The 2026/27 arrival plan for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
How to read the tags:
LAW means the rule comes from UAE legislation. OFFICIAL means a government authority or regulator publishes it. MARKET means it is common practice or a provider's own published terms, and can vary. REPORTED means credible media or professional firms report it but we could not confirm it on a primary government page, so check before you rely on it. ESTIMATE is our own worked figure with the assumptions stated.
Get your own dated plan: the interactive planner on this page takes your arrival date, emirate and situation and gives you every step and legal deadline as a real date, a rental cash estimate, and a calendar file with reminders. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
Almost everything you need in your first month depends on one document: your Emirates ID, which now carries your residence status. A bank will not open a full account without it. Your landlord needs it for the tenancy registration. The utility company needs it. The roads authority will not exchange your licence without it. Your family cannot be sponsored until you hold residence yourself.
So the smartest first-month plan is not a list of 17 errands done in any order. It is a sequence: get the residence and Emirates ID moving on day one, keep yourself connected and housed while it processes, then unlock money, home, car and family in that order.
This guide gives you that sequence, the legal deadlines that carry fines, realistic costs with the assumptions shown, and the mistakes that cost new arrivals the most time. Every time-sensitive claim is tagged so you can see how solid it is, and linked to its source.
Start the residence and Emirates ID process on day one.
Stay connected and housed while your ID processes.
Unlock money: bank account, salary, IBAN.
Then home, car and family visas, in that order.
If you have read other first-month checklists, several of their headline steps are now out of date. These are the changes that matter most for a 2026/27 arrival.
| Older advice | What applies now |
|---|---|
| "Residence visa stamping in your passport" | Residence and Emirates ID are issued through one unified application, and most new residents no longer receive a passport sticker. Your Emirates ID and the digital record are your proof of residence. REPORTED |
| "Health insurance is a Dubai and Abu Dhabi thing" | Since 1 January 2025, employers across all seven emirates must buy health insurance for private-sector employees before a residence permit is issued or renewed. OFFICIAL |
| "Get a tourist SIM, then just keep it" | Visitors register a SIM with a passport, but resident lines are registered with an Emirates ID, so plan to convert once your ID arrives. REPORTED |
| "ADDC for utilities in Abu Dhabi" | The Abu Dhabi distributor now trades as TAQA Distribution (formerly ADDC). REPORTED |
| "Apply for your driving licence in week 1" | You cannot exchange a foreign licence until you hold residence and an Emirates ID. MARKET |
| "Enrol the children in school in week 4" | Places at popular schools are often decided months earlier. School choice belongs before you fly, not in your first month. |
| Nothing about unemployment insurance | Most private-sector employees must subscribe to the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme within four months of their work permit, or face a fine. REPORTED |
Sources: residence and Emirates ID unification reported by Gulf News, citing ICP; health insurance mandate from MOHRE; utility naming from TAQA Distribution.
Use this table to plan. Anything in the right-hand column cannot be completed until you have everything in the middle column.
| Task | You need first | It unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Entry to the UAE | Entry permit (issued before you fly) and your passport | The 60-day window to complete residence |
| Medical fitness test and biometrics | Entry, employer's booking, passport, photo | Residence permit and Emirates ID |
| Residence permit and Emirates ID | Medical cleared, health insurance bought by employer | Almost everything below |
| UAE PASS digital identity | Emirates ID | Most government and many private e-services |
| Resident mobile line and home internet | Emirates ID | Stable number for banks and government |
| Full bank account | Residence, Emirates ID (some banks accept the application receipt), salary certificate | Salary via WPS, rent cheques, card payments |
| Long-term tenancy registration (Ejari in Dubai, Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi) | Signed lease, Emirates ID, usually rent cheques | Electricity and water account, family visas |
| Driving licence exchange | Residence, Emirates ID, eye test | Buying or long-term leasing a car |
| Family residence visas | Your residence, qualifying salary, tenancy registration, attested certificates | Dependants' Emirates IDs, school registration, their insurance |
Put these in your calendar on the day you land. Missing them is the most common way new arrivals pay fines they did not need to.
| Deadline | What must happen | If you miss it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 60 days of entry | Complete your residence issuance (medical, biometrics, permit) | AED 50 per day of overstay once the applicable grace period ends OFFICIAL | ICP |
| Within 60 days of your dependants' entry | Apply for their residence visas | Overstay fines on their entry permits OFFICIAL | u.ae |
| Within 4 months of your work permit | Subscribe to ILOE unemployment insurance | AED 400 fine, and unpaid fines can block future work permit transactions REPORTED | iloe.ae |
| Within 40 days of an Abu Dhabi utility move-in application | Give TAQA Distribution your Emirates ID number | Account issues; check your notice OFFICIAL | TAQA Distribution |
Important: the 60-day residence clock starts when you enter, not when your employer gets round to booking the medical. If HR has not booked your medical and biometrics within your first week, ask in writing.
