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 regularly in recent years and this article was updated in February 2022 to take these 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 one to reside in the UAE.
Having an identity card in 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 – a legal requirement for Dubai residents if you want to buy alcohol anywhere and or keep alcohol in your home. Chilldren require them to attend school.
The rules can vary between emirates, although the main legal issues are correct for all, but this guide is mainly for Dubai residents.