Guides
Straight answers on setting up in the UAE
The questions people actually ask before they move, answered plainly. Where it gets specific to you, that's what a conversation is for.
Browse by topic
Moving from the UK to Dubai
The full picture: timing, costs, and what to sort before you go.
Explore →UK & UAE Tax
Non-residency, the Statutory Residence Test, split-year, the treaty and UAE corporate tax.
Explore →Company Formation
Freezone, mainland, offshore, trade licences and self-sponsorship.
Explore →Visas & Residency
Golden, investor, freelance and employment routes, plus the Emirates ID.
Explore →Banking in Dubai
Opening an account as a Brit, and which bank actually suits you.
Explore →Relocating Your Family
Schools, areas, housing, shipping and healthcare.
Explore →Living in Dubai
The culture, the etiquette, Ramadan and settling in as a Brit.
Explore →Wealth & Pensions
UK pensions, QROPS/QNUPS and selling a UK business.
Explore →AML & Compliance
Health checks, KYC and economic substance for UAE businesses.
Explore →All guides
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What to sort in the UK before you leave for Dubai
The UK admin people forget: HMRC notification, NHS deregistration, State Pension NI gaps, and the 90/183-day traps that catch returners. A pre-departure checklist.
- UK & UAE Tax
Telling HMRC you've left: the P85 and what else to do
File the P85 online to claim a tax refund and flag your departure to HMRC. The catch: it doesn't trigger non-residency, the Statutory Residence Test does that.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I still need to file a UK tax return after leaving?
You may still need to file for the year you left, and sometimes beyond. The catch: HMRC doesn't always tell you. Here's when the obligation continues.
- Living in Dubai
Business culture in Dubai: how it differs from the UK
Dubai business culture is relationship-first and face-to-face, decisions take longer than in the UK, but move fast once trust is built. Here's what actually changes.
- UK & UAE Tax
The UAE Tax Residency Certificate: what it is and how UK leavers get one
A UAE Tax Residency Certificate is the document that proves your tax home is now the UAE. Here is what it is, why it matters when you leave the UK, and how to get one.
- Living in Dubai
What is the culture like in Dubai for British expats?
More familiar than most Brits expect, but the real differences matter: the rhythm of the week, face-to-face business, and how you're read as a Brit.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What is the average salary in Dubai?
There is no single meaningful average salary in Dubai, and for anyone moving from the UK it is almost the wrong question. Here is what actually matters: tax-free pay, cost of living, and whether you need a local salary at all.
- Visas & Residency
Do British citizens need a visa for Dubai?
To visit Dubai, no: British citizens get a visit visa free on arrival. To move there, yes, but a different kind entirely. Here is the difference, and the visa UK movers actually need.
- UK & UAE Tax
Setting up a family office in Dubai: is it right for you?
Dubai has become one of the main bases for family offices, thanks to zero personal tax and dedicated DIFC and ADGM frameworks. Here is what a family office actually is, who it suits, and why your UK tax position has to come first.
- Company Formation
How to set up a company in Dubai from the UK
You can set up a UAE company entirely from the UK, and most founders do. Here is what registration actually involves, the freezone vs mainland choice, and the two decisions that matter most before you start.
- Relocating Your Family
Schools in Dubai: a guide for UK families
Dubai has one of the widest choices of private schools anywhere, including many British-curriculum schools running GCSEs and A-levels. Here is how schooling works for UK families, and why it often decides where you live.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What do people wish they'd known before moving to Dubai?
The things UK movers consistently say they underestimated, from the tax exit paperwork to the summer heat. Honest lessons from people who've already made the move.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Is it worth moving to Dubai from the UK in 2026?
A clear-eyed look at what the move actually delivers for UK individuals and families in 2026, the genuine advantages, the real trade-offs, and what determines whether it works.
- Family Relocation
Cost of living in Dubai for a UK family
A realistic guide to what a UK family can expect to spend in Dubai, covering housing, schooling, healthcare, transport and daily life, with honest trade-offs.
- Company Formation
Best Dubai freezone for consultants and service businesses
A practical guide to choosing the right UAE freezone if you run a consulting, professional services or knowledge-based business. Covers DMCC, IFZA, DIFC, Meydan and more.
- Banking
How does a Brit open a Dubai bank account?
A practical guide for UK nationals opening a bank account in Dubai or the UAE, what banks ask for, which accounts suit which situations, and where Brits typically hit problems.
- UK & UAE Tax
How is my UK rental income taxed once I live in Dubai?
If you've moved to Dubai but still own UK property, your rental income remains taxable in the UK, even with no UAE personal income tax. Here's how the rules work.
- UK & UAE Tax
How many days can I spend in the UK after I leave? As few as 15
For many leavers it's as few as 15 days a year, set by your UK ties. Here's how the Statutory Residence Test decides your limit, and why one day over can cost you the whole tax year.
