Moving to Dubai with 14 mnth old baby?

[Swan Family]

Hi guys, my husband has had a job offer from a consulting company and we are thinking seriously about taking it, but I have a couple of questions first.

1. When we get off the plane, when we first arrive in Dubai, do I need to have a car seat for my baby? Do you arrange for a taxi to have a car seat? Or do you just hold on to them with dear life?

2. The company is located in Wafi Residence. What apartment options do we have close to this that is baby friendly? I don't want you to tell me what is nice etc I just need options so I can investigate them. Can we live in Wafi Residences?

3. How do I get around with a baby that needs a car seat as I will have to rely on public transport?

4. We are from Australia, so can someone tell me if we need to and if so how we get documents notarised? Do we have to go to Sydney or can we get this done by our local solicitor etc?

I'm sorry for the stupid questions but I have just been told 10 mins ago that I may have to pack up and move for this big adventure and I have all these questions and no one here knows any answers.

Thankyou for any help given.
Kelly

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by Swan Family

Hi guys, my husband has had a job offer from a consulting company and we are thinking seriously about taking it, but I have a couple of questions first.

1. When we get off the plane, when we first arrive in Dubai, do I need to have a car seat for my baby? Do you arrange for a taxi to have a car seat? Or do you just hold on to them with dear life?

2. The company is located in Wafi Residence. What apartment options do we have close to this that is baby friendly? I don't want you to tell me what is nice etc I just need options so I can investigate them. Can we live in Wafi Residences?

3. How do I get around with a baby that needs a car seat as I will have to rely on public transport?

4. We are from Australia, so can someone tell me if we need to and if so how we get documents notarised? Do we have to go to Sydney or can we get this done by our local solicitor etc?

I'm sorry for the stupid questions but I have just been told 10 mins ago that I may have to pack up and move for this big adventure and I have all these questions and no one here knows any answers.

Thankyou for any help given.
Kelly

Hi and welcome to the forum

Yes, I suggest you take your car seat (just from personal experience).
We collected our seat along with our luggage, and secured it in the taxi ourselves.
The traffic can be terrible, I wouldnt risk not using a car seat here.

2.I believe there are furnished and unfurnished apartments in Wafi Residence.Sorry, I cant help with what they are like though.

3.If you need to rely on public transport, then Im afraid you will have to drag the car seat along. I dont drive here eiter, and have 3 kids, but I just do my shopping etc, when DH can drop me off somewhere and collect me later.
I have only shopped a few times using a taxi/car seat - too much hassle IMHO.

4.We are from Oz too.
We took our wedding certificate (the real one- not one from church), and our school certificates to a notary in Melbourne. He notarised the documents and they were stamped.
Then we went to DFAT in Melb, and they attested that the signatures were real and true- then they stamped the document.
From there the document went to the UAE embassy in Canberra to be stamped.

The process took a week or so, and wasnt too expensive (sorry cant remember the costs)

[alli]

Hi Kelly,
I've just made the move from Sydney myself and have all the answers! I think!

1. When we get off the plane, when we first arrive in Dubai, do I need to have a car seat for my baby? Do you arrange for a taxi to have a car seat? Or do you just hold on to them with dear life?
I actually have no idea. Taxis as far as I know do not have baby seats. What hotel are you staying at when you arrive? They should be able to organise a pickup for you and also a baby seat if required. We got picked up by my hubby's company on arrival.

2. The company is located in Wafi Residence. What apartment options do we have close to this that is baby friendly? I don't want you to tell me what is nice etc I just need options so I can investigate them. Can we live in Wafi Residences?
You can live in Wafi residences if you are rich. I work in Wafi too actually. I don't think anywhere around Wafi or Health Care City is particularly baby friendly. The family friendly areas are further down the coast to be honest. This whole area is known as Old Dubai, cos it's old and run down for the most part. Wafi and HealthCare city are exceptions to this cos they are new. Areas around Wafi include Oud Metha, Health Care City, Karama, Umm Hurair, Deira and Bur Dubai. The only thing I can compare these areas to in Sydney is Haymarket. But instead of being Chinatown, it's Indiatown.

3. How do I get around with a baby that needs a car seat as I will have to rely on public transport?

Why will you have to rely on public transport? Just so you know it is NOTHING like home. It's packed to the rafters full of poor workers who can't afford cars, and they have a womens section at the front of the bus cos they men leer at you.
If you can't afford a car, you can't afford to come to Dubai. Seriously. Especially with a baby.

4. We are from Australia, so can someone tell me if we need to and if so how we get documents notarised? Do we have to go to Sydney or can we get this done by our local solicitor etc?

