The simplest residency in United Dubai Emirates?

[JamesDonkey]

How much will it cost to simply obtain a residency, a card, in UAE? And what documents are required, briefly?

Meaning, without establishing a company in Dubai *this time*.


Will that card allow me to claim tax residency after 183 days spent in UAE too?

 

[calnana]

To apply for a personal tax residency certificate I believe you need to show a salary certificate/employment certificate + an official bank statement (assuming for proof of salary?).

So a company or employment are your best bet. Also keep in mind that banks are taking forever to open corporate accounts, especially if you don’t have history.

 

[Mercury]

I'm wondering if there are companies in UAE that would provide for a fee a service such as an employment contract (even temporary) + salary payslips?

Obviously that would be a fake job however any consultancy work is difficult to estimate. Would UAE authorities really be interested to crack down on that kind of workarounds as long as money is getting in the country?

 

[troubled soul]

There are many way to do this

1)Remote Working visa

Work remotely from Dubai | Business in Dubai

Live in Dubai and work remotely while enjoying resident benefits with the new 1 year virtual working program. Find out your eligibility now on Visit Dubai.

www.visitdubai.com

2)Freelance visa

GoFreelance

gofreelance.ae

3)Retirement Visa

Dubai Retirement Visa Application | Visit Dubai

Learn all about the Dubai retirement visa application process and its required documentation. Find out more on Visit Dubai now.

www.visitdubai.com

4)Property Visa

Dubai Land Department - Request to Subscribe to Taskeen Programme

Dubai Land Department seeks to achieve the objectives of Dubai Government's strategy in the real estate sector, and improve land registration procedures.

dubailand.gov.ae

For tax Residency Certificate

Go to trc.tax.gov.ae and create account



To apply for a tax domicile certificate individuals must have been a resident in the UAE for at least 180 days. The certificate is not granted to non-residents.

The following documents must be attached:

- A copy of the passport + valid permit of residence

- A copy of ID card

- A certified copy of (residential) lease agreement

- Validated 6-month bank statement from a local bank

- Source of income/Salary certificate

- A report from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs specifying the number of days the resident has stayed in the UAE

- Tax forms (if any) from the country in which the certificate is to be submitted



procedures/steps:

- Create an account in the system

- Complete certificate application form

- Attach required documents in digital format (PDF or JPEG)

- Verification of application and attached documents. If they meet the criteria, you will receive an e-mail to inform you of the approval and to pay the rest of the fees via the system

- After the payment is complete, a certificate will be issued and sent to your address by express courier


Hope this helps

 

[JamesDonkey]

Hope this helps

no, it doesn't.

 

[CaptK]

I'm wondering if there are companies in UAE that would provide for a fee a service such as an employment contract (even temporary) + salary payslips?

Obviously that would be a fake job however any consultancy work is difficult to estimate. Would UAE authorities really be interested to crack down on that kind of workarounds as long as money is getting in the country?

Depending on your sector you can be employed on a commission only basis. That will get you a visa and then you can be paid by your employer.

 

[JamesDonkey]

All in all, what's the easiest and simplest way then to get a) Emiraty ID card; b) preferably, tax residency too

Is it a freelance visa?

 

[CaptK]

It all depends if you require a business account or not. ID can be got in a week but could take up to 2 weeks to actually receive the ID card

The employment route is the quickest to get emirates ID and if you are paid salary then can obtain a tax certificate within 3-6 months.

Freelance is quick but if you need a business account to pay yourself into your personal account to show salary. Then it would take a little longer to get a tax certificate.

 

[zzzzzz]

It all depends if you require a business account or not. ID can be got in a week but could take up to 2 weeks to actually receive the ID card

The employment route is the quickest to get emirates ID and if you are paid salary then can obtain a tax certificate within 3-6 months.

Freelance is quick but if you need a business account to pay yourself into your personal account to show salary. Then it would take a little longer to get a tax certificate.

@CaptK are there any problems if you get freelance visa and don't freelance at all? I'm thinking of getting this visa for investing/trading my personal portfolio in USA (I'm not a USA citizen or living there) and getting personal bank account in UAE and tax residency. No clients or direct source of income in UAE, just investing/trading abroad. That also means no salary, just monthly withdrawals. Are there any problems with such setup? Can they issue tax residence certificate if I need one (after 6 months of living in UAE)?

 

[JamesDonkey]

It all depends if you require a business account or not. ID can be got in a week but could take up to 2 weeks to actually receive the ID card

The employment route is the quickest to get emirates ID and if you are paid salary then can obtain a tax certificate within 3-6 months.

Freelance is quick but if you need a business account to pay yourself into your personal account to show salary. Then it would take a little longer to get a tax certificate.

I don't need a business bank account. But it'd do no wrong. Does freelance visa allow to open it?

Or, in order to open a business bank account, I'd have to open a real Emirates-based company? If so, I wouldn't need a business bank account *this time*.

I'll need a personal bank account.

 

[CaptK]

I don't need a business bank account. But it'd do no wrong. Does freelance visa allow to open it?

Or, in order to open a business bank account, I'd have to open a real Emirates-based company? If so, I wouldn't need a business bank account *this time*.

I'll need a personal bank account.

If you get a freelance you can then get a business bank account.
Once you get your ID you can open as many personal bank accounts as you want.

@CaptK are there any problems if you get freelance visa and don't freelance at all? I'm thinking of getting this visa for investing/trading my personal portfolio in USA (I'm not a USA citizen or living there) and getting personal bank account in UAE and tax residency. No clients or direct source of income in UAE, just investing/trading abroad. That also means no salary, just monthly withdrawals. Are there any problems with such setup? Can they issue tax residence certificate if I need one (after 6 months of living in UAE)?

