# Freelance : invoicing Europe-based customers



## laurent1984 (Oct 26, 2015)

Hello everybody,

I hope you're all doing allright. Thank you for taking to some time to read my questions.

I'm a freelance translator in Belgium with a few regular customers. My wife has been hired to Dubai as an employee and I would like to follw her. I've been in contact with a few FZ but I'm still a bit confused about the licensing options and what they allow you to do. I was told I could service customers in the FZ and outside the Emirates.

Does anyone have a freelance permit and customers outside of the UAE? If so, what do you use on your invoices instead of a tax identification number. I currently have a VAT-ID, but since there is no VAT or taxes for the moment, I'm not to sur what I will have to put on my invoice instead. I as told I could use my freelance permit number? Or should I use my ID number as I'll be working under my own name?

Or was the info I get uncorrect. If this is the case, I guess my only option would be to get a consulting license and go for a FZE if I want to service companies based in Europe.

Thank you for your help!

Laurent


----------



## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

You will have to put company address and that's it. You can mention registration number if you like but it is not necessary. There was a good thread about different FZ a while ago here.

Bear in mind that the fees mentioned in this thread could have changed. For example, newly incorporated companies at Fujairah Creative City pay renewal fee of AED 21,000 (as of SEP 2014), instead of AED 17,500.


----------



## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

If you are a freelance translator and presumably work at home for clients who are not in the UAE, then is there any need to set up a free zone business or license?

Just continue doing what you do, except that you're based in the UAE and not Europe. There are quite a few people, usually trailing spouses, who work remotely for clients or employers overseas but don't have a local free zone license.

I don't know what the tax implications are for Belgian expats, but set up an offshore bank account in, say, the Jersey islands and have your payments sent there. As long as you're legally declared non-resident in Belgium you should receive whatever tax free benefits applicable to Belgian expats.


----------

