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
- Cross-border Wealth & Pensions
National Insurance living abroad: voluntary NI from Dubai
From April 2026 only Class 3 voluntary NI is open to you abroad, and only with a 10-year UK record. Check your State Pension forecast first.
- Visas & Residency
Dubai remote work visa for UK employees, and what it means for UK tax
The Dubai remote work visa lets you live in Dubai on a UK payroll, but it won't end UK tax residency. The Statutory Residence Test decides that.
- Wealth & Pensions
Inheritance tax after you leave the UK: the long-term resident rules
Since April 2025 UK inheritance tax follows long-term UK residence. How the 10-in-20 test works, how long the tail lasts and what stays taxable.
- UK & UAE Tax
Leaving the UK for tax: Dubai vs Portugal vs Cyprus vs Malta
Dubai, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta compared for people leaving the UK for tax: what each taxes, who each suits, and the UK exit rules. As at October 2026.
- UK & UAE Tax
Moving back to the UK from Dubai: the tax traps
Coming home from Dubai has UK tax traps: the five-year rule, early residence, split-year gaps and a UAE company that turns UK resident.
- Relocating Your Family
Moving to Dubai from the UK with a family
The order of steps for a UK family moving to Dubai: your own visa first, then schools, attested documents, a home and your family's visas.
- Wealth & Pensions
Retiring to Dubai from the UK: the retirement visa, pensions and healthcare
How UK retirees qualify for the UAE retirement visa, and what happens to UK pensions, health cover and tax. UAE criteria from ICP and GDRFA, October 2026.
- UK & UAE Tax
Temporary non-residence: the 5-year rule for Dubai movers
Return to the UK within five years and HMRC can tax gains, close company dividends and some pension withdrawals from your Dubai years. What it catches.
- UK & UAE Tax
Statutory Residence Test edge cases: the day-count traps that catch leavers
Most leavers fail the Statutory Residence Test on midnights, a kept UK home or one heavy year, not holiday weeks. The traps and how the ties bite.
- UK & UAE Tax
Can a Dubai company be UK tax resident? Central management and control explained
Yes. A Dubai company is UK tax resident if it is really run from the UK, whatever its licence says. Where the board decides is the test.
- Family Relocation
Dubai Hills vs Arabian Ranches vs JBR: where to live
Dubai Hills suits families who want schools close, Arabian Ranches is quieter villa living, JBR is sea and city. Your commute usually decides it.
- Family Relocation
Healthcare in Dubai for expats: insurance explained
Health insurance is mandatory for Dubai residents and your employer or sponsor must provide it. Check it covers UK GP visits and existing conditions.
- Family Relocation
Shipping furniture and belongings from the UK to Dubai
How to ship household goods from the UK to Dubai: costs, timelines and the one customs rule most movers miss before they pack.
- Family Relocation
Getting your child into a Dubai school: admissions & timing
Most Dubai schools open admissions in January for the September intake. Apply late and your first choice may be full, because year groups are capped.
- Family Relocation
British curriculum, IB or American: choosing a school in Dubai
British GCSE and A-Level suits a UK return, IB suits international moves, American suits a US path. How each shapes your child's university options.
- Family Relocation
Best areas in Dubai for UK families
The best Dubai neighbourhoods for British families, ranked by schools, space and commute. Most families choose the area and the school together.
- Banking
HSBC Expat vs a local UAE bank: which is better?
HSBC Expat gives UK-side continuity. A local UAE bank gives the account UAE employers, landlords and free zones need. Most Brits end up with both.
- Banking
Why UAE bank accounts get rejected (and how to avoid it)
UAE banks reject more applicants than most expect. The fix is preparation: the right documents, a clean source-of-funds trail, sometimes another bank.
- Banking
Personal vs business bank account in the UAE
UAE personal and business accounts have different legal purposes. Using the wrong one can breach your licence conditions or muddy UK tax separation.
- Banking
Best bank in Dubai for UK expats: ENBD, Mashreq, ADCB, FAB
Emirates NBD, Mashreq, ADCB and FAB compared on branches, app, transfers and onboarding, with what each asks a Brit for and which suits a new arrival.
- Visas & Residency
GDRFA Dubai: full form, visa status check and the app
GDRFA is Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. How UK movers check a visa status, and when to use GDRFA, ICP or Amer.
- Visas & Residency
Can I get a golden visa by buying Dubai property?