- Cross-border Wealth & Pensions
UAE wills and inheritance planning for expats
Without a registered UAE will, your assets in the Emirates may be distributed under Sharia principles regardless of your wishes. Here is what UK expats need to know.
- Cross-border Wealth & Pensions
Selling your UK business before Dubai: the tax angle
If you're planning to sell a UK business and move to Dubai, the order and timing of events matters enormously for your tax position. Here's what UK founders need to know.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What does 'Dubai-it' mean? The city's new verb, explained
Dubai became a verb. 'Dubai-it', launched by Sheikh Mohammed on 17 June 2026, means to achieve something extraordinary, with excellence, in record time. Here's what it means and where it comes from.
- UK & UAE Tax
How UK residents access UAE company profits tax-efficiently
A plain guide to the main ways a UAE company's profits can be extracted by its UK-resident owner, and what UK tax applies at each stage.
- Visas & Residency
How do I qualify for the Dubai Golden Visa?
A plain guide to the Dubai Golden Visa, who qualifies, which route fits which applicant, and what the 10-year residency actually means for UK movers.
- UK & UAE Tax
UK non-dom changes and moving to Dubai: where things stand
The UK's non-dom regime has been fundamentally restructured. Here's what changed, what it means for people who have moved to Dubai, and where the planning opportunities now lie.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I pay UK capital gains tax if I sell up after moving?
Whether you pay UK capital gains tax after leaving the UK depends on when you became non-resident and whether the temporary non-residence rules apply. Here is how it works.
- UK & UAE Tax
Does a Golden Visa make your income tax-free? The myth explained
A UAE Golden Visa grants long-term residency, it does not, by itself, make your income tax-free. Here is what actually determines your tax position when you move to Dubai.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
The Eight Principles of Dubai: what they mean if you're moving
Dubai publishes a plain blueprint for how it's run, the Eight Principles. Here's what each one says, and what several of them mean in practice if you're moving or setting up here.
- Company Formation
What is a UAE holding company, and do UK founders need one?
A UAE holding company can consolidate businesses, hold assets and ring-fence risk, but it's not a UK-tax shield. Here's what it actually does, when it helps a UK founder, and when it's overkill.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is there a UK exit tax when you move to Dubai?
The UK has no general exit tax on unrealised gains when you emigrate, but the temporary non-residence rule can still catch you, and an exit tax has been proposed. Here's where things actually stand for founders planning a Dubai move.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
How long does relocating from the UK to Dubai take?
There's no single answer, a simple setup can be a few weeks, a full family relocation a few months. Here's a realistic timeline, and the bits that actually set the pace.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is it worth moving to Dubai for tax?
Dubai's 0% personal income tax is real. Whether a move actually makes financial sense for you depends on much more than the headline rate, here's the honest picture.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving to Dubai: should you do it alone, or get help?
An honest breakdown of which parts of a UK-to-Dubai move you can handle yourself and which parts genuinely benefit from help, so you spend money only where it actually saves you.
- Visas & Residency
Do I have to live in Dubai to keep my UAE company and visa?
You don't have to live in Dubai full-time to keep a UAE company, but a residence visa needs periodic presence. How the six-month rule works, and how the Golden Visa changes it.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I still pay UK tax after moving to Dubai?
Moving to Dubai doesn't switch off your UK tax bill on its own. What matters is when you stop being UK-resident, decided by the Statutory Residence Test, not your flight date.
- Company Formation
How to choose a UAE company-setup partner (and the red flags to watch)
If you're going to use a setup firm, choose well. The honest signs of a good UAE company-formation partner, and the red flags that tell you to keep looking.
- Banking in Dubai
Can I keep my UK bank account after moving to Dubai?
Whether you can keep your UK bank account when you become a UAE resident, what banks may ask, what to tell them, and why most movers keep a UK account running alongside a UAE one.
- UK & UAE Tax
The Statutory Residence Test, explained for a Dubai move
The SRT is how HMRC decides whether you're still UK tax resident. Here's how its three parts work, and why the 'ties' test is the one that catches Dubai movers out.
- Company Formation
Why creators and digital nomads base their business in the UAE
Creators and location-independent founders increasingly base their business in the UAE, a credible, stable, 0%-personal-tax home for the brand, while living and travelling anywhere. Here's why, and the catches.
- Company Formation
Do you need a consultant to set up in the UAE, or can you do it yourself?
An honest look at when you can set up in the UAE yourself and when a consultant earns its keep, it's less about the licence and more about the cross-border joins that are costly to get wrong.
- Banking in Dubai
Documents you need to open a UAE bank account
A clear checklist of what UAE banks ask for when you open an account as a new resident, and the supporting documents that quietly make the difference between approval and delay.
