Freelance Permit (UAE)

Freelance Permit is the UAE self-employed work license that allows individual professionals to bill local and international clients without setting up a company.

Who issues it:

• Mainly Free Zones: TWOFOUR54 (Abu Dhabi), DTEC, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, RAKEZ, IFZA, DMCC.
• Each Free Zone has its own list of allowed activities and pricing.

Annual cost (2025 reference):

• DTEC: ~$1,500 USD.
• TWOFOUR54: ~$1,500 USD.
• IFZA: ~$3,500 USD (includes residence visa).

Benefits:

• Legally valid Trade License for invoicing.
• Can be combined with Residence Visa (UAE 1-3 year visa).
• 0% personal income tax, 0% on profits up to 375K AED (~€100K) under new Corporate Tax (2023).
• No minimum invoicing requirement.

Limitations:

• Activities restricted to permit category (consulting, dev, design, marketing, media production).
• Some Free Zones limit to 1 activity per permit.
• Services provided to UAE mainland may require Service Agent Agreement.

For Spanish nomads: combine the Freelance Permit with the corresponding Residence Visa, open a local bank account (Emirates NBD, ADCB) and certify tax residency with the FTA after the required minimum days.