Visas and residence
Free zone residence visas for owners and staff in the UAE
A free zone visa is a UAE residence visa obtained through a company licensed in a free zone. The company applies to its free zone authority, which handles the work permit and residence visa for owners and employees. How many visas you can have depends on your licence package and office. Caliph prepares and follows each application.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Applied through
- The free zone authority that licensed your company
- Who it covers
- Shareholders, managers and employees of the free zone company
- Visa allocation
- Set by the zone, based on your licence package and office type
- Employment rules
- The zone's own rules and UAE labour law. DIFC and ADGM use their own frameworks
- Always needed
- Medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics, both inside the UAE
- Family
- Residents who meet the sponsor conditions can apply for family visas
Overview
A company in a UAE free zone does not deal with immigration on its own. It applies through the free zone authority that issued its licence, and that authority handles the work permit and the residence visa for each person. The federal government portal describes it the same way: you apply for your employee's permit and visa with the respective free zone authority.
The number of visas is not open-ended. Each zone links the allocation to the package you bought and the kind of office you hold, so a shared desk and a private office usually come with different limits. If you need more visas later, the zone decides whether your allocation can be increased and what it asks for in return.
Caliph looks at visas before you choose the package, because that is the easiest moment to get the number right. After the licence is issued, your consultant sets up the company's establishment card, prepares each application and books the steps you must attend yourself.
What we do for free zone visa applicants
Visa numbers checked before you pay
We ask how many people need residence in the first year and match that to a package and office that allow it.
Each zone's portal and rules handled
Every free zone has its own forms, portal and document list. Your consultant works to the rules of your zone, so you do not have to learn them from scratch.
Owner and staff files prepared together
Shareholder, manager and employee visas ask for different papers. We prepare them side by side so one missing document does not hold up the others.
In-person steps booked for you
The medical test and the Emirates ID biometrics need the applicant in the UAE. We book both and tell you what to carry.
Family visas planned next
Once your own residence is issued, we check the sponsor conditions and prepare the applications for your spouse and children.
What to have ready
- Passport copy, valid for at least six months
- A recent passport photo with a white background
- The company's free zone licence and establishment card
- Your signed employment contract or offer from the company, if you are an employee
- The share certificate or company documents that show your role, if you are an owner
- Your current UAE visa or entry details, if you are already in the country
- Education certificates, if your zone or job title asks for them
Zones use different forms and some add their own documents. Your consultant gives you the exact list for your zone and job title.
How a free zone visa is issued
Confirm the allocation
Your consultant checks how many visas your package and office allow and that the company's file with the zone is active.
Apply for the entry permit
The application goes to the free zone authority. If you are already in the UAE, we check whether your status can be changed without leaving.
Take the medical fitness test
Applicants aged 18 and above attend an approved medical centre in person. The result is sent electronically.
Give Emirates ID biometrics
You visit an ICP service centre for fingerprints and signature, unless they are already on record.
Sign the employment contract
Employees sign the contract in the form their zone uses. Owners follow the route for shareholders.
Residence and Emirates ID issued
The residence is approved and the Emirates ID card is delivered by courier. We add the expiry dates to your renewal schedule.
Good to know
- The Dubai International Financial Centre and Abu Dhabi Global Market run their own employment frameworks, separate from the rules used in other free zones.
- Dubai Health lists medical fitness centres inside some free zones, including JAFZA and DAFZA, which can save you a trip across the city.
- If you stay outside the UAE for more than six months in a row, a standard residence visa is cancelled automatically. Some categories are exempt.
Questions people ask
How many visas can a free zone company get?
It depends on the zone, the package you signed up for and the office you hold. The federal portal confirms that the allocation is tied to the package and that the zone decides whether it can be increased. Caliph checks the number for your zone before you choose a package, so you do not have to upgrade soon after you start.
Who sponsors a free zone visa, the company or the free zone?
Your company employs you, and the application for the work permit and residence visa is made through the free zone authority. In practice the zone is the channel between the company and immigration. This is why the company's licence has to be active when you apply, and why the visa stays linked to that zone.
Do I have to be in the UAE to get a free zone visa?
The application can start while you are abroad, and you then enter on the entry permit. The medical fitness test and the Emirates ID fingerprints must be done inside the UAE, in person. Your consultant plans your trip around those two appointments.
Can I sponsor my family on a free zone visa?
Yes, if you meet the sponsor conditions. The federal portal says both employers and employees with a valid UAE residence visa can sponsor their families, subject to income conditions set by the authorities. Family members aged 18 and above also take the medical test. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Does UAE labour law apply to free zone employees?
For most zones, yes. Free zone staff follow the rules of their zone together with the UAE labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. The Dubai International Financial Centre and Abu Dhabi Global Market are the exceptions and apply their own employment regulations.
What happens to my free zone visa if I resign or the company closes?
The visa has to be cancelled through the free zone authority, and the Emirates ID is cancelled with it. After cancellation you have a grace period to leave or to move to a new visa, and its length depends on your residence category. Any family visas you sponsor must be dealt with first.
- UAE Government portal: recruiting in free zones
- UAE Government portal: general provisions for the residence visa
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
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