Moving to the UAE: the full checklist

Everything that has to happen between accepting the offer and your first normal Monday morning — in the order it actually happens, with the costs people forget.

1. Step 1 · 3–6 months before

   Line up the job offer and visa route

   Almost every move starts with sponsorship. Your employer applies for an entry permit, then converts it to a residence visa once you land. Self-employed and remote workers usually go the freelance permit or Golden Visa route instead.

   • Check whether your employer sponsors your spouse and children, or only you
   • Get degree certificates and marriage/birth certificates attested in your home country — this is the step people underestimate
   • Confirm the salary is stated in AED and whether housing and schooling allowances are included

2. Step 2 · 3 months before

   Work out what you can actually afford

   UAE pay is tax-free, but rent is often demanded up to a year in advance and school fees are termly. Your true monthly cost matters far more than the headline salary.

   • Budget rent, school fees, utilities (DEWA/ADDC), car or Salik, and health insurance together
   • Buying instead? Expect a 20–25% deposit as a non-resident plus around 4% DLD transfer fees
   • Keep housing plus schooling under roughly 50% of take-home pay to stay comfortable

3. Step 3 · 3–6 months before

   Shortlist schools before you shortlist homes

   Good British-curriculum schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi fill early, and popular year groups run waiting lists. School place first, then pick a community within a sane drive of it.

   • Check the school's KHDA (Dubai), ADEK (Abu Dhabi) or SPEA (Sharjah) inspection rating
   • Ask for per-year-group availability, not just 'we're accepting applications'
   • Budget registration and assessment fees on top of the annual tuition

4. Step 4 · 2–3 months before

   Pick the community around the commute

   The UAE's road network is fast but unforgiving at peak. A 25km commute can be 25 minutes or 70 depending on which side of the creek you live on.

   • Test the drive at 7:30am, not midday
   • Decide villa vs townhouse vs apartment — it changes the price per square foot dramatically
   • Factor the school run into the same journey, not as a separate trip

5. Step 5 · 1–2 months before

   Sign the tenancy and register it

   Landlords typically want post-dated cheques — one to four for the year. Fewer cheques usually means a lower rent.

   • Register the contract with Ejari (Dubai) or Tawtheeq (Abu Dhabi) — you need it for utilities and visas
   • Expect an agency fee around 5% and a refundable security deposit
   • Check whether chiller (air-conditioning) charges are included or billed separately

6. Step 6 · First 30 days

   Land, get the Emirates ID, open a bank account

   The residency chain runs in a fixed order: entry permit, medical test and biometrics, then the Emirates ID and residence visa stamp. Nothing else unlocks until that's done.

   • Complete the medical fitness test and biometrics within the entry permit's validity
   • You need the Emirates ID (or its application) to open a local bank account and get a mobile contract
   • Convert your driving licence if your country is on the exchange list — otherwise you'll need lessons and a test

7. Step 7 · First 90 days

   Settle the family in

   Once residency is issued you can sponsor dependants, register with a clinic and finish the admin that makes the place feel like home.

   • Sponsor spouse and children — this needs an attested marriage certificate and a tenancy contract
   • Arrange health insurance for every dependant; it's mandatory in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
   • Set up DEWA/ADDC, internet, and a Salik or Darb toll tag