account?
Some banks yes, some no, and it moves. This is the most common reason a freelance permit disappoints, so it is worth checking before you buy the licence.
Other things we help with
Setting up a company in Dubai
Free zone or mainland, what each one really costs, and which banks open the account afterwards.
What we trackBuying property in Dubai
What the portal price leaves out, and what a purchase costs from signature to key.
What we trackRenting an apartment in Dubai
What a flat in that tower actually goes for, and how not to hand a year of rent to the wrong person.
What we trackThe Golden Visa, without the sales pitch
Which routes exist, what each one really requires, and which are quietly harder than they look.
What we trackHealth cover in Dubai, and what it skips
The legal minimum, what it does not cover, and where paying more actually buys something.
What we trackYour first six weeks in Dubai, in order
Emirates ID, bank account, licence, DEWA, school places. What comes first and what it costs.
What we trackOpening a bank account in Dubai
Personal or corporate, which banks say yes to whom, and what actually causes a rejection.
What we trackCrypto in the UAE, licensing included
What VARA actually regulates, what needs no licence at all, and what a licence costs.
What we trackGetting into the night you actually wanted
Tickets, tables and the weeks when the whole city drops its prices.
What we trackThe good ones, as they appear.
Free, no sign-up, leave whenever.
@dxbradar