The UAE has reported more than 6000 UK businesses being registered and operated in the country. With the passage of time more business owners from the UK and EU are forecast to move to the UAE due to the tax efficient business policies and expansion opportunities.
The UAE government has realized the importance of easing the implications of UAE visas and residency for European entrepreneurs. It has introduced a wide range of visa options for entrepreneurs, depending on their needs and personal circumstances.
In this blog we define the different types of Visa options EU and UK entrepreneurs can choose from, while moving to UAE, outline eligibility criteria, and explain how you can apply for a UAE family sponsorship visa.
If you are a UK or EU Entrepreneur, looking to obtain residency in UAE for you and your family, you can apply for the following UAE entrepreneurs visas.
This type of visa is issued to individuals who own shares in a UAE company (mainland or free zone). This UAE business visa is for individuals who have any shareholding in a company based in UAE.
The time period for the investor/partner visa is for 2–3 years and it can be renewed if you want to continue living in the UAE. The key benefit of this UAE visa for UK citizens is that your family can have access to UAE residency immediately after you acquire this visa.
Additionally, you can have access to an Emirates ID, open a bank account, and own a house in UAE. You can also set up or invest in another business in the UAE. However, you need to make sure that your new business structure and activities align with those activities permitted by the visa.
Requirements for acquiring an investor visa
To obtain an investor visa in the UAE, UK and EU, the entrepreneur needs to maintain an active company and must have shares in that company that meet the minimum ownership or investment threshold.
The eligibility for partnership entrepreneur visa in UAE includes
The freelance visa is a UAE work visa for UK citizens offered to individuals who don’t want to establish a complete company structure but look to offer services either in the country or internationally.
Whether digital nomads, consultants or creatives offering services in the field of technology, media, design, writing, consulting, education, and more, a freelance/remote worker visa is the best option to take advantage of UAE’s tax-free working structure.
Unlike investor visa, which requires the existence of a company, this visa allows you to work in Dubai without the need to establish a complete company. This visa is applicable for 1-2 years and offers residency perks in the UAE.
Eligibility threshold for Freelance/remote Work Visa
UAE work visa requirements for UK citizens includes
Sponsoring your family on a freelancing visa depends on whether you meet a certain threshold demonstrating that you can financially support your family.
Implication to Sponsor your Family/Dependents on Freelance Visa
Your family can move to live with you in UAE if you have freelance visa and meet the following requirements.
Introduced in 2019, the UAE golden visa for entrepreneurs is a game-changer. It offers long-term residency of about 10 years for high-value individuals and investors. UAE golden visa offers a crucial opportunity for Dubai entrepreneurs to expand their business across UAE and have 100% business ownership in mainland and freezone.
With a UAE golden visa, you are just like a UAE resident. You can have easy access to banking, leasing, mortgage, and other residential services. It doesn’t require any local sponsors, and the renewal process is also simplified.
You just need to show your property investment, business ownership, business revenue (i.e. AED 1 million for SMEs), or continued employment. With these aspects you can easily renew your UAE golden visa.
Who qualifies for the Golden Visa in UAE?
In order to get a UAE golden visa, you need to meet the following criteria.
Implications of Family Residence with UAE Golden Visa
If you are a golden visa holder in UAE your family can easily live with you without requiring any local sponsor or any other visa requirement. Your dependents like your spouse, children, parents, or domestic employees can live with you on your Golden visa.
However, to work, your family will need to apply for a job from a licensed UAE company and need to apply for a work visa, changing the visa type to work there.
Entrepreneurs relocating to the UAE often bring their families, who can be sponsored under the Family Residence Visa scheme. Once you have obtained your visa, you can sponsor your spouses, children, and sometimes parents to reside in the UAE legally.
UAE Residence Visa Requirements for Family
To sponsor family members, entrepreneurs must fulfill specific requirements:
The sponsorship process involves submitting applications to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or the relevant free zone authority.
A family residence visa UAE can cost you between AED 3,000 to AED 7,000 per person, depending on specifics like visa duration and emirate.
Cost considerations for family visas typically include:
Sponsoring Employees in UAE for UK and EU Entrepreneurs
Now if an EU or UK resident has established a business in UAE, he might need to sponsor employees. The number of employees depends on the type of license and jurisdiction your company operates under.
Here’s what you will need in the UAE to sponsor employees to come and work in here.
Mainland companies are regulated under the jurisdiction of the UAE Department of Economic Development (DED) and can operate anywhere in the UAE. The maximum number of workers permitted varies according to the type of licence, office space and business activity.
Quotas on employees for companies on mainland:
No Strict Upper Limit: By and large, businesses on the mainland do not have a strict upper limit on the number of employees. This figure is not fixed and is based on business activity and size.
