Dubai Freelance Visa (TECOM / Free Zone Permit) vs Georgia Remotely from Georgia Programme

About Dubai Freelance Visa (TECOM / Free Zone Permit)

The Dubai Freelance Visa (Freelance Permit) is a 2-year renewable residence status issued through UAE free zones such as TECOM, twofour54, or Dubai Silicon Oasis, for independent contractors and creative professionals invoicing multiple clients rather than a single employer. There is no fixed minimum income, but applicants must show financial solvency (commonly around AED 20,000 in bank funds) and relevant qualifications or a portfolio. Beyond an initial fee of roughly $1,500, the free-zone licence is a recurring annual cost of about AED 5,000–20,000 depending on the zone. Spouses and children can be sponsored as dependents at standard UAE fees. The permit does not lead to UAE permanent residency or citizenship, though AED 2,000,000+ in UAE real estate or business investment can later qualify a holder for the Golden Visa. Personal income remains untaxed, but since the permit legally creates a sole establishment, 9% corporate tax applies above AED 375,000/year profit (relief exists below AED 3,000,000 revenue). Free-zone choice is effectively permanent, and working outside the licensed activity is a compliance violation.

About Georgia Remotely from Georgia Programme

Georgia's Remotely from Georgia programme offers a 1-year residence permit to remote workers earning at least $2,000/month from foreign employers or clients, with no application fee and a fully online application process. Critically, Georgia already grants visa-free stays of up to 365 days to citizens of around 95 countries (including the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Israel, and most GCC states) — for those nationalities, the programme adds little practical value beyond official residence-permit status useful for opening Georgian bank accounts and signing long-term leases. It is most relevant to nationalities not on the visa-free list (most of South and Southeast Asia, much of Africa, and the Middle East outside Israel and the GCC). Georgia's flat 1% small-business tax (for individual entrepreneurs registered with annual turnover under GEL 500,000) and territorial-leaning tax system make Tbilisi popular with location-independent founders. The programme is administered by the Public Service Hall and does not itself create a path to permanent residency or citizenship — those routes require separate procedures, with naturalisation generally requiring 10 years of legal residence and Georgian-language proficiency.