Are you moving to Dubai - this might help

[Ogri750]

Your commute could easily be at least an 1hr - 1.5hrs morning and evening

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by Ogri750

Your commute could easily be at least an 1hr - 1.5hrs morning and evening

and a bit...I would allow 2 hrs - A lot will depend where on Sharjah you are traveling from ( LOTS of road works in Sharjah at the moment)...it only takes 1 accident to slow/stop the traffic !!

[ricardo8]

Originally Posted by sgilli3

and a bit...I would allow 2 hrs - A lot will depend where on Sharjah you are traveling from ( LOTS of road works in Sharjah at the moment)...it only takes 1 accident to slow/stop the traffic !!

Thanks very much for your responses, guys.

One further question -- when is the metro (red line?) due to be finished? I am looking at moving to Dubai early next year and wonder if the metro is going to be a possibility when commuting from Sharjah (presumably by parking-and-riding).

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by ricardo8

Thanks very much for your responses, guys.

One further question -- when is the metro (red line?) due to be finished? I am looking at moving to Dubai early next year and wonder if the metro is going to be a possibility when commuting from Sharjah (presumably by parking-and-riding).

The metro is due to open 09/09/09

It will only be running in Dubai, not Sharjah

[beachmelba]

i have a question - what does having various documents 'notarised' mean exactly? Ta

Originally Posted by Elphaba

Whilst GA & I, plus a couple of other experienced posters, are happy to give views on salary packages, it would make our lives easier if people would take the time to do a few things for themselves and take the following into account. Thanks

In no particular order:

1. Note the quoted going rates for accommodation. (AED 90K pa one bed, AED 145k pa 2 bed - approx)

2. Quote income on a monthly basis in Dirhams (AED) please

3. If you want to drive immediately, get a lease car, but obtain an International Driving Permit from your home country. That way you haven't got to worry about taking the time to get a Dubai licence during your first couple of weeks.

4. Yes, you can get pork & alcohol and no, women don't have to cover (although some respect for our hosts doesn't go amiss).

5. It is illegal for unmarried couples to cohabit.

6. If you want to know what's going on, get a copy of Time Out.

7. For information on how to get things done/deal with government departements/legal issues/etc, buy yourself a copy of Dubai Explorer - available from Amazon.

8. If you don't know already, learn a little about Islam. You will find it useful. And be aware that everything takes longer in Ramadan and certain restrictions apply.

9. The driving is bad. It is worse than you think & driving in various capital cities is not the same.

10. Get various documents notarised before you move to the UAE - marriage certificate, education certificates.

11. Voltage is 220/240v. Plugs are UK style 3 pin.

12. Summer is VERY hot and it can be chilly in winter, especially in the evenings. Bring a few jumpers.

[Ogri750]

Notarised means getting them certified that they are genuine

[greatexpectations]

here's my good deed for the day - as a thankyou to those who have helped me!

i have summarised the most useful info in this thread... hope this helps !

i will add more to this when i can...



Schools

School fees for primary/elementary school will cost you a MINIMUM of 30,000 dhs per child ( older children about 50- 60,000 dhs a year) - not including uniforms, extra curricular activities or transport.
Schools here also have long wait lists, so best to put your childrens names down at many schools ( there will be a registration fee too). You may not also get them all in at the same school...



BSME: British Schools in the Middle East
http://www.bsme.org.uk/schools/

Welcome to DubaiKidz.Biz
http://www.dubaikidz.biz/schools.html

Schools and Universities in Dubai
http://www.dubaifaqs.com/schools-lis...sation_emirate

Nurseries

Jebel Ali Nursery at Polo Club (AR) is approx 5,000 dhs a term for 2 mornings, and 8,000 for 5 days (8am-12)
Kids Island in Umm Sequeim 6,900 a term (5 days), or 4,900 a term ( 2 days)
Super Kids- Mirdiff - 6,000 a term (full time)
Childrens Oasis 5,000 dhs PER MONTH ( for 5 days, 8 - 5pm)

Nurseries in Dubai
http://dubai-ski.com/schools/Nurseries.html


Residency Visa

This is supplied by your employer, once you arrive the application for residency visa starts. You will need to have a blood test and in some cases a chest xray. This is organised by your Company. If you are a British Passport Holder you can stay in the UAE for 60 days without a visa, you can also exit and re-enter on two occasions before completing your residency visa.

