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Moving to Dubai - Visa, Immigration, Business, Tourism
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Visas
In general all visitors except GCC nationals are required to have a visa to enter
Dubai. If you are coming to work in Dubai, you need to acquire a resident Visa.
If you already have a job and your company applied for a resident visa for you,
then your visa should be at the airport at the time of your arrival and a residence
visa will be stamped on your passport.
On the other hand, if you are coming in search for a job, then you need to obtain
a visit visa which is valid for 60 days but can be renewed for a further 30 days
upon paying a fee of Dhs 500 at the Department of Immigration. Alternatively, a
‘visa run’ can be made, which entails flying to Doha or Muscat at a cost of approximately
Dhs 300, and re-entering Dubai on a new visit visa.
In order to work in Dubai, open a bank account or lease accommodation you must have
a residence visa. There are two types of residence visas, one that your company
sponsors for employment, and the other one a relative sponsors you to live in UAE.
A residence visa will allow you to sponsor your spouse, children, and parents, if
they are coming with you. In order to have a family residence visa, your salary
must exceed Dhs. 4,000 a month.
Driver License
Until you obtain a residence visa, most nationalities are able to rent a car if
they possess driving license from their country of origin, or an International license.
For private vehicles, temporary Dubai license must be obtained from the Traffic
Police, which is valid for one month. A privately registered vehicle cannot be driven
on an International license as the vehicle is insured for UAE license holders only.
Once on resident visa, Individuals would have to obtain a UAE driver license. Those
who have a driver's license from countries in America, Europe, a few other countries
can transfer there driver's license to a UAE driver's license easily.
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Documents required for UAE license:
- Traffic Police application form (typed in Arabic).
- Sponsors passport copy or copy of company’s trade license.
- NOC from your sponsor/company in Arabic.
- Original driving license + photocopy.
- Passport + photocopy.
- 2 passport size photographs. Dhs 100
If you don't qualify for a permit exchange then you will have to apply for a UAE
driver's license and undergo driving lessons and exams.
Postal Service
There is no house address based mailing system in the UAE. All mails are addressed
to post office boxes. Most residents use their company P.O. Box address for private
mail. It is possible to rent a personal P.O. Box from the central post office in
Karama and select a P.O. Box located close to your residence. The fee is Dhs 210
per annum.
Banks and Credit Cards
- A lot of International banks have their regional headquarters
based in Dubai, and they provide full commercial and personal banking services.
Banking hours are generally open from 8.00 – 13.00 (except Friday).
- Money exchange stores are available all over Dubai, and
offer reasonable exchange rates, which are usually better than the banks. Hotels
also exchange money and travelers cheques at a rate higher than the trading rate.
- Most credit cards are acceptable at most shops, hotels
and restaurants. Some smaller retail shops prefer cash and will charge an additional
5% for processing credit card payments.
Health Care and Education
In order to obtain a residency visa and labor card all expatriates are required
to undergo a medical and blood test. Employers usually arrange for all the necessary
paperwork and procedure. Medical facilities in Dubai are high both in public and
private sectors. If residents are not covered by a company or private medical insurance,
it is advisable to purchase private insurance coverage. The Health and Medical Service
Department provides medical care for all UAE nationals, visitors and resident expatriates.
Currently expatriates can go to any hospital as long as they have a valid health
card which entitles them to low cost medical treatment at public hospitals and clinics.
An application form for the health card can be collected from any public hospitals
then submitted along with the correct documents to your local Health Care Center.
The health card is valid for one year.
Documents required obtaining a health card:
- Passport copy
- Covering letter from sponsor.
- Visa application copy
- 2 passport size photographs
- Completed Ministry of Health form
- Dhs 300 for health card plus Dhs 200 for medical examination
English is the medium of instruction in most schools which adopt variations of the
popular Montessori method of instruction. Annual fees may vary. An academic record
of your child is required for admissions and some schools conduct entrance tests.
Schools are available for students from various nationalities and adopt schooling
systems that reflect their country's education system. Standards are above average.
Getting Connected
- Telephone and Internet: Telecommunications between
the UAE and the outside world are generally good. All communication is provided
by Etisalat. In order to get a residential telephone line, mobile line or Internet
line, you will need to head down to the nearest Etisalat with a copy of your passport
& residence visa and a copy of your tenancy contract. Installing a land line
would not take more than 2 days while you can obtain your SIM card for a mobile
on the spot. Internet connection is generally high speed and based on DSL technology.
Access to some sites is restricted.
- Electricity and Water: Dubai Electricity & Water
(DEWA) is the only utility company in Dubai. The electricity supply in Dubai is
220/240 volts and 50 cycles. Standard British plugs are used. US appliances will
require an adaptor. To install water and electricity at your property, you need
to take a copy of your lease agreement and your DEWA Account number supplied by
your leasing agent along with a deposit, which is refundable when you leave the
property. The deposit for apartments is CDs 1,000/- and for villas is Dhs 2,000/-.
- Television, Satellite and Cable: The majorities
of local channels are government run and are all in Arabic except one in English.
Since the local channels cannot be sufficient to most people's needs, satellite
and cable companies are available and offer a variety of channels for all types
of audiences. The most popular satellites receivable in the United Arab Emirates
are Nile sat, Arab sat, hot bird, and Asian sat, which all have free-to-air and
pay-tv channels. In addition to these satellite channels, there are satellite distribution
companies that provide additional paid satellite channel packages. Some of the satellite
channel packages are Showtime, Orbit, ART, Star Select, Pehla, and First net. There
is only one cable TV network known as E-Vision (Emirates Cable TV & Multimedia).
E-Vision provides packages which are a collection of satellite-free channels and
satellite distribution company-paid channels.
Getting Around
Visitors in UAE have the option to rent or lease a vehicle based on daily, weekly
or monthly rates. To rent or lease a vehicle you need a copy of your passport, a
valid driver license and a credit card. In order to purchase a car you need to have
a residence visa. Only then are you able to register or finance the car in your
name. Once registered, the vehicle must be re-registered annually.
Cost of Living
The cost of living is relatively comparable to other large big cities around the
world. It is however advisable, that those in search for a job within UAE try to
obtain employment packages that include a housing allowance as rent can be high.
The cost of living could vary from an individual to another but a general breakdown
is as follows:
- Utilities: Water: Dhs 50 / month. Electricity: Dhs 300
- 600 / month (for an apartment)
- Fuel: 5 Dhs per gallon
- Groceries for a family of 2: 500 Dhs /week
- Restaurants: Fast food meal for 2 adults =50 Dhs. Meal
for 2 adults at a restaurant = 200 Dhs.
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