How to move to Dubai permanently from UK permanently?
A permanent move to Dubai is indeed a great idea because this city unlocks a vibrant lifestyle and countless career development opportunities. Tax-free income and low cost of living as compared to other western countries has made Dubai an ultimate hub for expat. Thereby more than 84 percent of Dubai’s population consist of expatriates.
Since it’s a big decision, thereby you need to plan it well and ensure that you cover every aspect of your new life in Dubai. Prospr is always here to help expat make a hassle-free move in Dubai.
Thereby, we unlock a comprehensive guide regarding how to move to Dubai permanently from the UK. Our intention is to help you with every step of the move. So, let’s get started and find out what are crucial steps you need to take.
Step 1- Planning your move to Dubai
The very first thing you need to do is to plan for your moving to Dubai permanently. In this regard, you need to have a clear idea about.
Understand Visa requirements
There are different kinds of visas you can get and land in the UAE. If your decision for moving to Dubai isn’t final and you are just not sure, apply for a short-term tourist visa. It will cost you less money but once you spend actual time there, you can stay there and apply for residency visa.
Employment visa is your best bet, because you don’t need to spend too much money. All you need to do is to secure a job and then the employer will take care of your visa. If you are investing in Dubai, you can attain an investor visa.
Know all about: Residency visa in Dubai
Moving to Dubai permanently with family, consider getting a family visa. Now when it comes to apply for visa, you need to provide following documents:
- Passport-size photographs
- Visa fee
- Passport copies
- Visa application form
As far as fee is concerned, you will pay AED 4,000 for an investor visa with a renewal fee of AED 1,750. Cost of a 2-year family visa in Dubai is AED 3550 without insurance and AED 5322 with insurance.
Single entry visit visa, not extendable for 30 days cost AED 250. Cost of multiple-entry short-term tourist visa will be 690 AED.
Exact timeline for getting a visa depends on the type of visa you apply for.
Do you need more information about visa, you need to get information from the government websites:
Dubai Government’s Official Portal
General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
Step 2- Finding employment in Dubai
The easiest way to move to Dubai permanently from UK is by getting employment. If you can secure a job, you can easily move to Dubai because all the work permits and visa procedures will be handled by our employer.
Now the question is how you can find the best jobs in Dubai.
- You can rely on online platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Bayt list numerous job opportunities in Dubai. OR
- you can get your foot in the Dubai market by getting help from recruitment agencies like Robert Half and Michael Page.
- There are some job boards such as GulfTalent and NaukriGulf that help you find the best job in any industry.
Read why Brits are moving from UK to Dubai to avoid tax?
Working in Dubai
As far as working in Dubai is concerned, your work day starts from Monday and end on Friday whereas you can enjoy weekend on Saturday and Sunday. UAE government has made changes in working hours just to align it well with international level. Salaries completely depend on your job position, and entity size. Minimum wage range in Dubai is AED 5000. You can expect AED 19000 to AED 21500 as average monthly salary in a business sector.
Step 3- Researching Dubai lifestyle
Once you have a job, half of the tension will be released. So, the next important thing you need to focus on is understanding the lifestyle in Dubai as an expat. It’s not your home country and things will be different there.
Must read: What to know must before moving to Dubai
Accommodation
You are done with your job and work permit. Now the next thing to take care of is where to live in Dubai. If you are a newly web couple, you can rent an apartment. Bachelors can share apartments.
When you have a plan to rent a property, you can either rent for long-term or short-term. Long term means leasing a place for a full year while short term means renting space for one month or less.
Read the detailed guide about where to live in Dubai as an expat?
However, if you are planning to move to Dubai permanently with your family, then the best places to live with family are:
- Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR)
- Mudon
- Palm Jumeirah
- Arabian Ranches
If you are an entrepreneur and investor who wants to stay close to Dubai business hub, you can rent a place in the following locations in Dubai:
- Dubai Marina
- Downtown Dubai
- Business Bay
- Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT)
- City Walk.
