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Both are UAE long-term residence routes that reduce reliance on an employer sponsor, but they target different profiles and offer different durations. The Golden Visa is the longer-term residence (commonly issued for extended multi-year terms) aimed at investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, top professionals, outstanding students and similar categories, and it allows self-sponsorship and family sponsorship under defined conditions. The Green Visa is a self-sponsored residence aimed more broadly at skilled employees, freelancers/self-employed professionals, and certain investors/partners who meet category thresholds, and it generally runs for a shorter fixed term than the Golden Visa. A practical difference is eligibility: the Golden Visa usually requires higher investment, achievement, or talent criteria, while the Green Visa is more accessible to skilled workers and freelancers. Both are governed by the federal residency framework administered by ICP and the GDRFA in Dubai. Exact validity periods, thresholds and benefits are set by the authorities and updated periodically, so verify the current criteria on u.ae before choosing. To map your profile to the right category, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

Yes — freelancers and self-employed professionals are one of the core eligibility categories for the UAE Green Visa, which allows self-sponsorship. To qualify under this route you generally need a valid freelance or self-employment permit from the relevant UAE authority or free zone, evidence of your professional activity, and to meet the qualification and (where applicable) income criteria set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Because the Green Visa is self-sponsored, it is not tied to a single client or employer, so working with multiple clients does not, by itself, jeopardise your status. You will also typically need to pass the medical fitness test, obtain an Emirates ID, and hold valid health insurance. The freelance permit and the residence visa are two separate steps — the permit establishes your right to work as a freelancer, and the Green Visa grants residence. Thresholds and fees are set by the authorities and change over time, so confirm current requirements on u.ae or with the issuing free zone. A verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can help you choose the right permit type for your field.

An investor (or partner) visa in Dubai is a residence permit granted to people who own or hold a share in a UAE company, allowing self-sponsorship. The general process starts with establishing or holding a stake in a licensed business — either on the mainland (licensed through the Department of Economy and Tourism) or in a free zone. With a valid trade licence and proof of ownership/shareholding, you apply for an entry permit or status change, complete the medical fitness test, obtain your Emirates ID, and have the residence visa stamped. Applications in Dubai are processed through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) and the federal ICP smart services. Required documents typically include the trade licence, memorandum of association or share certificate, passport, photos, and health insurance. Investment thresholds, validity periods and fees are set by the authorities and differ for standard investor visas versus longer-term routes such as the Golden Visa, and they are updated periodically — so confirm current criteria on gdrfad.gov.ae or u.ae. For company structuring and the right visa route, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

The UAE offers more than one investor route, and each has its own minimum-investment criteria, which is why online figures vary so much. A standard investor/partner residence visa is generally based on holding a qualifying share in a licensed UAE company, while longer-term routes such as the Golden Visa set higher thresholds tied to categories like real-estate investment, capital investment, or establishing a business of a defined value. These thresholds are set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) in coordination with the relevant economic departments, and they are periodically revised — so any specific amount you read on a third-party site may be out of date or apply to a different route than the one you need. The safest approach is to first decide which route fits your goals (short-term investor visa versus long-term Golden Visa) and then confirm the current minimum directly on the official channel. Check u.ae for the latest published criteria. Because the right threshold depends on your investment type — property, company capital, or shareholding — a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can help you confirm which route and figure applies to you.

Yes — holders of a UAE investor or partner residence visa can generally sponsor immediate family members, including a spouse and children, subject to the conditions set by the immigration authorities. To sponsor family, you typically need a valid residence visa, proof of suitable accommodation (such as a tenancy contract), valid health insurance for each dependent, and to meet any income or financial criteria the authority applies. Sponsoring sons is usually permitted up to a defined age (with exceptions for students or those of determination), while daughters can generally be sponsored while unmarried — the precise rules are set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and the GDRFA in Dubai. The dependent's residence is normally linked to the validity of your own visa, so it must be renewed alongside yours. Conditions, age limits and required income levels are updated periodically, so confirm the current rules on u.ae or gdrfad.gov.ae before applying. If your family situation is non-standard (for example sponsoring parents or adult children), a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can advise on the documentation.

