Can I spare you some drama with a list of what I learned while moving my family literally across the world in 2022?
People all over the world are moving to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its vast opportunities, advantageous tax system, and….because they can and “why not?”.
My family and I recently made the jump – and the process was actually not super difficult if you know what to do and where to start – which I did not.
I decided to keep track of all of the steps and make them available to other expats who are mystified by finding where to start and how to keep going. You definitely will need endurance – but if you go into it with the perspective of “I am probably missing a step here or there, but no one is maliciously trying to get me” – it’ll be amusing and exhausting, but you will make it.
This list covers the basic steps that likely apply to most people – I have a brief checklist, with a more detailed explanation provided farther down the page.
Again – this is based on the experience of my family in 2022, and is not intended to be legal or immigration advice, just the notes from someone who has recently traveled this particular path.
How to relocate to the UAE
Order of operations is so important – and can be tricky to get right. Each Emirate has some slight variations in the processes, but as a whole the UAE has done an excellent job in putting most if not all of the services online. Many steps can be initiated, if not totally completed online.
This is based on my personal experience and is not intended to be legal or immigration advice at all.
This list works for an adult individual as well as a family.
[] 2-3 months before you plan to relocate: get all of your personal documents attested. This is discussed more here: (How to Attest Documents)
[] Plan where you will get the Residency Visa for the primary family member (Sponsor). Options are discussed here.
[] IF you are bringing furniture or a vehicle, plan its transport months ahead. This process can be extremely slow and uncertain/unreliable – I decided to just sell or donate everything, and start over for lots of reasons. More details to come.
[] Book airline tickets to Dubai or Abu Dhabi
[] Book temporary lodging for 1-2 months (AirBNB or Hotel Apartments are great options to buy you time and convenience while house-hunting).
[] Plan transportation (rental car or metro?). If you (or a family member) enters the UAE on a tourist visa, you will most likely be able to use your valid driving license from your home country to rent a vehicle. Note that all residents must have a valid UAE Driving License with which to rent a vehicle.
[] Upon arrival – get a prepaid, local SIM card at your earliest convenience.
[] Upon arrival – get a prepaid Visa card from Al Ansari Exchange (many non-GCC debit cards do not work on government websites and other immigration-related sites). More about that below.
[] Upon arrival – check this site and confirm your visa expiration date, and take note of your Unified ID Number (assigned the first time you enter the UAE to all tourists and future residents alike).
[] Upon arrival (for Tourists) – make a reminder in your preferred app to alert you when you need to renew your visa. Here is an article about border runs and tourist visa renewals.
[] Work through any remaining steps for securing your Residency Visa – and take note of the expiration date for your current visa to be sure you do not incur overstay fees, which rapidly add up. Here is a checklist of common Residency Visa steps.
[] After Residency, obtain your Emirates ID Card. (Steps are listed here)
[] After EID, obtain your UAE Driving License if you are going to drive (especially if you already have a rental car, as it is not legal to drive the rental on your home country license once your residency is established with the UAE). Steps are here.
[] Identify a mode of transportation to use until you are able to purchase a car if you desire. You will need your Tenancy Contract (next step) before being able to purchase a vehicle in many circumstances
[] After EID – work on finding a place to live – it is common to rent for at least your first year to understand what areas are best for your specific needs and circumstances. You will need your EID to establish a Tenancy Contract in any Emirate.
[] Kickoff the process of preliminary activities needed prior to “shifting” (yes….this is moving…) into your new place. That list is here.
[] Coordinate moving from your initial AirBNB / Hotel Apartment, etc. to your new home. Extend your booking by a couple of weeks if needed.
[] Start the process of sponsoring your family (spouse, children, parents, etc.)
By the time you’ve worked through this entire checklist – you are definitely a professional re-locator! I would love to hear what parts of this list were most helpful, and do let me know if you find steps that have changed and need to be modified – I want this list to be helpful to as many people as possible.