You have to get everything notarised, authenticated, blah blah!
Here is your checklist
1) get 30 passport photos, of each of you.
2) Get 30 copies of your passport itself.
3) Get an international drivers licence so you can drive while your residency is being processed
3) Get a copy of your marriage certificate - one to leave at home and one to bring to Dubai. Get the certificate you are taking to Dubai and do the following;
a) Take your marriage certificate to the Passports Office located just next to central station. You lodge it there - allow 5 days to attest.
b) You then have to mail your attested marriage certificate to the UAE consulate in Canberra - you cannot physically drive there and take it in yourself, you must mail it. Allow yourself another 5 days for them to authenticate it.

Then once you get to Dubai, you have to authenticate your marriage certificate AGAIN with the local authorities but your hubbys company will do this (i think).

That's just for marriage certificates.

If either of you have degrees, they must be authenticated as well, using the same process as above. The ony difference is if either of you went to a non state college (ie APM or another college) and not to a state funded university, you have to firstly get that certificate notarised by a lawyer. Then you continue on the process above. I had to get my HSC authenticated in order to work here!

If you have any other questions just ask...

[hopeful]

Hi Kelly, although I can't be much help I just wanted to let you know that we are in the same boat as you, our daughter is also 14 months old but we're coming from the UK. Is soo important to get things right when you've got a LO isn't it!

[Swan Family]

Hi guys, thanks for all your answers, I feel a little better about the move after a good night sleep and all your help.

Alli - My husband will have a car but I don't think I want to drive over there. Do you think it would still be possible for me to live over there if I'm stuck indoors all day? I can tell you I'm not an outdoors person to start with, but I do like to go out every now and then to the shops etc.

Another question is about doctors. Is it easy to get on the books of a local doctor? I now here if the books are shut you need to go to a medical centre and just sit and wait for the next available doctor. How does it all work over there?

Where abouts does everyone live? How expensive is it? How long would it be to Wafi Residence?

How hard is it to rent a place? Do they require rental references etc?

I have heard about The Springs, The Meadows, The Lakes, The Ranches and The Greens. Do these places have apartments or are they just villas? We don't want to have any lawn maintenance etc to do on the weekend thats why we want an apartment.

Also with rent payments up front, does it all depend on where you rent or does every landlord expect 12 months rent in advance?

(My husband is only discussing offers with the company at the moment so we haven't signed anything as yet. And I need all my questions answered before I'm happy LOL.)

Thanks again for all your help

Kelly

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by Swan Family

Hi guys, thanks for all your answers, I feel a little better about the move after a good night sleep and all your help.

Alli - My husband will have a car but I don't think I want to drive over there. Do you think it would still be possible for me to live over there if I'm stuck indoors all day? I can tell you I'm not an outdoors person to start with, but I do like to go out every now and then to the shops etc.

Another question is about doctors. Is it easy to get on the books of a local doctor? I now here if the books are shut you need to go to a medical centre and just sit and wait for the next available doctor. How does it all work over there?

Where abouts does everyone live? How expensive is it? How long would it be to Wafi Residence?

How hard is it to rent a place? Do they require rental references etc?

I have heard about The Springs, The Meadows, The Lakes, The Ranches and The Greens. Do these places have apartments or are they just villas? We don't want to have any lawn maintenance etc to do on the weekend thats why we want an apartment.

Also with rent payments up front, does it all depend on where you rent or does every landlord expect 12 months rent in advance?

(My husband is only discussing offers with the company at the moment so we haven't signed anything as yet. And I need all my questions answered before I'm happy LOL.)

Thanks again for all your help

Kelly

Kelly - Im not an outdoor person either - and I manage it....BUT it depends on hour flexible your hubbies hours are. My DH works for himself, so I have the luxury of him being able to take me where I want, without too much hassle ( but I ususally plan days out, so he knows in advance)
If your DH is stuck at work from 7 -7 , 6 days a week, you may struggle a little though..

Places like Arabian Ranches, Springs, Meadows and Lakes are all villas.

The Greens are apartments.
I believe Alli lives there, and is really happy with the area.

People generally chose areas to live in that are either close to schools, work ...or the big one- within their budget.
As you may be aware, schooling and education are both very expensive here.

Most landlords expect rent to be paid up front (1 cheque), though others will acept 2 or 3 cheques...depends on LL.
In all of our years in Dubai, we had to pay with 1 cheque, and now we moved to Sharjah this wee, our LL was happy with 2 cheques, but we negotiated a better price by paying with 1 cheque.

Most companies, either pay this upfront for you, or may even offer to give you an interest free loan, and you have the payments taken from your salary each month.
It really depend on the company - ideally, you dont want to be paying it from your own pocket !