Immigration experts and typing centre agents have denied claims by some social media influencers that the UAE has launched a ‘one-year freelance residency visa’ that would allegedly allow its holders to live and work in the country and switch jobs easily.
“What is being touted as a one-year residency visa is the virtual work visa that the UAE introduced to allow those working remotely to reside in the country,” said Dawood KKC from business setup company Multy Hands Businessmen Services. “This requires the person to produce proof that they work remotely for an organisation outside the UAE and that they have a monthly income of approximately Dh13,000.”
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Earlier, some social media influencers had posted videos claiming that anyone coming to the UAE could take this one-year residency visa by just producing their passport. They advertised that this would give job-seekers the freedom to work as freelancers and switch jobs easily without having to get on a company’s visa. “Such false advertisements are put forth by unscrupulous typing centres and visa companies,” said Dawood.
‘Turned away’
Some people who secured the so-called ‘one-year residence visas’ have not been able to enter the UAE, other experts said.
“One person who paid a fraudulent typing centre to get this one-year remote work visa using fake documents was not allowed to enter the country,” said Noushad Hassan from Alhind Business Centre.
“Immigration officials were able to discern that the documents were fake and when the person landed in the UAE from India, they were sent back on the same flight.”
Noushad said such incidents could potentially have long-lasting consequences. “People resort to such visas because they want to come and work in the UAE,” he said. “However, submitting fake documents and getting caught could ruin their chances of being ever able to come into the country.”
Remote work visas explained
It was in 2021 that the UAE Cabinet approved the remote work visa scheme to enable employees from all over the world to live and work in the country. Since then, it has encouraged many remote workers from all over the world to set up base in the UAE. Those wishing to apply for this visa must produce proof that they work remotely for an organisation outside the UAE and that they earn a monthly salary of $3,500 or its equivalent in a different currency.
Dubai’s virtual working programme also issues visas to remote workers and entrepreneurs to live in the emirate. Remote workers must provide proof of employment, earn a minimum salary of $5,000 (approximately Dh18,000) per month, and provide the salary slip for the previous month and bank statements for the preceding three months.
Company owners must provide proof of ownership of company for one year or more, have an average monthly income of $ 5,000 per month and provide bank statements of the company’s account for the preceding three months.