- Company Formation
Can I base my company in Dubai but live abroad?
You can own and run a UAE company while living elsewhere, but residence visas need periodic UAE presence, and where you personally pay tax depends on your own circumstances. Here's the honest picture.
- Visas & Residency
The Emirates ID: what it is and how to get one
The Emirates ID is the card that unlocks daily life in the UAE, banking, tenancy, healthcare and more. Here's what it is, how you get one, and why it follows your residence visa.
- Visas & Residency
Golden vs investor vs freelance visa: which fits me?
The UAE's main residency routes compared, Golden Visa, investor visa and freelance permit, so you can see which suits your situation before you commit to a move.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving to Abu Dhabi from the UK: what's different to Dubai?
Abu Dhabi is an increasingly popular alternative to Dubai for UK movers. How the capital differs on lifestyle, cost, schools and business, and what stays the same across the UAE.
- Wealth & Pensions
What happens to my UK pension if I move to Dubai?
Your UK pension doesn't have to move when you do. Here's how it's treated, whether you can draw it from Dubai, and why transferring (QROPS/QNUPS) is a regulated-advice decision, not a default.
- Visas & Residency
How do I get a UAE residence visa from the UK?
The routes to a UAE residence visa for Brits, employment, your own company, investment and the Golden Visa, plus the medical, Emirates ID and family steps that follow.
- Company Formation
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs RAK: which emirate should you set up in?
Dubai isn't the only option. How Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) compare for company setup, cost and lifestyle, and why the right emirate depends on what you're actually doing.
- Company Formation
Self-sponsorship in Dubai: can I sponsor my own visa?
How self-sponsorship works in the UAE, using your own company to sponsor your residence visa and your family's, who it suits, and how it differs from an employer-sponsored visa.
- Relocating Your Family
Best areas in Dubai for UK families
Where UK families actually settle in Dubai, the villa communities, the apartment options, and why the right area usually comes down to schools and commute rather than the area itself.
- AML & Compliance
UAE AML rules for company owners, in plain English
What anti-money-laundering (AML) rules mean in practice for UK owners of a UAE company, KYC, record-keeping, beneficial ownership and why a clean compliance posture makes banking easier.
- Company Formation
What is a UAE freezone and how does it work?
Freezones are the most common way Brits set up in the UAE, 100% foreign ownership, a simple licence and a route to a visa. Here's what a freezone is, how it works, and when it's the right choice.
- Wealth & Pensions
QROPS vs QNUPS: what they are and whether you need one
A plain-English explanation of QROPS and QNUPS for UK movers, what each is, the broad differences, and why pension transfers are a decision to take proper advice on, not a default.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is there really no income tax in Dubai?
Is Dubai tax free? It genuinely has no personal income tax, but that isn't the whole picture. Here's what tax you do pay in Dubai, and why your UK tax position still needs sorting.
- Relocating Your Family
Renting in Dubai: how Ejari and the process works
How renting a home in Dubai actually works, the cheque system, agency fees, deposits and Ejari registration, so you know what to expect before you sign a tenancy.
- UK & UAE Tax
Does the UK–UAE double tax treaty stop double taxation?
What the UK–UAE double taxation agreement does and doesn't do, and why, for most people moving to Dubai, breaking UK residency cleanly matters more than the treaty itself.
- Relocating Your Family
Can I drive in Dubai on a UK licence?
Whether you can drive in Dubai on a UK licence as a tourist and as a resident, and how UK licence holders typically convert to a UAE licence without sitting a driving test.
- UK & UAE Tax
How does split-year treatment work when moving to Dubai?
Split-year treatment can stop you being taxed as UK-resident for the whole tax year you leave for Dubai. Here's what it is, the conditions, and why it's so easy to get wrong.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Can I move to Dubai without a job? Yes, here are the routes
No, you don't need a job offer. Four routes give you Dubai residency without an employer, from your own freezone company to the Golden Visa. Here's which one fits.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
How much does it cost to move to Dubai from the UK?
The real cost of relocating from the UK to Dubai, visa and company setup, shipping, deposits, schools and the upfront housing costs that catch people out, and how to keep it sensible.
- Company Formation
Freezone vs mainland vs offshore: which UAE company do I need?
The three UAE company types in plain English, what each is for, and which fits a UK founder moving over. Most service businesses want a freezone; here's why, and the exceptions.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving to Dubai from the UK: a step-by-step checklist
A practical, ordered checklist for relocating from the UK to Dubai, what to sort first, what can wait, and the bits people forget until they're standing at the airport.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving from the UK to Dubai: the complete guide
The whole move, in plain order: residence visa, breaking UK tax residency, banking, housing and schools, and shipping. Here is how the pieces fit, the sequence that works, and where to go deep on each part.