guide to licensing as a freelancer at twofour54

This guide explains the process for becoming a twofour54 licensed freelancer (or sole proprietor which is the legal name for a twofour54 licensed freelancer).

What is a twofour54 licensed freelancer?
 
A twofour54 licensed freelancer is a media professional who has been licensed by the Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi (“Authority”) to work within twofour54’s content creation community on a long term basis. 
 
What can a twofour54 licensed freelancer do?

A twofour54 licensed freelancer may be licensed in one or more specific media related business categories as listed on their license.  These business categories include skills such as camera operators, set designers, production engineers and make-up artists.  For a full list of business categories please click here.

Where can a twofour54 licensed freelancer work?

A twofour54 licensed freelancer is able to work for any of the companies or branches registered or operating within twofour54.

A twofour54 licensed freelancer cannot work onshore in Abu Dhabi or in any other Emirate. 

Due to a limited number of licenses being available, preference will be given to applicants who have a
pre-existing arrangement to provide services for a twofour54 incorporated company or registered branch office.

Will a twofour54 licensed freelancer be eligible for a United Arab Emirate (“UAE”) residence visa?

Yes, the Authority will sponsor the UAE residence visa of a non-GCC national twofour54 licensed freelancer.

Please note, you cannot be a twofour54 licensed freelancer whilst sponsored by another UAE company or authority.

How much does it cost to become a licensed freelancer?

Annual licence fee: AED 5000 (discounted to AED 2500 if you apply before 31 October 2010, for the first year’s licence fee only)
Visa fee (for non-GCC nationals): approximately AED 1900
Refundable security deposit: AED 15,000 (AED 5000 of which will be used to pay for your second year licence fee, if your licence is renewed, reducing your security deposit to AED 10,000 in the second year)

Please read the freelancer licensing rules below and the Business Licensing Regulations 2009 before applying.

Please note, there are also several ways to operate as a short term freelancer at twofour54 without being licensed by the Authority such as:

• working with a twofour54 company or branch office on a short term work permit (up to 3 months)
• your services being “loaned out” by your employer to a twofour54 company or branch.

Welcome to twofour54
 
The Process

Step 1 – complete and submit the application form, references and other documentation

Please carefully select the business category (or categories) for which you would like to be licensed (a maximum of three) and provide two relevant referees to support your experience in each business category selected (you are required to have relevant experience of at least one year in that business category). 

Please provide details of any pre-existing arrangements you have made to provide services to a twofour54 registered company or branch.

Please also upload and attach

• an up-to-date CV (in English) to provide additional information about your experience (a maximum of 2 A4 pages)
• a high resolution colour passport photo on a white background and
• a colour scan of your passport (and visa, if relevant).

Step 2 – review by the application review team

Our application review team will review your application form, CV and other documentation and will contact the referees you have provided.  The team will let you know if your application has been approved or not by e-mail and may request further details from you.

If your application is approved by the application review team, it will then be submitted to the Regulatory Affairs department of the Authority for processing.

Step 3 – meet the Authority

The Regulatory Affairs department of the Authority will review your application.  If your application is accepted and a licence is available, you will be invited to meet a representative of the Authority and present your passport for a final ID check.
 

Step 4 – payment of licence fees, visa fee and security deposit

After passing the final ID check, the Authority will require payment of the annual licence fee of AED 5000, the visa fee (for non-GCC nationals) of approximately AED 1900 and a refundable security deposit of AED 15,000.  Please note, if you apply before 31 October 2010, the licence fee shall be discounted to AED 2500 for this first year only.

Step 5 – issuing your sole proprietor business license

Once all payments listed above have cleared, the Authority shall issue you with a one year sole proprietor business license in accordance with the Business Licensing Regulations 2009 and the attached twofour54 licensed freelancer rules.

Business categories