Immigration experts and typing centre agents have refuted claims made by certain social media influencers that the UAE has introduced a 'one-year freelance residency visa' enabling holders to live and work in the country with ease in job switching. Dawood KKC from Multy Hands Businessmen Services, a business setup company, clarified that the so-called one-year residency visa is actually the virtual work visa launched by the UAE for remote workers. This visa necessitates proof of remote employment with an organization outside the UAE and a monthly income of around Dh13,000.
Previously, some influencers had disseminated videos asserting that anyone could obtain this one-year residency visa by simply presenting their passport, promoting it as a means for job seekers to freelance and switch jobs without needing a company visa. Dawood criticized these misleading advertisements as being propagated by unethical typing centres and visa companies. Some individuals who obtained the purported 'one-year residence visas' have reportedly been denied entry into the UAE.
Noushad Hassan from Alhind Business Centre recounted an incident where a person who paid a fraudulent typing centre for a one-year remote work visa using falsified documents was not permitted entry into the country. Upon arrival from India, the individual was immediately sent back on the same flight due to the fake documents. Noushad warned that such actions could have severe, long-term repercussions, potentially barring individuals from ever entering the UAE.
The remote work visa scheme was approved by the UAE Cabinet in 2021, aiming to attract employees worldwide to live and work in the country. Applicants for this visa must demonstrate remote employment with an organization outside the UAE and a monthly salary of $3,500 or its equivalent. Dubai’s virtual working programme also offers visas to remote workers and entrepreneurs, requiring proof of employment, a minimum salary of $5,000 per month, and recent salary slips and bank statements. Company owners must provide proof of company ownership for at least one year, an average monthly income of $5,000, and recent company bank statements.
