Welcome to Dubai and a new and exciting life. There is a lot to learn and while this is not a complete guide to setting up in Dubai, it does give you a useful overview of many of the financial and legal issues that new residents need to be aware of.
The laws have changed a number of times in recent years and this article is regularly updated to take these changes into account.
Your ability to live in the UAE is linked to employment and it is impossible to rent a property (apart from on a short-term basis) without a residency visa and accompanying identity card.
These will be provided by your employer or as part of the package when you set up a trade licence if you wish to have your own business. There are now a few other visa options but you still need a visa to reside in the UAE.
Having an identity card is mandatory and you will be unable to do many things without it.
You also need a visa and ID card to buy a car, rent a property, get a UAE driving licence, get an alcohol licence – still a legal requirement for Dubai residents if you want to buy alcohol anywhere and or keep alcohol in your home although there are no charges these days and you getget your licence online in minutes.
Children require an ID card to attend school.
The rules can vary between emirates, and although the main legal issues are correct for all, this guide is mainly for Dubai residents.