A manager visa in Dubai is a residence permit issued to a person named as the manager (or partner/owner) on a company's trade licence, allowing them to be sponsored by that company. The process begins with the business holding a valid licence — mainland (through the Department of Economy and Tourism) or free zone — that lists you in the relevant managerial or ownership role. The company then applies for your entry permit or status change, you complete the medical fitness test, obtain your Emirates ID, and have the residence visa stamped, all processed through the GDRFA in Dubai and the federal ICP system. Required documents usually include the trade licence, the memorandum of association or appointment documentation showing your role, passport, photos and health insurance. A manager visa is distinct from a standard employee visa because it is tied to your named position on the licence. Fees, validity and any required attestations are set by the authorities and updated periodically, so confirm current details on gdrfad.gov.ae. For the correct licence wording and role classification, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

In Dubai, going freelance usually involves two separate things that each carry their own cost: a freelance permit (which authorises you to work independently in a specific activity) and a residence visa (which gives you the right to live in the UAE). Many free zones bundle these, but the headline price you see often covers only the permit, with the residence visa, establishment card, medical test, Emirates ID and health insurance charged separately. Costs differ significantly depending on the issuing free zone, the activity, and whether you need a residence visa attached or already hold one through another sponsor. Because these fees are set by individual free zones and the immigration authorities — and are revised periodically — there is no single fixed national price, and third-party quotes are frequently outdated. The reliable approach is to request a current, itemised quote directly from the specific free zone you intend to register with, and to confirm residence-visa fees on the GDRFA channel. Check gdrfad.gov.ae and u.ae for official references. A verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can help you compare free-zone freelance packages for your activity.

They are related but not the same. A freelance permit is the licence that legally authorises you to provide services independently in a defined professional activity (for example media, tech, or education), issued by a free zone or the relevant UAE authority. A freelance visa is the residence permit that gives you the legal right to live in the UAE. You can hold a freelance permit while your residence is sponsored by someone else (such as a spouse), in which case you only need the permit. If you have no other sponsor, you typically obtain the freelance permit first and then use it as the basis for a residence visa — increasingly through the self-sponsored Green Visa route for freelancers and self-employed professionals. The permit defines what you may do; the visa defines your right to stay. Both involve fees set by the issuing free zone and the immigration authorities, and a residence visa additionally requires a medical fitness test, Emirates ID and health insurance. Requirements and fees are updated periodically, so confirm current details on u.ae. A verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can clarify which combination you need.

A 5-year UAE residence visa is available through several distinct routes, so the right path depends on your profile. The Green Visa for skilled employees, freelancers/self-employed professionals, and certain investors/partners is commonly issued for a multi-year term and allows self-sponsorship. Property investors may qualify for a longer-term investor residence based on owning real estate of a defined value. There is also a separate retirement residence option for eligible older residents who meet financial criteria, and longer Golden Visa routes for higher-tier investors and talent. Each route has its own eligibility conditions, documentation, and fees, set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and the GDRFA in Dubai. All routes require the standard steps — entry permit or status change, medical fitness test, Emirates ID, and health insurance. Because validity periods, thresholds and fees are reviewed periodically, confirm the current criteria for your chosen route on u.ae before applying rather than relying on third-party figures. To match your situation — employment, freelance, property, or retirement — to the correct 5-year route, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone) is a free zone, and its visa process runs alongside your company licence. You cannot apply for visas first — the company comes first, and the licence sets how many visas you can sponsor. The sequence First, establish your RAKEZ entity and obtain a trade or business licence. That licence determines your visa quota, which is the number of residence visas your company can sponsor. RAKEZ then issues an establishment/immigration card that registers your company with the immigration authorities. After that, each applicant — whether you as owner/partner or an employee — goes through an entry permit or e-visa, a status change if they are already inside the UAE, a medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics, and finally residence-visa stamping on the residence file. Health insurance is required to issue residence. Because RAKEZ sits in Ras Al Khaimah, immigration steps are handled through the relevant local residency directorate, coordinated with the federal system administered by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). The number of visas you can sponsor is usually linked to your licence type and your office or facility package. How long it takes There is no single fixed national timeline. The visa moves through the defined stages above, and the total time depends on how quickly each one clears. Express or VIP medical and processing options can shorten some stages. Durations vary with your package type, medical-centre load, and whether your documents are already attested. Ask RAKEZ for their current processing estimate for your package rather than relying on a generic figure, and keep passports, photographs and attested documents ready so nothing stalls mid-file. What documents you need There are two layers: company formation documents and immigration documents. For incorporation, expect to provide passport copies of the owner(s) and any managers, passport-style photographs, a proposed company name and your chosen business activities, and — depending on the legal form, items such as a memorandum/articles or a board resolution. Corporate shareholders usually need attested company documents. For the residence visa stage, you typically need the trade licence, the establishment/immigration card, the entry permit, a medical fitness test result, and Emirates ID biometrics. Documents issued abroad may require attestation and legal translation. Exact requirements vary by activity, legal form and nationality, so request RAKEZ's current document checklist for your specific package before submitting. Tracking your application RAKEZ coordinates submissions on your behalf, so it is your first point of contact for the status of a licence or visa file. The entry permit and residence stages themselves sit with the immigration authorities under the ICP system. Fees, quotas and processing details are set by RAKEZ and the immigration authorities and are updated periodically, so request a current, itemised breakdown from RAKEZ directly. For structuring your licence to match your visa needs, or for help reviewing and attesting documents, you can compare verified UAE legal and corporate professionals on LEXAI.