More and more influencers are moving to Dubai. The sun, low taxes, and great infrastructure for content creation are attracting content creators to the city on the Gulf.
However, the market is now regulated, and not everyone can advertise online without registering first. Specifically, it's the influencer license or advertiser permit that needs to be obtained before one can work as an influencer in Dubai.
What is the influencer license in Dubai?
The Influencer License, or Advertiser Permit, as it is more accurately called, is an official authorization that influencers and content creators must obtain from the New Media Authority to share content with an advertising background on the internet (YouTube, Instagram). It is applied for in addition to the company and, strictly speaking, is not a license like it is for companies, but rather an additional authorization for an existing company with appropriate licenses in the area of content marketing/social media.
This legal obligation has been in effect for a few years and is mandatory for anyone who receives money for sharing content online. Specifically affected are, among others:
- YouTuber
- Streamer
- Blogger
- Instagram Influencer
- TikTok Influencer
Who is not affected?
Excluded are companies that engage in content marketing but do not receive payment from third parties for it. This means companies that advertise exclusively for themselves and their own products, and are therefore not paid by third parties, are excluded.
License Application
To apply for a license, one must first establish a company or initiate the incorporation process. In most cases, this company is a Freezone company (since it is significantly faster and cheaper to establish). When founding the company, the appropriate social media activities must be selected. The offering varies depending on the free zone. Therefore, it is important to choose the right free zone or to seek advice in this regard. Examples of suitable free zones include:
- IFZA
- Meydan
- Dubai Media City
When applying to the NMA (which stands for X), it is done at the newly founded company. NATIONAL MEDIA AUTHORITY an influencer license. All previous documents and information on the social media accounts must be submitted.
When applying, one must choose between three different types of social media licenses:
- Single Creator
- Group Creator
- Agency
Depending on which category you fall into, you must select the correct type when applying. As a rule, you will receive confirmation within a few working days after submission and payment.
Costs
The cost of an Influencer License or Advertising Permit is currently AED 5,000. This must be renewed annually in addition to the company. However, the annual renewal from the second year onwards only costs AED 2,500.
This results in total costs for company formation, visa, Emirates ID, and permits of around AED 25,000 if you have a full Emigrating to Dubai as an influencer plant.
Basic rules as an influencer
The basic rules for sharing created content on the Internet are basically logical and self-explanatory. Nevertheless, here is an overview of the most important points.
Respect for society and the law In the UAE, certain laws and social orders as well as religious views prevail. These should be respected at all times. Negative, exaggerated or false portrayals of certain circumstances in the UAE are punishable by law. As a political influencer, you should therefore avoid the UAE if you want to criticize the country itself.
Truth The content should always be truthful and factual, unless it is satirically labeled or for entertainment purposes. Sharing misinformation has legal consequences.
No prohibited products or activities Prohibited products such as marijuana or other drugs may not be shown or advertised. Illegal activities such as casinos or betting are also not permitted and should not be shown or advertised.
War In the event of war, no images or videos of drones, missiles, defense systems, or anything else are allowed to be shown. The reason for this is to prevent panic and to avoid accidentally revealing military infrastructure that serves for potential defense and protection.
Penalties
The penalties for non-compliance with the Content Creator Guidelines / rules and the absence of companies or licenses can lead to severe penalties. Anyone who works without a company and license can expect a fine of AED 3,000 - 5,000 for the first offense. Those who do not learn from this and violate the rules more frequently can expect fines of AED 10,000.
Anyone who continuously works without a license and company and also violates various content guidelines can expect a fine of several hundred thousand AED or even millions for particularly serious offenses. Here is the complete law.
Summary
Content creation has become a lucrative job, and numerous influencers have become millionaires as a result. Due to the location-independent nature of the work, taxes can be minimized. Consequently, more and more influencers are relocating to tax havens like Dubai. It is important to obtain the appropriate approval from the authority (NMA) for advertising and to apply for the correct licenses when setting up a business.
The costs are typically AED 5,000 for initial applications and AED 2,500 for renewal, in addition to the remaining costs incurred during company formation.
