Looking to live and work in the UAE but don’t know where to begin? You may have heard of free zone visas if you are new to the nation. But what are they, and how can you get a visa for a free zone? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is a free zone?
A free zone, sometimes known as a free trade zone, is a unique economic zone in which businesses can operate while benefiting from significant tax and fee concessions. Entities operating in free zones are treated as offshore companies and do not have to deal with customs or the Ministry of Economy. Instead, they are regulated by authorities that have been designated for each zone.
How can one get a free zone visa?
There are two ways to obtain a free zone visa:
- You work for a company that is situated in a free zone. In this case, the employer would apply for your visa and pay for all of your expenses.
- You’ve filed for a freelancer visa or established a free zone business. In this case, you would need to apply for a visa through the free zone government and cover all expenses.
What is the difference between a free zone visa and a mainland visa?
A three-year free zone visa is granted, after which you must apply for renewal. Visas obtained on the mainland, on the other hand, are normally for two years. However, new announcements for five-year (or Green) and 10-year (or Golden) visas have recently been announced.
How many free zones are there in the UAE?
These are the free zones that operate in the UAE, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy:
Jebel Ali Free Zone
- Masdar City Free Zone
- Dubai Maritime City
- Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD)
- Sharjah Publishing City
- Hamriyah Free Zone
- Dubai Commercity
- Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone
- Creative City Free Zone
- Ajman Free Zone
- Fujairah Free Zone
- Dubai South
- Dubai World Trade Centre
- Dubai Design District
- Dubai Science Park
- International Humanitarian City
- Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
- Dubai Outsource City
- Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Sharjah Media City – Shams
- Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF)
- Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone
- Dubai International Financial Centre
- Abu Dhabi Global Market
- Dubai Internet City
- twofour54
- Umm Al Quwain Free Zone
- Ajman Media City Free Zone
- Meydan Free Zone
- Dubai Healthcare City
- Dubai International Academic City
- Dubai Production City
- Dubai Studio City
- Dubai Media City
Easy option to live in the UAE
Many free zones in the UAE are popular with entrepreneurs because they provide packages that make the process of setting up a business and applying for a visa relatively simple.
For example, the Ajman Free Zone (AFZA) offers a Freelance Licence package that includes over 40 economic activities and allows the freelancer to establish up a business with 100% ownership and a three-year investor visa. Similarly, the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) offers a specific package for small and medium businesses that allows them to set up shop while concurrently applying for a visa.
How to apply for a free zone visa?
These are the processes to apply for a free zone visa:
Step 1: Register for E-Channel services
The first step in getting a UAE-free zone visa is to sign up for E-Channel services, a platform created by the UAE government to simplify the visa procedure. To complete this step, ask your free zone agent or an authorized typing center to register your company for online services and pay the obligatory registration fee – Dh2,500 plus a refundable security deposit of Dh5,000 – to your free zone agent or an authorized typing center. As soon as you register, you will receive an email notification.
Step 2: Entry permit
You must apply for your entry permission, often known as an employment visa, once you have enrolled for E-Channel services. This visa is effectively a 60-day temporary visa. Entry permits are generally provided within 15 days, but you can pay an extra Dh1,000 for an express option that takes five to seven working days.
It is strongly advised, that you do not leave the UAE after filing for your entry permit. This can result in inconsistencies in your immigration file, causing delays in the procedure. Your admission permit is a digital document that will be emailed to you once it is complete.
Step 3: Status change
You’ll need to apply for a ‘in-country status change’ if you’re in the UAE. You’ll need to present your passport to immigration, who will stamp and activate your work visa. The procedure takes three to five days to complete and costs Dh750.
If you are outside the UAE when your employment visa is issued, or if you intend to leave the country soon after, you can activate your free zone visa by exiting and reentering the UAE and submitting your printed employment visa to an immigration officer at the immigration arrivals hall. The free zone visa will then be stamped and activated by the immigration officer. This option is not available to all nationalities, therefore check with your free zone authority before leaving the country on an employment visa in the UAE.
Step 4: Medical fitness test and Emirates ID registration
A blood test for infectious diseases and a chest X-ray make up a medical fitness test. This can be conducted in a matter of hours, and results are usually ready within three business days.
You can then apply for your Emirates ID card based on the findings of your medical test. This is an identity card that UAE nationals must carry with them at all times in order to create bank accounts, sign mobile phone contracts, or sign lease agreements. If this is your first time applying for an Emirates ID card, you must submit your application and provide your biometric information at a Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Ports Security (ICP) service center.
A three-year Emirates ID card costs Dh370.
Previously, the next stage in this process required you to visit an immigration office to have your resident visa stamped. Still, ICP recently announced that Emirates ID would be replacing the residence visa sticker on your passport.
Applying for a free zone visa for dependants
You can apply for additional visas for your spouse, dependant family members, and domestic employees such as housekeepers or drivers once your UAE visa has been granted.
You must first get a paid certificate from your free zone detailing your earnings — the minimum amount required to sponsor a wife or child differs depending on the jurisdiction. It is, however, normally approximately Dh7,500. A security deposit of Dh3,000 or Dh5,000 is normally requested on top of that.
Once you’ve submitted the proper documents, the process is essentially identical to the one described above, with the exception of medical tests (which are not required for people under the age of 18) and biometric information (not required for those aged 15 or below).