In most cases you will need your residency visa to enable you to rent accomodation. Some however will take a letter from your Company confirming that they are infact going through the process of applying for your visa. Some banks will allow you to open an account without your visa but I am not 100% sure which ones. You WILL need a visa to obtain any credit and also to buy and register a vehicle.

Accomodation - Rental

Expensive! ensure that you get a big enough housing allowance to cover your rent. Rents for one bed apartments are starting in the region of 90k up to 120k and 120k to 150k for a two depending on the area where you choose to live.

If you plan to rent for a limited period, just try to get somewhere relatively central, although much will depend on the availablilty of aprtments for rental periods of less than one year. There is bound to be plenty of apartments to rent in JBR.

Villas - 3 bed - 180 - 200K
4 bed - 220 upwards

The main European areas are the developments that have been built buy Emaar - The Springs, The Meadows, The Lakes, The Ranches, The Greens. There are however europeans living all over Dubai so don't isolate yourself to just one area. The best way to chose where to live is to live as close to your place of work as possible.

Rent is usually paid up front in advance 1 or 2 cheques to cover the year. Employers often help with loans for this.

Accomodation – Buying

I strongly recommend that you get to know Dubai a little before buying. I would also urge caution regarding which developer you buy from. Some have very poor reputations regarding build quality.

Buying in the UAE is different elsewhere, so do some home work. Elphaba can help with mortgages.

Accomodation – cohabitation

Is illegal. Breaking the law in UAE is not to be taken lightly, and there is some noise about a government clampdown on villa shares.

However, many people do still choose to share.

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20...9389/1018/NEWS

Driving

Driving is horrendous - no other word to describe the standard of driving out here. Think: Congestion, aggression and accidents. However, car prices are reasonable and petrol is 20% of EU prices, and there are few easy alternatives. To get an idea of 2nd hand prices pre-arrival checkout www.dubizzle.com and look in the gulf news classifieds. http://www.gnads4u.com/wheels

If you want to drive immediately, get a lease car, but obtain an International Driving Permit from your home country. That way you haven't got to worry about taking the time to get a Dubai licence during your first couple of weeks.

Driving is dangerous so you need to take some time to get used to the roads - always start on a Friday morning when quiet. Don't bother when visiting though as you'll spend too much time getting lost!

Car rental

Usual international agencies serve Dubai. Cheaper deals from local companies.

Driving License

When going to get your drivers license you'll need photocopies of your passport with the photo page and then one with the visa in it and drivers license front and back. On the application form for your license you will have to have your company stamp on it at the bottom of the page in the narrow box and signed by the HR person. 110 AED to pay. I recommend going to the RTA headquarters in Dubai City behind Terminal 2. The line moves quickly in the morning and they are organized well there. You will also need a drivers certificate from a vision center locally and the vision test/check cost 25 AED.


Metro/Tube/Subway

Due to complete mid 2009 and serve Dubai.



Domestic help

Minimum monthly salary which you are required to pay by law varies from nationality to nationality. Phillipina maids have the highest minimum salary of around 1500 Dirhams a month if she lives with you. I think Sri Lankan maids have a minimum of around 800 Dirhams (if your conscience permits this!). 1500 to 1800 a month seems to be about average, with every Friday off. If baby sitting is required in the evenings, this is usually paid for on top of their monthly salary.

Most people…who have maids do a routine something like this: They get up around 6 to help with school lunches etc and work until 12 doing housework/ironing/whatever. They have a longer break during the day and come back on when kids are home from school (4pm??) and help with dinner, dishes etc and then knock off.