Office Space: The size of your office space dictates how many employees you can sponsor. For instance, if a company operates in a small office space, it may only be allowed to employ a limited number of staff. The office space should comply with the needs of the DED for number of staff and business activities.
Employee Visa Quotas: The number of employees a company can apply for depends on the business’s size. Bigger companies with more office space, or significant turnover, might be in a position to sponsor more than one employee.
Minimum Salaries: Some licenses or business activities in the mainland require you to pay your staff a certain minimum salary.
Small-scale enterprises: 1-5 employees (e.g. a consultancy or small retail shop)
Medium-sized business: 10-50 employees
Major companies: 100 or more employees (for manufacturing, major trading companies, etc.)
Free zones in the UAE are specified districts that offer certain advantages such as tax-free operations, 100% ownership for foreigners, and less hassle business requirements. But there may be differing employee quotas and hiring limits specific to each free zone and the license type.
Staff Quotas for Free Zone Entities:
Many Zones Don’t Have Upper Limit: Most free zones don’t set upper limits on the number of employees a company can hire. But there’s usually a minimum number of employees based on the type of business.
Minimum Number of Employees: Some freezones (specially Manufacturing & Industrial Licences) may require a minimum number of employees to be eligible for certain licences. For example, that a manufacturing company in certain free zones must pass a threshold number of employees to be eligible for a license.
Office Space and Employee Quotas: Free zones may require a certain level of office space in relation to number of employees as well. In other words, more office space usually equals more employees that can be hired.
Typical Number of Employees to Sponsor in a Freezone Company
Small business or startup: 1–5 employees (typically for service-based businesses or consultancies)
Medium firms: 5–50 employees (trading, tech, or small manufacturing)
Medium-sized companies: 50+ employees (for larger production companies or established businesses)
Some of the other free zones, for example, Dubai Internet City or Dubai Silicon Oasis, do not have strict minimum levels of staff numbers, and if you are registering a larger company from an industry free zone like Jebel Ali, then you would need minimum 5 to 10 employees.
Offshore companies are structured to operate internationally and will not be able to undertake physical activities in the UAE. Their common use is for asset protection, international trade or holding companies. No offshore company can directly employ the employees in UAE.
Restrictions on UAE Activity: Offshore entities are prohibited from operating in the UAE or from establishing physical offices in the mainland or the free zones.
In e-commerce businesses, the staff size is usually based on the size of the operation in the UAE. These companies can be found in Free Zones or onshore if selling in UAE.
How to Sponsor UK and EU Employees in UAE
To sponsor and hire an employee in your company in UAE, you need to
When planning to sponsor employees to the UAE, UK and EU entrepreneurs should consider:
Understanding the visa and residency implications in UAE for UK and EU residents is challenging. It’s about future-proofing your business and life in the UAE. Long-term visa options like the Business Residence Visa, Golden Visa, and flexible family sponsorship programs make the UAE the perfect ecosystem to do business and raise a family.
Sponsoring your dependents secures their place in the growing UAE market and provides greater security in terms of employment and long-term living. The correct UAE visa route is also necessary for EU and UK nationals to avoid costly resets, cancelled bank accounts, and visa blocks.
Are you a UK or EU entrepreneur looking for the best visa options for you and your family? Lanop Business and Tax Advisors makes the entire process effortless with streamlined support for UK nationals in UAE.
UK and EU Entrepreneur can apply for several visas in UAE, like investor visa, freelance visa, and golden visa. Each visa offers different perks for entrepreneurs looking for residency options for their families.
Yes, UK & EU entrepreneurs can obtain UAE residency through the Investment Visa, Golden Visa, or freelance visa, depending on the nature of their business, the level of investment made, and the long-term objectives.
To get a golden visa in UAE, you must
Yes, spouse, children, and sometimes parents may accompany you, as long as you fulfill salary and housing criteria in UAE.
This kind of business visa is normally issued for 1-3 years and can be extended. The Golden Visa, on the other hand, grants longer residency periods of up to 10 years.
Aurangzaib Chawla is an international tax and business advisor with offices in the UK, UAE, Belgium, KSA, and Pakistan. As Managing Partner at Lanop Business & Tax Advisors, he helps entrepreneurs and investors expand globally with proactive structuring, compliance, and long-term tax efficiency.
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At Lanop, I am providing my services as the Managing Partner and Tax Specialist. My expertise includes helping medium and small-scale businesses in their accountancy and legal requirements, business start-up support, strategic review, payroll system review and implementation, VAT and tax compliance to cloud accounting. I am also an expert in financial reporting, identifying and monitoring risks, strategic business development, client retention, market acquisition and deals closure by carefully planning my sales cycle.
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