Freelancer Setup in Dubai, UAE
Professional’s who want to operate as an independent contractor, in the form of a sole practitionercan obtain a government permit and work freely.
FREELANCE PERMIT
A Freelancer is a professional who will operate as an independent contractor and in the form of a sole practitioner to undertake the permitted business from RAKEZ
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF FREELANCE PERMIT
A Freelancer shall conduct business in his/her own birth name as opposed to a company name.
Freelancers shall not be eligible to open a Corporate Bank Account.
No Memorandum of Association, Certificate of Incorporation or Partner list shall be issued under the Freelancer Permit.
The Freelancer can select only 1 activity per Permit and gets only 1 visa eligibility (employment visa).
A Freelancer can hold only 1 permit – No additional permit allowed.
Freelancers shall not be eligible to appoint any staff or obtain additional visa under the permit.
A Freelancer permit holder cannot have a Permit as well as RAKEZ License at the same time. If the Freelancer wishes to upgrade to Full company package, the Freelancer permit will have to be cancelled.
The Freelancer cannot be permitted as a Freelancer by the Authority whilst sponsored by another UAE company or authority.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- All business partners to be present at DED with their Emirates ID for those who are not registered in MYID (only the presence of one partner (or the manager) is sufficient in case other partners are already registered in MYID)
- Provide passport copy of all license partners (including the manager)
- Provide copy of Emirates ID of all license partners (including the manager)
- Provide copy of residency visa and NOC from sponsor for foreign partners (Non-local, non-GCC)
- Provide copy of visit visa for foreign partners.
PROCEDURES
- All partners will be registered in MYID.
- Trade name will be reserved for the business license (pre-reserved trade name can be used)
- Initial approval will be issued for the business license (pre-issued initial approval can be used)
- Electronic memorandum of association will be issued (Attesting from Notary Public is NOT required)
- Start Business certificate shall be issued with 6 months validity.
Once the customer provides tenancy contract for the business location attested by RERA (Ejari), the trade license will be issued automatically and SMS notification will be sent to the mobile number registered in the license details. The customer can get the license once the fees are paid at any payment channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
No. Business registration and licensing procedures are associated with smart services which require Emirates ID.
• Reserve a trade name
• Obtain a preliminary approval
• Obtain an approval from other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtain the Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Provide a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency
Yes, except in the case of engineering consultancy.
No
• Filling a registration and license application form and reserving a trade name.
• A copy of the service agent’s passport (with the details of residence/Visa for non-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nationals)
• A copy of the service agent’s identity card and family book
• A copy of the responsible director’s passport and a no objection letter from his current sponsor
• Approval of other governmental agencies concerned with the activity of the company
• The Board of Directors’ decision to open a branch and to appoint a director
• A copy of the Memorandum of Association and the Commercial Register which should be duly certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE embassy of the country in which the company is incorporated.
Conditions of licensing the activity of the business center:
• The total site area of the business center shouldn’t be less than 5000 feet where the area of each office is not less than 250 feet including hallways and facilities. The net area per office shouldn’t be less than 200 square feet.
• Having a lease agreement between the property owner and the business center of a period not less than 4 years.
• A written consent by the property owner authorizing the business center to sublease the property during the period of the lease contract.
• Submitting schemes for the site showing the number and the distribution of offices until the allowed number of establishments that can be registered in the site is determined by the commercial register sector in accordance with the aforementioned information in paragraph (A) of this article.
• An annual fee of 25,000 twenty five thousand AED is calculated for every site allocated for the business center activities.
Having educational qualifications, experience, and obtaining external approvals.
Professional activities are the activities that depend on mental and physical effort to be practiced. They include agriculture, fishing, education, health, social work, and community, social and personal services.
Issuing of a Business License
• Reserving a trade name
• Obtaining a preliminary approval
• Obtaining an approval of other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtaining a Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Obtaining a service agent contract for occupational licenses
• Lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.
• Reserve a trade name
• Obtain a preliminary approval
• Obtain an approval from other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtain the Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Provide a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.
Yes, except in the case of engineering consultancy.
no
• Filling a registration and license application form and reserving a trade name.
• A copy of the responsible director’s passport and a no objection letter from his current sponsor
• Approval of other governmental agencies concerned with the activity of the company
• The Board of Directors’ decision to open a branch and to appoint a director and a copy of the Memorandum of Association and the Commercial Register
• The Ministry of Economy approval for the commercial and industrial companies where the rate of nationals is less than 51%
• The total site area of the business center shouldn’t be less than 5000 feet where the area of each office is not less than 250 feet including hallways and facilities. The net area per office shouldn’t be less than 200 square feet.