Yes, if the property meets the AED 2 million threshold. Off-plan and mortgaged property have catches most buyers don't spot, so check the current rules.
- Visas & Residency
UAE 6-month rule: how long can you stay outside the UAE?
A UAE residence visa lapses after more than 180 days in a row outside the country. Golden and Green Visa holders are exempt. How the clock counts.
- Visas & Residency
UAE residence visa cost: the Dubai residence visa cost, line by line
UAE residence visa cost is a stack of separate charges, not one fee. The catch: the free zone package, not the visa itself, is usually the biggest line.
- Visas & Residency
What is the UAE Green Visa?
A self-sponsored UAE residence visa valid for five years, with no employer needed. Eligibility depends on income thresholds or qualifications.
- Visas & Residency
Sponsoring your spouse and children for UAE visas
You can sponsor your spouse and children once you hold a UAE residence visa. Your salary must meet the minimum and sons have an age limit.
- Visas & Residency
UAE freelance visa: how the permit works and who qualifies
How the UAE freelance visa and permit work for UK professionals: who qualifies, which authorities issue them, what drives the cost and the steps.
- Company Formation
Can I move my UK business to Dubai and run it from there?
Moving a UK business to Dubai: why a UK Ltd run from Dubai can stay UK-taxed, the restructuring options, and what changes for you as a director.
- Company Formation
How long does company setup in the UAE take?
Most UAE free zone companies register in 1 to 5 days. Visa processing and bank account opening set the real timeline and add 3 to 8 weeks.
- Company Formation
Do I need a physical office to set up in Dubai?
No, most UAE freezones offer flexi-desk or virtual office packages. The catch: some visa quotas and mainland licences require a real tenancy agreement.
- Company Formation
Can I own 100% of a UAE mainland company?
Yes. The UAE lifted foreign ownership restrictions in 2021, though some sectors still need an Emirati partner. What changed, what did not, and why.
- Living in Dubai
Networking in Dubai: rebuilding your circle when you move from the UK
Dubai has a fast-moving expat community, but British instincts do not all translate. How to build a professional and social network from scratch.
- Living in Dubai
British expats in Dubai: where Brits live, clubs and meetups
Where British expats live in Dubai, the social clubs, sports teams and school-gate networks, and how new arrivals make friends in the first months.
- Company Formation
Cheapest free zone in the UAE (with a visa)
Which UAE free zones cost least once you add a residence visa, why the headline licence price misleads, and how to compare three years, not one.
- Living in Dubai
What is the dress code in Dubai? A guide for new residents
Dubai's dress code is relaxed by regional standards, but the rules shift by location. Beachwear stays on the beach; religious sites require more.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Pros and cons of moving from the UK to Dubai
No income tax, year-round sun and a large British community, but UK tax residency rules mean a clean break is harder than most people expect.
- Company Formation
Influencer visas in Dubai: Creators HQ, the Golden Visa and the tax bit nobody mentions
How Dubai influencer visas work: Creators HQ endorsement, the creator Golden Visa, freelance permits and media licences, plus the UK tax question.
- Company Formation
How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai?
What drives the cost of a Dubai free zone or mainland company: licence, visas, office and renewals, and how to get one all-in quote for your setup.
- Living in Dubai
Ramadan in Dubai: what actually changes for residents and businesses
Working hours shorten, eating in public is restricted, and businesses face real compliance rules. Here is what residents and business owners need to know.
- UK & UAE Tax
UAE corporate tax: who actually pays the 9%?
Most UAE free zone companies pay 0% corporate tax. The 9% rate applies to mainland companies and to free zone firms with non-qualifying income.
- 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 and 183 day traps. A pre-departure checklist.
- UK & UAE Tax
P85 form: how to fill it in and claim your tax refund
How to fill in the P85 online or on paper, when to send it, how the leaving-year refund works, and why a P85 alone does not make you non-resident.
- 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 is relationship-first and face to face. Decisions take longer than in the UK, then move fast once trust is built. What changes for you.
- 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.
- UK & UAE Tax
UAE Tax Residency Certificate: how to get one
What a UAE Tax Residency Certificate is, why UK leavers need one as proof of your tax home, and how to apply for it step by step.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Average salary in Dubai: what you earn and what you keep
Average salary in Dubai for UK movers: how pay packages are built, the salary each visa needs, and UK against Dubai take-home worked through.
