Over the years, UAE has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. With its updated infrastructure, technologies, and tax-free environment, UAE has become one of the finest places to live and work in. With its safe and secure environment and excellent business potential, UAE is surely the land of opportunities. Free economic zones (FEZ), free economic territories (FETs), or free zones (FZ) are special economic zones (SEZ) that have been given this designation by the trade and commerce administrations within a given country. These areas are either lightly taxed or not taxed at all with the idea that a lower (or non-existent) tax structure will spur economic activity.
The UAE has designated these Free Zones to attract foreign business. These Free Zones have already been successful in generating billions of dollars worth of economic activity. And a few years back it was announced that the UAE Cabinet will now allow foreign businesses, 100% ownership of foreign companies without the need for working with a local partner.
Benefits of the UAE Free Zone Visa
Any individual or organization that wishes to begin operating in one of the UAE’s Free Zones must apply for a visa prior to establishing a presence. Individuals and companies that apply do so receive the following benefits :
- 100% foreign national ownership with no local affiliation
- Exemption from personal, import, and export taxes
- Exemption from corporate taxes for a fixed period of time with an option for renewal
- Availability of long-term leasing options lasting up to 25 years
- Free transfer of funds
Rules and Regulations to get UAE Free Zone Visa
In the Free zone, the most common type of resident visa is available through an employment contract with a free zone company. This type of UAE residence visa is valid for up to 3years. The Government related matters will be handled by the specific Emirate where the residence visa is issued because there are almost 45 Free Zones and 7 Emirates working in the UAE. Entrepreneurs aiming to register a company in Dubai can attain residence through an employment visa or investor visa. the investor visa is valid for 3 years. The UAE Free zone Residence visa which is issued for 3 years can be renewed easily. A resident visa means a person is allowed to stay permanently in the United Arab Emirates. It is allowed to have a residence visa for 2 years if a residential property with a value of over one million Dirhams is purchased.
Procedure to Apply for UAE Free Zone Visa
Here are the important steps that must be followed to obtain a UAE Free zone visa.
1. Register for E-channel services
The first step to applying for your UAE free zone visa is registering for E-Channel services. It was designed by the UAE government to streamline the visa process. The new online system removes paperwork and makes applications much faster and more transparent than ever before. In this process, the applicant will need to deposit mandatory registration fees and refundable security. The online registration of the company can be done by the free zone agent.
2. Entry Permit
The entry permit is also known as the UAE Residence permit. After getting registered for E-Channel services, this is the time to apply for an entry permit or employment visa. It is a temporary visa that is valid for 60 days. After getting this visa, the entrepreneur's status needs to be changed. This step is to activate the entry permit. It is strongly advised that you refrain from leaving the UAE after applying for an entry permit. Doing so can cause discrepancies in your immigration file which can lead to delays in the process. Your entry permit is an electronic document that will be emailed to you once ready.
3. Status Change
With the entry permit in hand, it is now time to activate it. This process is known as ‘status change’ or ‘status adjustment’. It is not possible to obtain a full visa without completing this stage. There are three different ways to carry out a status change – in-country, out of the country, and the so-called ‘border run’.This is valid for internal applicants who are not required to leave the country.
To speed things up in the Immigration System the automatic status change option can be availed. The entrepreneur will have to visit the authority where the visa is applied. Some additional charges have to be paid depending upon the complexity of the process. Another way to take this step is to leave the country and then re-enter using the issued entry permit.This will only include your travel charges.
4. Medical fitness test and Emirates ID registration
The fourth stage in obtaining the UAE visa is the medical fitness test and Emirates ID card registration. A medical fitness test is comprised of a blood test for any infectious diseases and a chest X-ray. This can be completed within a few hours and results are usually available after three working days. With the results of the medical test, it is then required to apply for the Emirates ID card. This is an identity card that must be carried by UAE citizens at all times and is needed to open bank accounts, to take out contracts for mobile phones or tenancy agreements.
If someone is applying for an Emirates ID card for the first time, then the entrepreneur will need to visit an official ID authority to make the application, as certain biometric details like eye scans and fingerprints must be captured.
During the medical test the documents required are:
1. A printed copy of the online application provided by the typing center.
2.The entrepreneur's original passport.
5. Residence visa stamping
The final stage of the visa application process is residence visa stamping – this refers to obtaining the actual UAE residence visa stamp or sticker in your passport. To obtain the stamp a passport has to be submitted to the relevant immigration authority. This process can take up to 15 working days during which it is not permitted to travel outside of the UAE. As with every stage of this process, a company formation specialist can take care of the details for you, liaising with all relevant government departments and informing you as soon as your visa is granted.
Two options for applying for Free Zone Visa in the UAE
Below are the 2 important ways to apply for Free Zone Visa in the UAE.
1. Outside the country
This process is applicable for clients who are outside the UAE and wish to enter the UAE through Residence Visa. The Employment Visa Entry Permit (EVEP) will be deposited at the immigration section at the airport – ready for the client’s entry.
2. Inside the country
This applies to clients who are already in the UAE via tourist visa or canceled residence visa. This process takes approximately 3 weeks.
Let's Build a Relationship
Danburite Corporate provides a personalized approach to services such as UAE residence visa application and other substantiation matters, with a dedicated service tailored to all our clients’ business’s specific requirements. Processing government documents can be a complex task for many businesses, particularly for foreign investors who are unfamiliar with the region. Danburite Corporate facilitates this and makes the entire process quicker and simpler. If you need any assistance to Obtain a UAE Free Zone Visa Contact Danburite Corporate now.
