For details on visa processing services, see our official visa services page.
Setting up a company in the UAE gets you a trade licence. It does not automatically get you a visa.
Instead, the licence and the visa are two separate processes, managed by two separate authorities. For example, your free zone or emirate-level economic authority issues the licence, while GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) or ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) processes the visa.
This guide covers the main residence, investor, Golden Residence, Green Residence and employee-sponsorship routes available to UAE business owners, what each one costs, and how to decide between them.
The Partner / Investor Visa (2–3 Years)
Partner or investor residence is a common route for business owners who hold an interest in a UAE company, subject to the company’s immigration file, licence structure and the relevant authority’s approval.
When you form a company and are listed as a shareholder or partner, you may be eligible to apply for partner or investor residence sponsored by the company, provided the company and applicant meet the applicable immigration requirements.
Duration: 2 to 3 years, renewable, and depending on the emirate, issuing authority, company structure and visa package.
Who qualifies: Any shareholder, partner, or director of a UAE-registered company. There's no minimum capital requirement or income threshold — if your name is on the trade licence as a shareholder, you qualify.
What it costs: The approximates are as follows:
- Establishment card: AED 1,500 to AED 3,000
- Entry permit: AED 1,000 to AED 2,000
- Status change (if inside the UAE): AED 550 to AED 700
- Medical fitness test: AED 300 to AED 500
- Emirates ID: AED 370 (3-year card)
- Visa stamping: AED 500 to AED 1,000
Total realistic cost: AED 3,500 to AED 5,500 per visa.
A complete investor-residence budget can vary after adding establishment-file charges, entry or status-adjustment fees, medical testing, Emirates ID, insurance and service charges. Obtain an itemised quotation before budgeting.
What you get: UAE residency, the ability to sponsor your family, access to banking and tenancy, a driving licence, and the right to enter and exit the UAE freely. Your visa is tied to the company — if the company closes or you sell your shares, the visa gets cancelled.
The takeaway: This is the default for most founders and it works fine. It's straightforward, the cost is reasonable, and the process is well-established. You don't need a Golden Visa or a Green Visa to live and run a business in the UAE — the partner visa does the job.
The main limitation is that it's tied to your company. If you close the business, you have 30 days to either transfer to a new visa or leave the country. The applicable grace period depends on the residence category and current immigration rules. Confirm the exact deadline with your Corpwise consultant. The Golden Visa eliminates this dependency.
For a detailed walkthrough of the investor visa process, see our investor visa guide.
The Golden Visa (5 or 10 Years)
The Golden Visa is the UAE's flagship long-term self-sponsored residency programme. It doesn't require a sponsor, tends to survive company closures, and gives you stability that no other visa category matches.
Duration: 5 or 10 years, renewable, and depending on the qualifying category.
Who qualifies as a business owner:
- Investors with AED 2 million or more in company capital, property, or bank deposits
- Company owners whose business pays at least AED 250,000 per year in federal taxes (corporate tax + VAT + excise) to the FTA
- Entrepreneurs with an innovative project valued at AED 500,000 or more, approved by an accredited UAE incubator or government entity
What it costs:
- Government application fee: AED 2,800 to AED 4,500
- Medical and Emirates ID: AED 700 to AED 1,000
- Health insurance: required, varies by provider
Total realistic cost: AED 4,000 to AED 6,500 for the visa itself (not counting the underlying investment).
What makes it different from a partner visa:
The Golden Visa is tied to you, not to your company. If you close the business, switch companies, or spend extended time outside the UAE, the visa remains valid. However, the holder must continue to meet the relevant qualifying conditions, and Golden Residence holders benefit from an exception to the usual six-month absence rule. You can also sponsor family members independently of your business, and the visa is renewable without re-proving eligibility each time (as long as the underlying investment or qualification still exists).
The takeaway: If you qualify, the Golden Visa is the best option. The stability alone is worth the application effort. But don't pursue it if you don't meet the thresholds — the partner visa works perfectly well, and there's no stigma attached to holding one instead.
For a full comparison between the Golden Visa and the standard residence visa, see our residence visa vs golden visa guide.
The Green Visa (5 Years, Self-Sponsored)
The Green Visa sits between the partner visa and the Golden Visa. It's self-sponsored (not tied to an employer or a company), lasts five years, and has lower thresholds than the Golden Visa. Family eligibility and documentation still apply.
Who qualifies as a business owner:
- Freelancers and self-employed professionals with a valid freelance permit and annual income of at least AED 360,000 during the relevant past two-year period
- Investors and partners in UAE companies that pay at least AED 250,000 in annual government fees
- Entrepreneurs with a project approved by a UAE incubator. Entrepreneur requirements vary by residence route and approval type.
What it costs: AED 2,500 to AED 4,500 in government fees, plus medical and Emirates ID.
The takeaway: The Green Visa is underused because most business owners either qualify for the Golden Visa (and go for that) or don't know the Green Visa exists. If you're a freelancer earning over AED 360,000 per year or a small business partner who doesn't meet the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold, the Green Visa gives you five-year stability without the annual renewal cycle of a partner visa. It's worth asking about during your visa application.
Employee Visas: Sponsoring Your Team
As a business owner, you're also the visa sponsor for your employees. This is where the process shifts from personal to operational.
Visa quota: The number of employees you can sponsor depends on your licence type and office space. Free zone companies get visa allocations based on their package — for example, a flexi-desk might give you 2 to 6 visas, while a dedicated office gives more. Mainland companies have more flexibility but require Tasheel/MOHRE registration.
