UAE virtual working programme
Keep your overseas job, company or clients and make the UAE your home. The one-year virtual working visa needs no local employer. One advisor checks your eligibility, files it, and handles the Emirates ID, banking and family sponsorship, end to end.
Why it matters
The virtual working visa lets you live in the UAE on income earned abroad. It is the cleanest way to base yourself in Dubai without a local job or company, and it opens the Emirates ID, banking and family life that come with residency.
One advisor checks your eligibility, files the visa, and sets up the Emirates ID and family file.
Keep your overseas job or clients and make the UAE your home base. The visa is built for income earned outside the country, with no local employer needed.
A remote work visa unlocks the Emirates ID, a personal bank account, a SIM, a tenancy contract and a local driving license, the everyday essentials of living here.
Sponsor your spouse and children under your visa so the whole household relocates together, with school and healthcare access in place.
The UAE levies no personal income tax, so your overseas earnings are not taxed locally. Pair the visa with a tax residency certificate to claim treaty benefits.
Who it is for
Employee, business owner or freelancer, the virtual working visa fits if your income comes from abroad. Find your profile, or let an advisor confirm the right route with you.
You work for a company based outside the UAE. With a valid employment contract of at least one year and proof of income, you qualify for the virtual working visa while keeping your job.
You own a company registered outside the UAE. Show ownership for at least a year and the income it generates, and you can run it from a UAE base on the virtual working visa.
You work independently for clients abroad. With contracts and income statements that show a steady remote income, the virtual working visa lets you base yourself here without a UAE license.
Once your own remote work visa is issued, you can sponsor your spouse and children under it. We handle the attested marriage and birth certificates and the dependant applications as one file.
The visa runs for one year and is renewable as long as you still meet the income and employment criteria. We start the renewal before expiry so there is no overstay and no gap in your status.
Planning to settle for good? Setting up a UAE company converts your stay into an investor residency of 2 to 10 years, often cheaper over time than renewing a virtual visa each year.
Planning to stay a few years?
A Free Zone company comes with a 2 to 10-year investor residency and a tradable license, often better value than renewing a virtual visa every year.
The process
Most virtual working visas are issued in one to two weeks. One advisor carries you through all five steps, and comes with you to the medical and biometric appointments.
Day 1
We confirm your profile, employee, owner or freelancer, against the income and contract criteria, so you only apply once you clearly qualify.
Day 1 to 3
Passport, photo, employment or ownership proof, three months of bank statements, a recent salary slip and valid health insurance are gathered and checked.
Day 3 to 5
Your application is lodged with the UAE virtual working programme and tracked to approval, with any queries answered on your behalf.
Day 5 to 7
The approval and entry permit are issued. If you are abroad, you travel in on it; if you are here, we move straight to the status change.
Day 7 to 12
We complete the medical, the Emirates ID biometrics and the visa stamp, then add family sponsorship and a driving-license exchange where they apply.
Why FZM Solutions
We have processed residency visas alongside more than 1,500 company setups since 2013. The same desk that opens licenses handles the virtual working visa, the Emirates ID and your family file.
We position your file correctly for income earned abroad, the heart of the virtual working visa, so it is approved first time.
You do not have to set up or be employed by a local business. The visa stands on your overseas job, company or freelance income.
Once your visa is issued, we add your spouse and children with the salary and document checks done up front.
We explain the UAE position on personal income and help eligible residents obtain a tax residency certificate for treaty benefits.
The medical, biometrics and Emirates ID run in parallel with the stamp, so you can open a bank account and sign a lease quickly.
We vet the income proof, contracts and insurance against the latest criteria first, which keeps rejections and reapplications rare.
English, Arabic, French, Urdu and Hindi in-house, for you and for the family members you bring with you.
More than 1,500 companies and the residency visas that go with them, processed across all seven emirates.
Meet us in person
Plan your move at our JLT office, in person.
Office 1908, 19th floor, Jumeirah Bay X2, Cluster X, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai. Walk in for a face-to-face review, or call ahead so your advisor is ready for you.
Continue exploring
See every route to UAE residency, from investor and employment to property and family.
Set up a UAE company and swap a yearly virtual visa for a 2 to 10-year investor residency.
Compare IFZA, Meydan, RAKEZ and 40+ zones if you decide a UAE company suits you better.
10-year residency for investors, entrepreneurs and specialised talents. See if you qualify.
Claim treaty benefits with a UAE TRC. The 183-day rule and the FTA application explained.
Estimate your full setup and visa cost in under 60 seconds. Free, no signup.
Questions and answers
Have another question? Book a 30-minute call and ask them directly.
Insights
Income thresholds, the documents that matter, health insurance and the criteria for employees, owners and freelancers.
Read the articleHow the virtual working programme works, who it suits, and how it compares with a tourist visa or a company setup.
Read the articleTwo routes for independent workers compared on cost, flexibility, client base and long-term value.
Read the articleThe 183-day rule, the FTA application and the documents needed to claim treaty benefits as a UAE resident.
Read the articleMaha BadrHighly recommended. A professional team, prompt on every detailed query and seamless on every requirement, trade license, corporate tax, bank account, residence ID, medical.
Largo HomeSimply impeccable. They didn't just meet deadlines, they anticipated them, with quick and effective solutions even in complex situations.
Maciej KolodziejczykVery efficient. Company formation, employment contract, residency visa, and all the prerequisites handled. Friendly and professional throughout.
Ready to incorporate
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