Are you a talented professional in the field of education, technology, marketing, arts, consultancy, or culture? Then, here is some great news for you. Earlier this year, DAFZA (Dubai Airport Freezone) launched a license for freelancers called the Talent Pass in Dubai. This was done in partnership with Dubai Culture and GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs). Here is your ultimate guide to the Talent pass and all you need to know about applying for one.

Talent Pass license permits a talented individual to work as a freelancer under the falling categories-Art, Culture, Media, Marketing, Technology, Consultancy, and Education. This license is only applicable to freelancers and also grants them to apply for a residence visa for their dependents.

How to apply? 

1. You can apply for this Pass on the DAFZA official website: https://wordpro.ae/

Documents required:

- Copy of passport

- Visa copy (recent)

- Educational degree, Letters of reference, and portfolio

- Previous experience in the field (Proof)

- Latest updated CV

- Service fees and a list

- For the technology field, kindly attach the relevant educational degree or letter of experience from the employer or necessary training courses.

The DAFZA team will first review your application and you will then get a call back from a representative if they need to give you any feedback. You can then proceed to the licensing and visa process once the application is approved.

2. Next, you need to apply for an office lease (if necessary) and move on to finish your visa application formalities.

3. You have to complete the payment procedures-the cost of a Talent Pass is AED 9,500 (It does not include the cost of a visa) that needs to be renewed every year.

4. You need to then wait for the permit to be issued which roughly takes between ten to fifteen days according to the DAFZA website.

How to apply for Visa?

Once you are eligible for a talent Pass, there are three possible ways you can get a visa-

1. If you already are under another sponsorship or an active Residence Visa, then all you need to do is submit your visa copy in the already mentioned steps above. The visa should be either dependent (if sponsored by a family member) or an employment visa (if sponsored by your company). Also, include a NOC (No Objection Certificate) from your sponsor along with the documents to be submitted.

2. You can apply for a three-year employment visa if you do not have a visa.

3. Certain talented professionals can also apply for a Golden Visa for ten years. If you would like to know more details, then check the criteria and eligibility on the GDRFA website.

How to apply for a three-year visa? 

According to the Business Development Manager at PRO Desk Document Clearing Services LLC, Abdulhusen Munpurwala, the approved applicants for Talent Pass are eligible for a three-year freelance visa. In a recent interview with Gulf News, he said, “The visa application process has to be completed separately and can cost approximately AED 4,200. This includes the complete cost of the visa application, including the medical fitness test and Emirates ID”.

What are the documents required? 

1. Passport (with a validity of more than six months)

2. A Photograph (soft copy with white background)

3. Present Visa (validity date should be before two weeks of expiry)

Please note: The visa process will take roughly around ten working days. According to DAFZA, you cannot sponsor any employees or hire anyone with the Talent Pass. But you can sponsor your family members and domestic workers if you wish.