Moving to Dubai

Annually around 200,000 new people take up residence in Dubai; the majority of these people move to the emirate for work and are often aided and abetted by their employer when it comes to getting residency and housing.

If you’re moving to Dubai and need advice about what to expect, how to get a visa and what the whole relocation process will involve, this article covers the fundamental facts for you.

To get entry to Dubai it’s highly likely that you will need a visa unless you herald from another GCC country.  The majority of nationalities are granted visitor’s visas easily which are valid for a maximum of 60 days and which can be renewed for up to 30 days for a small fee.  Certain restrictions apply depending on the nationality of the applicant and it is essential that anyone thinking of travelling to Dubai gets personal advice on their visa requirements before travelling from their nearest embassy.

For those moving to Dubai on a more permanent basis it will be necessary to obtain a residency visa.  For those in receipt of a firm offer of employment their employer will sponsor their visa; another alternative is to be sponsored by a family member therefore trailing spouses and children can be sponsored by their employed spouse or parent for example.  The other option available is to purchase real estate in Dubai as buying property enables a purchaser to apply for residency.  Again, more personalised advice on this particular issue can be obtained from your nearest embassy.

In terms of getting housing in Dubai a prospective tenant will need their residency visa to rent a property.  Most rental agreements are signed for at least a year and occasionally it is still possible that the tenant will have to pay for their annual rent up front which can be prohibitively expensive.  A growing number of individuals and agencies are now offering more flexible terms and those looking for rental accommodation will have to really shop around for the best deals as completed housing stock in Dubai is limited at the moment which has forced rental rates higher in recent months.  Those who rent a property through an agency will have to pay around 5% commission to the agent and it’s usual to have to pay a refundable security deposit when renting in Dubai as well.

Since March the 12th 2006 a new property law has come into force in Dubai that allows foreigners the right to own freehold title to real estate in the emirate.  The law was announced back in 2002 and it sparked a property boom in Dubai but the law only came into force this year.  Those who buy property in Dubai will be granted a residence visa which is an added advantage of purchasing a home.

There are many international shipping companies who will forward goods to Dubai from anywhere in the world.  Someone moving to Dubai has a choice of a door to door service or just having goods delivered to the airport or Jebel Ali Port (depending on the goods shipped and method of transportation) and then having to get clearance and delivery organised when in Dubai.  It’s a good idea to have a few quotes for moving goods to Dubai as there can be a great variation in cost from company to company.  It’s possible for people to import used personal effects into Dubai without incurring any fees or taxes and it is also possible to import pets as well assuming they are healthy and their inoculations are all up to date.  There is no quarantine in the UAE but cats and dogs have to have an up to date rabies injection and wear a municipality ID tag because if they wander off and are found they will be destroyed or re-homed if they are not identified by a tag.

In terms of what to take and what to leave behind that’s a very personal choice!  But furniture, clothing and even white goods can be bought relatively cheaply with many notice boards offering second hand appliances and furniture for sale for example; and of course Dubai is a shopper’s paradise as the annual Dubai Shopping Festival highlights!  If in doubt about a particular household effect leave it behind because the cost of shipping something to and from Dubai is likely to be more expensive than putting the item in storage or selling it on and buying new in Dubai.

Once you arrive in Dubai the best advice anyone can give you is to get out and about and start meeting people!  The more people you meet the more help and practical advice you will receive from expats who have moved to Dubai and experienced the same concerns, problems and issues that you are likely dealing with.  By networking you will quickly build up a set of new friends and acquaintances who will generally be happy to point you in the right direction when you have questions about settling into your new life.  Expatriates the world over are usually only too happy to welcome a new expat into the fold and Dubai is certainly no exception to this rule!