Moving to the United Arab Emirates Checklist

Use this moving abroad planner I’ve put together for the United Arab Emirates as a checklist of everything you need to know and do before and after you arrive in this country.

A few months before you leave for the United Arab Emirates, you will likely need to:

• Choose a city using Wikitravel.
• Make a budget based on the cost of living information found on Numbeo or Expatistan.
• Check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website to see if you need to get any vaccines.
• Book a flight on Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, directly on the airline’s website, or your favorite flight booking site.
• Book short term accommodation using TripAdvisor, Expedia, Hotels.com, Airbnb, Hostelworld, Booking.com, or your favorite accommodation booking site.
• Get travel insurance from World Nomads or your favorite travel insurance company.
• Research United Arab Emirates visa requirements and, if necessary, secure a visa.
• Start to learn Arabic.
• Find an international relocation company using Expat Focus.
• Learn about how to ship your dog, cat or pet at PetRelocation.com.

Several weeks in advance of your departure to the United Arab Emirates, you should:

• Notify your bank and post office that you are moving.
• Check currency exchange rates at Oanda.com.
• Find out what electric outlets are used in United Arab Emirates by doing a search on this Wikipedia page.
• Shop for last minute items on Amazon.com.
• Learn about the airport amenities by browsing iFly.com.
• Track your flight status using Flight Stats or Flight Aware.

Upon arrival in the United Arab Emirates, you might need to:

• Take a taxi from the airport to where you will be staying.
• Get a rental car on Expedia, Travelocity, or your favorite car rental booking site.

In the first few weeks after you arrive, you might have to:

• Sign up for an online dating site.
• Find an apartment.
• Continue looking for a job.
• Explore telephone and internet options.
• Check out good places to eat using a site like TripAdvisor.
• Research things to do on Wikitravel.
• Check to see when the public holidays are.

During the first few months after you arrive, you might have to:

• Search for a doctor or dentist.

During your first year, you might need to:

• Apply for a driver’s license.
• Extend, renew, or apply for a new visa.
• Follow some good expat blogs.

Further Reading

• Worldwide Moving Guide: Everything you need to know in order to plan your move to 65+ countries around the world.

• Worldwide Jobs Guide: Be sure to check out my posts on how to find jobs in any country in the world.

• Worldwide Apartments Guide: If you are interested in renting an apartment in this country, take a look at my articles on how to find an apartment in various countries around the world.

• Worldwide Dating Guide: Also, check out my posts on the best online dating sites in 60+ countries around the world.

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