Immigration experts and agents from typing centers in the UAE have dismissed the claims made by some social media influencers about a ‘one-year freelance residency visa.’ The influencers suggested that this visa would allow holders to live, work, and switch jobs in the UAE without difficulty.
Dawood KKC of Multy Hands Businessmen Services clarified that the visa being referred to is the virtual work visa, introduced by the UAE to allow remote workers to live in the country. “This visa requires proof of remote employment from an organization outside the UAE and a minimum monthly income of approximately Dh13,000,” Dawood explained in a Khaleej Times report.
Contrary to what influencers have claimed, some individuals who obtained these supposed ‘one-year residence visas’ found themselves unable to enter the UAE. “A person who used fake documents to acquire this visa was sent back to India after landing in the UAE,” said Noushad Hassan from Alhind Business Centre, noting that such actions could severely impact future chances of entry into the UAE.
The UAE’s virtual work visa, approved in 2021, allows remote employees worldwide to reside in the country. Applicants must demonstrate they work remotely for a foreign organization and meet the income requirements. The program also offers visas to remote workers and entrepreneurs who meet specific income and documentation criteria.