The United Arab Emirates has quietly tightened its popular Remote Working (Digital Nomad) Visa only weeks before the peak spring relocation season.
Immigration authorities now insist that applicants upload six consecutive months of bank statements instead of the previous three. The change, which took effect on 27 January 2026, is a small procedural tweak on paper but a major shift in practice: it effectively raises the minimum period of overseas employment to half a year, because salary deposits are the primary evidence of steady income. Any gap or recent job switch could trigger a refusal.
The Remote Working Visa was first piloted by Dubai in 2020 and rolled out federally in 2022. It grants a one-year renewable residence permit to foreign professionals who work for an employer abroad and earn at least US $3,500 per month. Unlike classic work permits, it requires no local sponsor and allows holders to sponsor their spouse, children and even parents for residence in the UAE. More than 20,000 visas were issued in 2025, according to industry estimates, making it one of the Gulf’s most successful talent-attraction tools.
If navigating the extra documentation feels daunting, VisaHQ’s specialists can streamline the process. Their self-service portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) walks applicants through every UAE remote-work requirement, provides up-to-date checklists, and offers optional concierge assistance to review files before submission—helping digital nomads avoid costly rejections and get on the ground faster.
![UAE Doubles Bank-Statement Requirement for Remote Working Visa Applications]()
Consulting firm Fragomen notes that the longer bank-statement window is intended to weed out applicants who have only recently gone freelance or switched companies, ensuring that arrivals have a stable income and lower overstay risk. It also aligns UAE practice with the remote-work visa rules in Portugal and Spain, which both require six months of income evidence.
For employers with distributed teams, the tougher documentation standard means longer onboarding timelines and more advance planning. HR managers should advise prospective assignees to gather full half-year statements, maintain salary consistency, and allow extra processing time (five-to-seven working days once the file is lodged). Companies that rely on a steady flow of digital-nomad talent may also want to review payroll practices to ensure that salary hits the employee’s bank on a predictable schedule.
Immigration lawyers caution that working remotely from the UAE without the proper visa can attract fines, tax complications, or even deportation. Given the stricter rules, experts recommend starting the application at least two months before the intended move date and double-checking that health-insurance and employer-consent letters meet federal templates.
In the longer term, analysts expect the UAE to keep tightening eligibility as the programme matures, balancing its appeal to global talent against the need for robust compliance controls.
Immigration authorities now insist that applicants upload six consecutive months of bank statements instead of the previous three. The change, which took effect on 27 January 2026, is a small procedural tweak on paper but a major shift in practice: it effectively raises the minimum period of overseas employment to half a year, because salary deposits are the primary evidence of steady income. Any gap or recent job switch could trigger a refusal.
The Remote Working Visa was first piloted by Dubai in 2020 and rolled out federally in 2022. It grants a one-year renewable residence permit to foreign professionals who work for an employer abroad and earn at least US $3,500 per month. Unlike classic work permits, it requires no local sponsor and allows holders to sponsor their spouse, children and even parents for residence in the UAE. More than 20,000 visas were issued in 2025, according to industry estimates, making it one of the Gulf’s most successful talent-attraction tools.
If navigating the extra documentation feels daunting, VisaHQ’s specialists can streamline the process. Their self-service portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) walks applicants through every UAE remote-work requirement, provides up-to-date checklists, and offers optional concierge assistance to review files before submission—helping digital nomads avoid costly rejections and get on the ground faster.
Consulting firm Fragomen notes that the longer bank-statement window is intended to weed out applicants who have only recently gone freelance or switched companies, ensuring that arrivals have a stable income and lower overstay risk. It also aligns UAE practice with the remote-work visa rules in Portugal and Spain, which both require six months of income evidence.
For employers with distributed teams, the tougher documentation standard means longer onboarding timelines and more advance planning. HR managers should advise prospective assignees to gather full half-year statements, maintain salary consistency, and allow extra processing time (five-to-seven working days once the file is lodged). Companies that rely on a steady flow of digital-nomad talent may also want to review payroll practices to ensure that salary hits the employee’s bank on a predictable schedule.
Immigration lawyers caution that working remotely from the UAE without the proper visa can attract fines, tax complications, or even deportation. Given the stricter rules, experts recommend starting the application at least two months before the intended move date and double-checking that health-insurance and employer-consent letters meet federal templates.
In the longer term, analysts expect the UAE to keep tightening eligibility as the programme matures, balancing its appeal to global talent against the need for robust compliance controls.