Now the next question is where you can find properties, house or apartments on rent, here are two resources you can use for finding house on rent for Dubai:
If you don’t want to rent a place, another option you have is to fully own an apartment unit in Dubai. Here are some freehold communities where you can find such units to invest in:
- Palm Jumeirah
- Dubai investment park
- Burj Khalifa
- Motor City
- The greens
- Dubai Sports City
- JBR
- Jebel Ali
If you have specific requirements regarding your accommodation and want to settle as a UK expat in Dubai, Prospr can help you with the move. From helping you find the best place to live with your family to assisting you with setting up a business in Dubai, our experts are always there to assist you. Send us inquiries at hello@prosprplus.ae
Read the guide about moving to Dubai from the UK with a dog
Step 4- Transportation
When you are done with finding accommodation in Dubai, it’s time to start thinking about the next important thing regarding your move to Dubai. Well, it means deciding about transportation options.
Dig into 13 benefits of moving to Dubai
Commuting in Dubai is super convenient as you can make the most of different kinds of transportation such as Tram, metro, buses, private caps, taxi, and uber. If you book a car through an app, it will cost you more money than using a local taxi.
As far as paying for the transportation is concerned, it’s always a good idea to use Nol Smart Card– this e-card is a convenient way to make transportation payments as compared to cash and bank card payments. You get discounts and deals on fare while using this smart card.
Driving in Dubai
If you don’t want to use public transportation, you can buy your own car. Before you shop a car, you need a driving license and then you will get auto insurance via Roads and Transportation Association (RTA) website.
You will pay a service fee of AED 500 for getting your driving license. It’s vital that you are at least 21 years old or more and don’t have any disease that impacts you driving properly. You will pass a driving test conducted by the Emirati government. For getting your license, you will provide a copy of a valid residency visa, a copy of your rental contract, and an official letter from your sponsor and employer.
Step 5-Shipping Your Belongings
When it comes to moving your belongings to Dubai, you will have two options. Air Freight is the quickest one but quite expensive. If you need to move some things urgently to the UAE, you will pay more. On the flip side, if you can wait for your belongings, go with Sea-freight.
It’s a cost-effective option when you have large qualities or bulky items in your belongings. Always take quotes from multiple companies, so it becomes easy for you to pick the one that costs you less money and help you move all your essential items to Dubai.
Here is a table highlighting the estimated cost of different shipping methods you can use to move your belongings from the UK to Dubai.
| Shipping method | Estimated cost (GBP) | Estimated Duration | Notes |
| Air Freight | £1,000 – £3,000 | 3-7 days | Suitable for small, urgent shipments. Cost depends on weight and size. |
| Sea Freight (Full Container Load – FCL) | £2,000 – £4,000 | 20-30 days | Cost-effective for large shipments. 20ft or 40ft containers available. |
| Sea Freight (Less than Container Load – LCL) | £300 – £800 | 20-40 days | Suitable for smaller shipments that don’t fill a container. Costs based on volume. |
| Courier service | £50 – £150 (per 10 kg) | 3-7 days | For very small shipments. Major companies include DHL, FedEx, and UPS. |
Calculate your cost of moving to Dubai
You can’t move everything from the UK to Dubai, there are some prohibited items like drugs, medication, narcotics, etc. Please check Dubai Customs website for a complete list of prohibited items.
How will you ship your items from the UK or any other country to Dubai?
Well, you will get help from companies that offers international moving services such as
Step 6- Setting Up Your Finances
You need to use cash and card in Dubai, the question is how you are going to manage your day to day finances there. Well, it’s no different than setting up your finances in your home country. It means you need to open a bank account.
Once you have your residency visa, emirates ID card, all you need is proof of your address, passport and NOC from your employer. Now once all the documents are in your hand, visit the nearest bank and open your bank account.
How to open a bank account in Dubai as a foreigner(as a non-resident) check this guide.
You can open a savings, current or fixed deposit bank account. Currency in Dubai is UAE Dirham AED. Currency exchange services are widely available at airports, banks and exchange houses. It’s a good idea to exchange some money at the airport, so you have local currency to move around in Dubai easily.
You can exchange currency at exchange houses Al Ansari Exchange and UAE Exchange. If you want to transfer money back to your home, you can either use your bank or money exchange services such as Western Union and MoneyGram.
Enjoy hassle-free move to Dubai permanently from UK with Prospr
Moving to Dubai permanently is a big move, so you need to be careful in every step of the way. Since there are some many things, especially legal things like visa, business setup, emirates ID, etc, it’s always a good idea to get help from Prospr’s expert. We are helping families to move with comfort and convenience. Whether you need a residency visa or the best place to live in Dubai, we can help you with that. Let Prospr help you settle down in Dubai. Call now