- Visas & Residency
Do British citizens need a visa for Dubai?
To visit Dubai, no: British citizens get a visit visa on arrival. To move there, yes, and it is a different kind. The visa UK movers need.
- UK & UAE Tax
Setting up a family office in Dubai: is it right for you?
Dubai is a main base for family offices, with zero personal tax and DIFC and ADGM frameworks. Who one suits, and why your UK tax position comes first.
- Company Formation
Setting up a Dubai company from the UK: how it works
How a UK founder sets up a Dubai company without moving first: choosing free zone or mainland, the documents, the steps in order and the UK tax side.
- Relocating Your Family
Schools in Dubai: a guide for UK families
Dubai has many private schools, including British-curriculum schools running GCSEs and A-levels. How it works, and why schools often set where you live.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What do people wish they'd known before moving to Dubai?
What UK movers say they underestimated, from the tax exit paperwork to the summer heat. Lessons from people who have already made the move.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Is it worth moving to Dubai from the UK in 2026?
What a move to Dubai delivers for UK individuals and families in 2026: the real advantages, the trade-offs, and what decides whether it works for you.
- Family Relocation
Is it expensive to live in Dubai? Costs for a UK family
Rent, school fees, healthcare, cars and daily spending for a UK family in Dubai, the set-up costs that come first, and how tax-free pay changes the sums.
- Company Formation
Best free zone for consultants in Dubai: DMCC, IFZA, Meydan
DMCC, IFZA and Meydan compared on cost, visas and standing for UK consultants and IT contractors, and when DIFC fits. We set these up for UK founders.
- Banking
Open a Dubai bank account from the UK: documents and banks
Can a Brit open a UAE account before moving? Yes, with limits. The documents banks want, which accounts suit non-residents and why banks decline.
- UK & UAE Tax
Non-Resident Landlord Scheme: UK rent when you live in Dubai
Letting UK property after moving to Dubai? How the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme works, the NRL1 form to get rent paid gross, and what you still file.
- UK & UAE Tax
How many days can I spend in the UK after I leave?
Under 16 days a tax year keeps a recent leaver non-resident. Above that, your UK ties set the limit: 15 days with four ties, up to 120 with one.
- Cross-border Wealth & Pensions
UAE wills and inheritance planning for expats
Without a registered UAE will, your assets in the Emirates may pass under Sharia principles whatever you wanted. What UK expats need to know.
- Cross-border Wealth & Pensions
Selling your UK business before Dubai: the tax angle
Selling a UK business and moving to Dubai: the order and timing of events matters for your tax. What UK founders need to know.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
What does 'Dubai-it' mean? The city's new verb, explained
Sheikh Mohammed launched 'Dubai-it' on 17 June 2026. It means to achieve something extraordinary, with excellence, in record time. 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
Golden Visa Dubai Requirements: Every Route and Who Qualifies
Golden visa Dubai requirements by route: property, investor, skilled professional and talent. The thresholds, the salary test, and what UK movers often miss.
- UK & UAE Tax
UK non-dom changes and moving to Dubai: where things stand
The UK non-dom regime has been restructured. What changed, what it means for people who have moved to Dubai, and where the planning opportunities now sit.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I pay UK capital gains tax if I move abroad?
Once you are non-resident, most gains fall outside UK CGT. UK property, the five-year return rule and sales in your departure year are the exceptions.
- UK & UAE Tax
Does a Golden Visa make your income tax-free? The myth explained
A UAE Golden Visa gives long-term residency. It does not by itself make your income tax-free. What decides your tax position when you move.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
The Eight Principles of Dubai: what they mean if you're moving
Dubai publishes a blueprint for how it is run, the Eight Principles. What each says, and what several mean in practice if you are moving 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. It is not a UK tax shield. When it helps a UK founder.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is there a UK exit tax? No, but 3 things act like one
The UK has no exit tax on unrealised gains as at October 2026. The five-year return rule, UK property gains and the IHT tail act like one.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
How long does relocating from the UK to Dubai take?
A simple setup can take a few weeks and a full family relocation a few months. A realistic timeline, and the steps that set the pace.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is it worth moving to Dubai for tax reasons?
Dubai's 0% income tax is real, but is moving worth it for tax reasons? An honest look at costs, UK ties and the inheritance tax tail.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving to Dubai: should you do it alone, or get help?