1500Dirhams is considered a fair wage. Sadly, some are on a lot less.


Shipping

If we bring all our clobber we fill a 20 footer. We are looking into the cost/benefit of shedding some stuff and buying in dubai. will share the conclusion of our work when we know it.

on the what to bring / not to bring issue, advice received so far can be summed up as follows:

1. Beds: not hugely cheap to buy 2nd hand. good to bring.
2. White goods: Many kitchens are small, so american fridge freezer may not be a good idea. With the exception of some furnished flats, dishwashers and washing machines are not normally provided, so bring your existing one if you have container space.
3. Satnav - need to pay for mapping, and constantly out of date. Don't bother.
4. Car - probably not worth it for those coming form rhd countries. For those coming from LHDrive zones, may be worthwhile, but beware of vehicles that are under specced (aircon etc) for the extreme heat. Gulf vehicles are different.
5. Bicycles, Childrens swings, slides etc. Bring if you have space in your container. Cycling for kids seems popular on the large estates and in the parks.
6. Food - most stuff is available, we plan on bringing a small supply of very specific uk fare which will cost more in dubai.
7. Garden furniture: bring - space permitting
8. TV's: cheap to buy in dubai, but not worth selling at a huge loss if you have space.
9. Clothing: light jackets and sweaters for winter and malls.
10. Pets: will be ok for 8 months of the year. Bear in mind they will need to be kept indoors most of June-Sep though. (Summing up what I have read - is this fair?)
11. Electrical goods: Voltage is 220/240v. Plugs are UK style 3 pin.
11. Wife and family. Bring, but be prepared to ship home over summer months

on cost, from UK: £3.5k for full 20ft container (they will pack for you - self pack no offered). £2k for half.


Social Life

If you want to know what's going on, get a copy of Time Out.

Paperwork and aministration

For information on how to get things done/deal with government departements/legal issues/etc, buy yourself a copy of Dubai Explorer - available from Amazon.

Get various documents notarised before you move to the UAE - marriage certificate, education certificates. Many employers will do this for you.

Brings 30 + passport photos on a white background. You’ll need them.


Life for women

Dubai is safe for women, so long as you take the same precautions you would any where else in the world.
Women can work here quite comfortably.

You can get stared at though – especially on public beaches.


Further reading

Life in Dubai - Telegraph Mentor - Telegraph

Furnishing

Indian furniture stores have cheap stuff, all new.
You can have curtains made, for $50-$100 dollars per pair – more depending on material

Banking

Most international banks are present, service levels are patchy – even with a given bank!
Forex companies offer better rates for transfers of GBP 10,000 (or equivalent) or over.
It is worth getting your bank to confirm the timescales when opening an account, as it can drag on for weeks.

Credits: Elphaba, Geordie Armani, Sgilli3, Flossie, Okos12, Ogri750, Maz25 ....and many others...

[Duckers]

Hi Geordie Armarni....I'm new on this and you seem to be the man in the know?!
My wife and I are moving there in a couple of weeks, everything is sorted but just had a query regarding my wifes visa. She's being sponsored by me and I understand that she won't be able to work, but if she does find a job over there and wants to start is it just simply a case of her reapplying for an employment visa?

Thanks

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by Duckers

Hi Geordie Armarni....I'm new on this and you seem to be the man in the know?!
My wife and I are moving there in a couple of weeks, everything is sorted but just had a query regarding my wifes visa. She's being sponsored by me and I understand that she won't be able to work, but if she does find a job over there and wants to start is it just simply a case of her reapplying for an employment visa?

Thanks

Hi sure GA would have a giggle ( GA is a female )

She can work. Her visa will say "Housewife- no permitted to work"...or something along those lines.
She will just need a NOC from you (No Objection Certificate), and then her employer will sort out her employment card. ( she will stay under your sponsorship- which makes changing jobs etc easier)

[LeeWT]

ooops i thought GA was a man too!