Questions about UAE tax residency

Member since 14 December 2025

Enne EsseNew member14 December 2025 12:05:15

Hello everyone,

I am planning to apply for a 2-year UAE resident visa, set up a Freezone company in Dubai (freelance activity), and open a bank account in the UAE.

I have some questions regarding housing:

Is it mandatory to have a permanent residence in Dubai all year to maintain the visa and UAE tax residency, considering that I travel frequently?

Is there a minimum physical presence requirement in Dubai to justify tax residency?

Is an annual lease (Ejari) strictly required, or are temporary stays / short-term accommodations sufficient in some cases?

Thank you in advance for any advice or experiences you can share!

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MrThakur101 New member

Member since 12 January 2026

MrThakur101New member27 January 2026 07:29:33

You don’t need to stay in Dubai all year for your visa, but to be a UAE tax resident, you usually need 183+ days in the UAE. For the visa and bank account, most Free Zones and banks require a valid Ejari (annual lease) short-term stays usually don’t work.

If you want, I can guide you on how to set up your Freezone and bank account even if you travel a lot. DM me.