Which parts of a UK to Dubai move you can handle yourself and which benefit from help, so you pay only where it saves you time or money.
- Visas & Residency
Do I have to live in Dubai to keep my UAE company and visa?
You can keep a UAE company without living in Dubai full time, but a residence visa needs periodic presence. How the six-month rule and Golden Visa work.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I pay UK tax if I live or work in Dubai?
Moving to Dubai does not end UK tax on its own. When it stops under the Statutory Residence Test, what stays taxable, and worked examples for UK movers.
- Banking in Dubai
UK bank accounts for overseas residents: keep or open one
Most UK banks let you keep your account after you move abroad if you tell them. Which banks take overseas residents, and how to open one as a non-resident.
- UK & UAE Tax
Statutory Residence Test explained: the tests step by step
How HMRC's Statutory Residence Test decides if you are still UK tax resident: the automatic tests, the ties test, and where Dubai movers trip up.
- Company Formation
Why creators and digital nomads base their business in the UAE
Why creators and location-independent founders base their business in the UAE: a stable home with 0% personal tax, living anywhere. The catches.
- Company Formation
Do you need a consultant to set up in the UAE, or can you do it yourself?
When you can set up in the UAE yourself and when a consultant earns the fee. The licence is easy; the cross-border joins are costly to get wrong.
- Banking in Dubai
Documents you need to open a UAE bank account
The documents UAE banks ask for when a new resident opens an account, and the supporting papers that decide 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. A residence visa needs periodic UAE presence, and your own tax depends on where you live.
- Visas & Residency
The Emirates ID: what it is and how to get one
The Emirates ID is the card behind banking, tenancy and healthcare in the UAE. 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 main UAE residency routes compared: Golden Visa, investor visa and freelance permit, so you can see which fits 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 a popular alternative to Dubai for UK movers. How the capital differs on lifestyle, cost, schools and business, and what stays the same.
- Wealth & Pensions
What happens to my UK pension if I move to Dubai?
Your UK pension does not have to move when you do. How it is treated, whether you can draw it from Dubai, and why QROPS or QNUPS needs regulated advice.
- 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, then medical, Emirates ID and family steps.
- Company Formation
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs RAK: which emirate should you set up in?
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah compared for company setup, cost and lifestyle. The right emirate depends on what your business does.
- Company Formation
Self-sponsored visa UAE: the 4 routes and who qualifies
Sponsor your own UAE residence visa through your own company, a freelance permit, the Green Visa or a Golden Visa. Who each suits and what it takes.
- AML & Compliance
UAE AML rules for company owners, in plain English
What anti-money-laundering rules mean for UK owners of a UAE company: KYC, record keeping, beneficial ownership, and why a clean file helps banking.
- Company Formation
What is a UAE freezone and how does it work?
Free zones are the usual way Brits set up in the UAE: 100% foreign ownership, a simple licence and a route to a visa. How they work and when they fit.
- Wealth & Pensions
QROPS vs QNUPS: what they are and whether you need one
QROPS and QNUPS explained for UK movers: what each is, the broad differences, and why a pension transfer needs proper advice and is never a default.
- UK & UAE Tax
Is Dubai tax-free? Income tax in Dubai for UK citizens
Dubai has no personal income tax on salaries or savings. The taxes you do pay, VAT and corporate tax, and why UK tax can follow you after the move.
- Relocating Your Family
Renting in Dubai: how Ejari and the process works
How renting in Dubai 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 does not do, and why breaking UK residence cleanly matters more than the treaty for most movers.
- Relocating Your Family
Can I drive in Dubai on a UK licence?
Can you drive in Dubai on a UK licence as a tourist and as a resident, and how UK licence holders usually convert to a UAE licence without a 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 year you leave. What it is, the conditions, and why it is easy to get wrong.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Can I move to Dubai without a job? Yes: the 4 visa routes
No job offer needed. Brits get UAE residency through their own free zone company, a freelance permit, the Green Visa or a Golden Visa. Which fits you?
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
How much does it cost to move to Dubai from the UK?
What a UK to Dubai move costs: visa and company setup, shipping, deposits, schools and the upfront housing costs that catch people out.
- 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. Most service businesses want a free zone, with exceptions.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving to Dubai from the UK: the complete relocation guide
Relocating from the UK to Dubai, step by step: the visa route, UK tax exit, banking, housing, schools and a month-by-month checklist for the move.