POSTERN

United Arab Emirates

Virtual Working Programme. A 1-year renewable UAE residence permit for remote employees or business owners working for a company based outside the UAE.

Free · The law behind every answer · Checked Sep 27, 2026

Virtual Working Programme

A 1-year renewable residence permit to live in the UAE while working remotely for a foreign employer or one’s own foreign-registered business.

Who qualifies

  • Remote employees need at least USD 3,500 a month in income from an employer outside the UAE; business owners need at least USD 5,000 a month and at least a year of company ownership.
    Virtual Work Visa in the UAE
  • Effective 27 January 2026, applicants must show 6 consecutive months of bank statements evidencing the qualifying income, up from 3 months previously; files submitted with only 3 months are being returned as incomplete.
    Virtual Work Visa in the UAE

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

1

Does it fit your family?

2 questions, from the program’s own rules.

Steady monthly income, from any source?

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Income
At least $3,500 a month, steady and documented.
Time
A few weeks once bank statements and employer documentation are ready.
Cost
A few hundred dollars in government fees; typical agent fees add a few hundred more.
The hard part
Producing 6 consecutive months of qualifying bank statements showing foreign-sourced income.

Dollar figures are converted from the local currency at the rate the program’s research used; the official figure is in the local currency.

3

This door stops short of a passport.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.

Two passports
Usually not: new citizens are asked to give up their other citizenship.
  • Time on this program does not count toward permanent residence or citizenship; the family would need to switch to one that does.
  • One year, extendable; residence only.
  • The UAE has no permanent residence: Golden Visas are 5- or 10-year renewable residence permits.
  • The nationality law allows naturalisation after 30 years' continuous residence for non-Arabs (7 for Arabs, 3 for Omanis, Qataris and Bahrainis), always at the state's discretion and with Arabic required; there is no realistic route for these families, so `citizen` is null.
  • Since 2021 a small number of investors, doctors, scientists and artists can be nominated by the rulers' courts or the Cabinet and may keep their old citizenship; you cannot apply for it. Ordinary naturalisation requires giving up the old citizenship (art. 11).
The law behind these dates
4

Living there.

Time you must spend there
The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax
No UAE personal income tax; home-country tax rules still apply.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Apply through the UAE's federal or emirate-level immigration authority.Open icp.gov.ae ↗
  2. Round up the papers.
    • Proof of steady income: at least $3,500 a month
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health cover for the move
6

Or let us run it.

$900for your first year as a founding member. Then $399 a year, automatically.Standard first year: $1,200. Everyone renews at $399.One membership, the whole family. Accounts and activation included.

16 steps, from the first paper to every renewal. You do 4 of them: send what we ask for, sign, and show up. We run the rest, and keep every permit renewed on time. Accounts and activation are included, whether you move now or keep the plan ready. Accounts depend on provider availability. Government, record and approved third-party charges are extra.

Run it for my family →
7
ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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