Moving to Dubai From US: Checklist and Tips

Pre-Move Preparation

To ensure your smooth relocation, you need to conduct careful research and planning before moving to Dubai from the US. Here are some key points to consider:

• First of all, learn about UAE culture, laws, and customs to have an easy cultural integration and experience minimal cultural shock.
• Learn about Dubai’s healthcare system. Health insurance is mandatory, so confirm your employer’s coverage or plan to purchase private insurance.
• Learn about visa types. The main ones are the Golden visa, Virtual work visa, Green visa, Blue visa, retirement visa, and Student visa. Understand which one’s the best fit for you and apply for it.
• Prepare all the necessary documents, learn about the costs for the visa application, and open a bank account in UAE.
• Decide whether you want to buy a property or rent it for your stay.

Visa and Residency Requirements

Before moving to Dubai from the US, make sure you learn about visa and residency requirements. As an American, you can have 2 main options for staying in Dubai.

Short-Term Visa Options

Short-term visa options include:

• Tourist Visa: US citizens who have a valid passport for no less than 6 months, don’t need to obtain a UAE visa before flying there if the duration of their visit doesn’t exceed a month.
• Business Visa: This type is ideal for those visiting for work-related purposes. Duration and requirements vary based on the visit's purpose and the company sponsoring the visa.

Long-Term Visa Options

Want to know how to move to Dubai? Here are some long-term visa options:

• Student Visa: This visa is available for those who want to attend accredited educational institutions in Dubai. This type of visa is usually sponsored by the institution. The expiration date depends on the duration of the study program.
• Green Visa: A Green visa is a five-year visa given to professionals, freelancers, and self-employed people. If you’re a freelancer and self-employed, you need to:

• Have a freelance or self-employment permit received by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
• Have a bachelor’s degree
• Have at least 360,000 AED annual income
• Have proof of sufficient funds during their stay

Skilled professionals need to:

• Have a valid employment contract
• Have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• Have at least 15,000 AED monthly income

• Acquire an occupational level classified as first, second, or third by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)

• Retirement Visa: This type of visa is available for those who are at least 55 years old, and have their own property or sufficient income or savings. As an applicant, you should:some text
  • Have at least AED180,000 annual income
  • Have at least AED1 million in savings in a three-year fixed deposit
  • Have an unmortgaged property worth at least AED1 million
  • Have a mortgaged property with at least AED1 million paid off
  • A combination of three-year fixed deposit savings and property, worth a minimum of AED1 million in total, with property making up at least AED500,000
• Golden Visa: A Golden Visa is designed for investors, entrepreneurs, professionals, and talented individuals, who want to acquire a  5-10-year residency in Dubai.

You can find more about the types of visas in this article.

UAE Golden Visa Opportunities for US Citizens

One of the key options for moving to Dubai from the US is applying for a UAE Golden Visa, which is available for investors, professionals, and talented individuals. As an investor, you should:

• Own a real estate property worth at least 2,000,000 AED.
• Invest in a UAE-accredited fund with a minimum amount of deposit of 2,000,000 AED.
• Found a company with at least 2,000,000 AED capital.
• Be a partner of another company with a share of at least 2,000,000 AED.

As an entrepreneur, you need to:

• Own or be a partner of a pioneering project registered with Dubai Future Authority,
• Own or be a partner of SME (small or medium enterprise)
• Be a founder of a registered pioneering project that’s been sold for at least 7,000,000 AED.

As a humanitarian worker, you need to:

• Have a recommendation from the Ministry of Community Development 
• Have a university degree

To make applying for the Golden Visa program easier, it’s advisable to contact an experienced consulting agency, that will help you through the whole process.

Life in UAE: Pros and Cons

Before learning how to move to Dubai from the USA, consider all the pros and cons of life in UAE.

Pros:

• Tax-Free Income: Your personal income isn’t a subject of taxation, which allows you to retain your full salary and build wealth more effectively.
• World-Class Infrastructure: With modern skyscrapers, public transport, huge malls, and entertainment hubs, Dubai creates a good environment for its residents and foreigners.
• Safety and Security: Dubai is ranked as one of the safest cities globally due to its low crime rate and high safety index.
• Career Opportunities: The city is a center for industries like finance, technology, tourism, and real estate, attracting professionals from around the world.
• Advanced Healthcare and Education: Dubai has one of the most advanced healthcare services and educational systems.

Cons:

• Strict Laws: While laws ensure safety, they can be restrictive for expats unfamiliar with cultural and legal norms.
• Extreme Weather: Summers can be intensely hot, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F), limiting outdoor activities for several months.
• Traffic: Despite a modern public transport system, being in traffic can be overwhelming.
• Cultural Adjustment: Dubai is home to over 200 different nationalities. Adapting to a large cultural diversity can be hard especially when you try to adjust your behavior to each of the cultural representatives.
• Job Security: Jobs can be tied to visa sponsorship, and losing a job might cause you to lose your residency.

Financial and Tax Considerations in UAE

If you want to know how to prepare financially for the UAE and how to live in Dubai, you need to take into account the key financial and tax considerations in Dubai. You can benefit from its tax-friendly system. In fact, there are:

• No annual property tax: property owners don’t pay an annual property tax in Dubai.
• No income tax or capital gains: Profits on the property sale or rental income aren’t a subject of taxation.
• No VAT on Resales and Rentals: A new residential property is subject to 5% VAT. However, subsequent sales and rental income aren’t subject to VAT.
• Registration Fee: If you’re considering buying a property in UAE, the most significant fee that you’re gonna pay is the one-time charge to DLD for your property registration. It’s typically 4% of the property.
• Bank account: Opening a UAE bank account is essential for salary deposits and daily transactions. 
• Currency and exchange rates: The UAE dirham (AED) is pegged to the US dollar, providing exchange rate stability for US citizens.