No problem at all.
You will need to provide a bit more to get tax certificate like utility bills and bank statements with 95% day to day transactions in the UAE

 

[calnana]

If you get a freelance you can then get a business bank account.

Are banks actually opening corporate accounts for freelancers? Just curious, as I heard that it has become a nightmare in 2022, in general.

 

[CaptK]

Are banks actually opening corporate accounts for freelancers? Just curious, as I heard that it has become a nightmare in 2022, in general.

Very difficult but once you have UAE residency then you can open a UK LTD/LLP and run it from the UAE.

 

[karishi]

Are banks actually opening corporate accounts for freelancers? Just curious, as I heard that it has become a nightmare in 2022, in general.

I still think that banks and most of the UAE has not 100% clear how a freelance visa works. I have a freelance visa but the truth is that I'm using it as a remote working visa, since I have an outside LLC, although I do have a client in the UAE which I'm billing under the Freelance Visa. I only have a personal account in the UAE, not a separate one for Freelance as a company and me as person, although that would be more correct and would probably allow me to have a "salary" to get a credit card.

 

[calnana]

I still think that banks and most of the UAE has not 100% clear how a freelance visa works. I have a freelance visa but the truth is that I'm using it as a remote working visa, since I have an outside LLC, although I do have a client in the UAE which I'm billing under the Freelance Visa. I only have a personal account in the UAE, not a separate one for Freelance as a company and me as person, although that would be more correct and would probably allow me to have a "salary" to get a credit card.

Ye, that was my impression as well. Can you send yourself a salary from your foreign entity (to your personal UAE bank account) and apply for stuff like tax residency certificate?

 

[karishi]

Ye, that was my impression as well. Can you send yourself a salary from your foreign entity (to your personal UAE bank account) and apply for stuff like tax residency certificate?

Hey so you need to keep two things separate:
1) Tax certificate, which you need to be able to show proof that you have paid taxes in the UAE
2) Residency, which means that you are able to live in the UAE and be treated as a UAE resident, which means that UAE banks will not send any CRS message about your money as you have a UAE account as a UAE resident
So to get to point 1 you first need point 2: if you can get a residency visa as a remote worker, which has some requirements like controlling a company outside UAE which generates at least 5k a month and that has been under your control for at least a year, then you can simply distribute those dividends to you and put them in a UAE bank. If you need a tax certificate, for example because your country of origin forces you to show that you are tax resident in the UAE, once you have the visa, you need all the extra steps required to get a tax certificate ( tenancy contract, 6 months of bank statements, attestment that you spent 180 days in the country, valid residency visa ). After you have the tax certificate, if your country of origin has double taxation treatis with the UAE and you comply with your country of origin laws ( like not having a wife living in your country of origin ), than you have paid your taxes and your money is clean
If you don't need a tax certificate, because you live like a digital nomad, this setup simply avoids any CRS communication because the money in the UAE bank belongs to a UAE resident with a valid visa, so there is no CRS.

 

[calnana]

Hey so you need to keep two things separate:
1) Tax certificate, which you need to be able to show proof that you have paid taxes in the UAE
2) Residency, which means that you are able to live in the UAE and be treated as a UAE resident, which means that UAE banks will not send any CRS message about your money as you have a UAE account as a UAE resident
So to get to point 1 you first need point 2: if you can get a residency visa as a remote worker, which has some requirements like controlling a company outside UAE which generates at least 5k a month and that has been under your control for at least a year, then you can simply distribute those dividends to you and put them in a UAE bank. If you need a tax certificate, for example because your country of origin forces you to show that you are tax resident in the UAE, once you have the visa, you need all the extra steps required to get a tax certificate ( tenancy contract, 6 months of bank statements, attestment that you spent 180 days in the country, valid residency visa ). After you have the tax certificate, if your country of origin has double taxation treatis with the UAE and you comply with your country of origin laws ( like not having a wife living in your country of origin ), than you have paid your taxes and your money is clean
If you don't need a tax certificate, because you live like a digital nomad, this setup simply avoids any CRS communication because the money in the UAE bank belongs to a UAE resident with a valid visa, so there is no CRS.

I know I know It's literally called a 'tax residency certificate' (Login), that's why I used the term. My query was more to establish if you applied for a TRC and whether there were any problems because your salary wasn't coming from a UAE entity. Apologies for the confusion.

 

[CaptK]

I know I know It's literally called a 'tax residency certificate' (Login), that's why I used the term. My query was more to establish if you applied for a TRC and whether there were any problems because your salary wasn't coming from a UAE entity. Apologies for the confusion.

No issue where the salary comes from. Just so long as you spend the requisite time, have a tenancy agreement, paying utilities and day to day spending in Dubai for 3-6 months.

 

[calnana]

No issue where the salary comes from. Just so long as you spend the requisite time, have a tenancy agreement, paying utilities and day to day spending in Dubai for 3-6 months.

thank you

 

[zzzzzz]

If you get a freelance you can then get a business bank account.
Once you get your ID you can open as many personal bank accounts as you want.

No problem at all.
You will need to provide a bit more to get tax certificate like utility bills and bank statements with 95% day to day transactions in the UAE

@CaptK are you saying that with freelance visa you have two options when opening bank account:
1. Corporate bank account for freelancing only
2. Personal bank account

Does it matter what type of visa you have (freelance/investor/partner/employment/golden...) if you want to open personal bank account?