• Having a lease agreement between the property owner and the business center of a period not less than 4 years.
• A written consent by the property owner authorizing the business center to sublease the property during the period of the lease contract.
• Submitting schemes for the site showing the number and the distribution of offices until the allowed number of establishments that can be registered in the site is determined by the commercial register sector in accordance with the aforementioned information in paragraph (A) of this article.
• An annual fee of 25,000 twenty five thousand AED is calculated for every site allocated for the business center activities.
Having educational qualifications, experience, and obtaining external approvals.
The same usual conditions in addition to paying 500 AED. Yes. No
Yes
Paying 50 million and having a legal form as a limited liability company.
Commercial activities are the activities that require a capital to be practiced. They include wholesale and retail trade, construction, transportation, stockpiling, communication, financial intermediation, real estate, and leasing.
Industrial activities are the activities that require a capital to be practiced. They include manufacturing, mining, quarrying, electricity, gas, and water.
Professional activities are the activities that depend on mental and physical effort to be practiced. They include agriculture, fishing, education, health, social work, and community, social and personal services.
No, but the owner can.
Yes
You can apply for a trade name online or go through an authorized document cearing office or approved lawirm. Please note that to access online services, you need a user account.
It includes the trade of all kinds of goods and products that are mentioned in full details in the trade category of the activity classification guidebook except for those that require an external approval from concerned authorities.
To be qualified, and to have an experience in the required consultation field. The requirements of the consultations that require an external approval are determined by concerned authorities.
Manage Business License
• Providing a letter from the company or the institution requesting to stop the licensing temporarily
• Providing a letter from the Ministry of Labor indicating the absence of sponsored people on the license
• Providing a report from the inspection division in Dubai DED.
Providing a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency and an appendix of the Memorandum of Association when modifying the status of partners.
Providing a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency and an appendix of the Memorandum of Association when modifying the status of partners.
Cancel Business License
If the partnership has ended more than 2 years ago.
• The license expiration date should have ended for more than 2 years.
• The national partner shall acknowledge his liability towards the company.
• Providing supporting documents that strengthens the dissolution request such as the escape of a partner
• Providing a letter from the Ministry of Labor indicating the absence of sponsored people on the license
• For sole proprietorships, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to a residence cancellation proof for non-Gulf nationals.
• For civil works companies, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to dissolution of partnership contract from the notary public.
• For commercial companies, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to a residence cancellation proof for non-Gulf nationals, the minutes of Annual General Meeting to liquidate the company and appoint a liquidator, a letter from the liquidator of accepting the liquidation, and announcing the liquidation in the newspaper.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
Name and details of the applicant
Segment of the Permit (Media or Education) and the proposed activity.
Valid Passport Copy
Valid visa page
(for UAE resident)
Valid visa page
(for UAE resident)
Portfolio/sample of works
(for media-related activities)
Portfolio/sample of works or Qualification Certificate
(for education-related activities)
Curriculum Vitae
Business plan detailing the proposed business
2 Professional References with contact details or Letter of Intent from a potential business partner stating their interest in working with the freelancer.
Summary of Requirements for Corporate Shareholder
1. Certificate of Incorporation
Certified True Copy of the Certificate of Incorporation.
2. Trade License
Certified True Copy of the license.
3. Memorandum and Articles of Association
Certified True Copy of the Memorandum & Articles of Association
4. Certificate of Incumbency
An original latest Certificate of Incumbency or a legal document issued by the registrar, which confirms name of the shareholders and directors of the company.
5. Certificate of Good Standing
If the Corporate Entity is an Offshore, an original Certificate of Good Standing is required.
6. Shareholder’s Resolution
An original Shareholder’s Resolution confirming the establishment of the new company; and confirming the name of the person authorized to sign the company formation documents; it must be attested by the Registrar.
7. No Objection Letter
original letter from the registrar confirming that they have no objection in registering a company at DED.
Important Note: All documentation must be provided in English, or with an accompanying English translation.
Timeline
Approximate 2 working days for the permit.
Approximate 14 working days for the visa
Cost
Starting from AED 14,500 ( including Government cost and our service fee ).
(Not including the visa cost)