Cost per employee visa: AED 3,000 to AED 7,000 per person, covering the entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, labour card, and visa stamping. The quoted range is only a planning estimate.
Key compliance point: Employers must comply with the health-insurance rules applicable to the emirate and employment category. Usually, you must provide health insurance for every employee you sponsor. You're also responsible for their end-of-service gratuity and, if the visa is cancelled, for their exit from the country or transfer to a new employer.
Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks per employee from offer letter to visa in hand. The bottleneck is usually medical test appointments and Emirates ID processing, not the visa application itself.
If your team includes remote employees based outside the UAE, they don't need UAE visas — but you may need to consider the employment law implications in their home country.
Family Sponsorship
Every business owner visa (partner, Golden, Green) allows you to sponsor dependents: your spouse, children, and in some cases parents, subject to the applicable family-sponsorship, income, accommodation, documentation and insurance requirements.
Who you can sponsor:
- Spouse
- Children under 25 (sons), unmarried daughters of any age, and children with special needs
- Parents (under certain income conditions)
Income requirement for family sponsorship: Minimum monthly salary or income of AED 4,000 plus accommodation, or AED 3,000 plus company-provided housing.
Cost per dependent: AED 3,000 to AED 5,000 each, covering entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and visa stamping.
For a detailed guide on the sponsorship process, documents, and income rules, see our UAE family sponsorship guide.
Which UAE Visa Should You Get as a Business Owner?
Here's the decision framework:
You're forming a company and need basic residency: Partner/Investor Visa. It's the default, it works, and it's included in most company formation packages.
You qualify with AED 2M+ in investment or AED 250K+ in annual taxes: Golden Visa. The stability, prestige, and independence from any single company make it the best option if you meet the bar.
You're a freelancer or small business partner earning AED 360K+ but don't meet Golden Visa thresholds: Green Visa. Five-year stability without annual renewals.
You work remotely for international clients and don't need a UAE company: Digital Nomad Visa. Cheapest route. See our full remote worker visa guide.
You're not sure yet: Start with the partner visa when you form your company. You can always upgrade to a Golden Visa or Green Visa later when you meet the relevant eligibility criteria at that time.
Common Mistakes Business Owners Make with UAE Visas
Delaying the visa after company formation.
Your trade licence has a validity period. If you wait too long to process your visa, the licence may need renewal before your visa is even issued, creating unnecessary cost and complexity. Start the visa process within the first week of receiving your licence.
Not budgeting for employee visas.
Every hire requires AED 3,000 to AED 7,000 in visa costs, plus mandatory health insurance. If you're planning to hire three people in year one, that's AED 15,000 to AED 30,000 in visa and insurance costs on top of salaries.
Ignoring visa quota limits.
If you're on a flexi-desk package with 2 visa allocations and you want to hire a third person, you'll need to upgrade your workspace. Check your visa quota before making hiring commitments.
Missing the Golden Visa qualification.
Some business owners qualify for the Golden Visa through property they already own or taxes their company already pays, but never apply because they assume the bar is higher than it is. Ask your PRO or setup consultant to check your eligibility — you might already qualify.
Letting visas expire.
UAE visas have grace periods, but overstaying creates fines and can affect future applications. Set calendar reminders for 60 days before every visa expiry — yours, your family's, and your employees'.
For a broader look at how your visa connects with the free zone you choose, see our visa options for free zone business owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I automatically get a visa when I set up a UAE company?
No. The trade licence and the visa are separate processes. Forming a company gives you the right to apply for a visa, and your company becomes the sponsor, but you still need to go through the full visa application: establishment card, entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, and visa stamping. The visa process typically starts after the licence is issued and takes 2 to 4 weeks.
Can I hold a Golden Visa and still own a free zone company?
Yes. The Golden Visa is a residency status, not a business licence. You can hold a Golden Visa and simultaneously own companies in any free zone, on the mainland, or offshore. Many business owners get a Golden Visa through property investment and run their business under a separate free zone licence.
What happens to my visa if I close my company?
If you hold a partner or investor visa sponsored by your company, the visa gets cancelled when the company closes. You'll have a grace period to either transfer to a new visa or exit the UAE. If you hold a Golden Visa or Green Visa, the visa generally remains valid even if the company that originally supported your application no longer exists.
Can I sponsor employees on a freelance permit?
Generally no. Freelance permits are designed for individual professionals and typically don't include the ability to sponsor employee visas. If you need to hire staff, you'll likely need to upgrade to a full company licence (FZE or FZCO in a free zone, or an LLC on the mainland).
How long does the visa process take after company formation?
With Corpwise, 2-4 weeks is typical for a single visa on a clean application. The steps are: establishment card (1–3 days), entry permit or status change (3–5 days), medical test (1 day + 2–5 days for results), Emirates ID biometrics (1 day + 5–10 days for card), and visa stamping (1–3 days). Delays happen when documents are incomplete or when the applicant needs to coordinate travel around the entry permit timing.
What's the cheapest visa option for a solo founder?
At this time, the partner visa through your company formation is the standard route at AED 3,500 to AED 5,500. If you don't need a UAE company at all and work entirely for international clients, the Digital Nomad Visa is cheaper at approximately AED 4,500 to AED 8,000 all in — but it doesn't include a trade licence. The cheapest route that includes both a licence and visa is a freelance permit from SHAMS or Ajman at AED 12,000 to AED 16,000 first year. Contact a Corpwise consultant to get the latest pricing.
Need help figuring out which visa fits your situation, or want us to handle the application? Talk to us (it's free) — we process visas for founders, families, and teams across every major free zone and mainland setup.
