Sahla.Work for yourself, legally, in the UAE.
A freelance permit lets one person invoice UAE and international clients without setting up a full company or renting an office.
Is your activity eligible?
What a freelance permit actually gives you.
It is a real licence, not a status. Here is what it covers and what it does not.
- Who it suits
- Consultants, developers, designers, coaches and media professionals working alone, with no employees to sponsor.
- Invoicing
- You invoice in your own name under the permit, with a TRN if your turnover requires VAT registration.
- Residence visa
- Optional. The permit alone does not grant residence, it can be added on top.
- What it excludes
- You cannot hire employees or open a shop. Once you need either, the permit becomes a company.
- Where it is issued
- Several free zones offer it, with different activity lists. We match the list to what you actually sell.
How we run it.
01
We check your activity
Not every activity is available as a freelance permit. Ten minutes tells us whether yours is, and in which zone.
02
Application and documents
Passport, photo, CV and a short portfolio depending on the zone. We prepare and submit the file.
03
Permit issued
You can invoice. If you want residence, the visa process starts from there.
If a company turns out to be cheaper or safer for your case, we say so before you pay for a permit.
Questions we get on this page.
Send us your situation on WhatsApp. The eligibility answer is free and takes a day.
Book a callUsually, yes, but not always. Once you need a residence visa the gap narrows a lot. We compare both before you decide.
A personal account, yes. A corporate account generally requires a company. Banks treat freelance permits inconsistently, and we tell you what we see in practice.
Yes. It is a fresh incorporation rather than a conversion, so we usually raise the question early if we think you are heading that way.
Related services
Tell us your situation. We will tell you if it qualifies.
A free check with an adviser who files these every week, not a call centre.