Your full preparation list lives in our Before You Arrive checklist. In the final three days, confirm only these.
Have a copy on your phone and on paper. It is issued electronically and you must enter within its validity (commonly cited as 60 days from issue).
Your degree certificate is usually attested before the work permit, and if family will follow, attested marriage and birth certificates are needed for their visas. Attestation cannot be done quickly once you are here.
Travellers can carry prescription medicines with the prescription or medical report. Controlled and narcotic medicines are limited to three months' supply and need prior approval through the Ministry of Health and Prevention, or must be declared on arrival with documents. Prescription-only medicines are limited to six months' supply.
See the MOHAP service guidance and check your specific medicine on MOHAP's controlled list before travel.
You cannot easily sign a long-term lease or set up utilities until your Emirates ID arrives, so a serviced apartment or furnished short let bridges the gap. Our First 90 Days of Housing guide compares the options.
Bring a card that works abroad with low foreign transaction fees and enough headroom for temporary accommodation, transport and deposits.
Bring passport photos in digital and printed form, and scans of every document in a folder you can open offline.
Visitors can buy a mobile SIM using their passport. Resident lines are registered with an Emirates ID, so your first SIM is usually a visitor or tourist line. REPORTED e& states its Visitor Line packages are prepaid, valid for 28 days and limited to two per passport. REPORTED The main operators are e& (formerly Etisalat) and du, with Virgin Mobile also available.
Two practical points. First, buy only from operator stores, airport counters or authorised sellers, and never use a SIM registered in someone else's name. Second, the number you use in week one will end up on bank, employer and government records, so ask the store whether you can keep the same number when you convert to a resident line once your Emirates ID arrives.
Source: TDRA rules as summarised by Gadgets Middle East.
Save these on day one. OFFICIAL
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) can be reached on 600 590 000. OFFICIAL Dubai Police's non-emergency line is 901. REPORTED See TAMM's emergency numbers page for Abu Dhabi and the full contact list at the end of this guide.
Contact HR on arrival and get clear answers, ideally in writing, to these questions.
When are my medical fitness test and biometrics booked, and where?
Has my health insurance been purchased? It is a prerequisite for the residence permit. OFFICIAL
Will you need my passport at any point, for how long, and will you give me a receipt?
When will I receive my registered employment contract?
Your employer must bear the costs of recruitment, the work permit and the residence visa, and cannot pass them on to you. LAW This is set out in Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, as summarised by UAE legal commentators and reiterated in MOHRE's worker rights guidance as reported. Holding an employee's passport against their will is also not permitted, according to UAE law firms. REPORTED
Ride-hailing apps work across the main cities and are the easiest option for the first weeks. In Dubai, a Nol card pays for Metro, tram and buses. In Abu Dhabi, the Hafilat card pays bus fares; the personalised version requires an Emirates ID, so start with an anonymous card. OFFICIAL
See Abu Dhabi Mobility and our UAE Transportation Guide.
You may not work until your work permit is issued. If you are asked to start before your paperwork is in place, raise it with HR. LAW
See u.ae on work permits.
This is the critical path. Everything else waits on it.
For most employees the sequence is: work permit and entry permit (before you fly), entry, medical fitness test, biometrics for the Emirates ID, then residence permit and Emirates ID issued together. REPORTED
Many employers now run this through the government's Work Bundle platform, which lets an employer onboard a new employee and handle work permits, residence visas, the medical examination and the fingerprinting needed for the Emirates ID in one place. OFFICIAL The medical and the Emirates ID biometrics are the steps that need you in person. OFFICIAL
Sources: u.ae on the Work Bundle; Digital Dubai announcement.
Since 2022 the UAE has moved from passport stickers to the Emirates ID as proof of residence, and the residence and ID applications have been unified. REPORTED Dubai was initially excluded from the sticker change and some categories may still differ, so if your passport does receive a sticker, that is not a problem. REPORTED You can view a digital copy of your Emirates ID and residence details in the official UAE ICP app once your application is in. REPORTED
Sources: Gulf News on the sticker change; Gulf News on the Dubai exception.
Employer-side and professional sources commonly describe the full employment visa process as two to four weeks from work permit to residence, longer if a document needs attestation, a status change or a medical retest. MARKET Plan your first month on the assumption that your Emirates ID arrives somewhere in weeks two to four, and do not book international travel until it does, because your passport may be needed.
Your employer registers your contract with MOHRE. Before you sign, check that salary, job title, allowances, notice period and start date match your offer letter, and raise any difference before you sign rather than after. You can check your contract and work permit on the MOHRE app or website. Keep your own copy.
The medical flags a result: your employer is told first. Ask HR what the retest process is and do not travel until it is resolved.
Your employer delays past week three: ask for a written timeline. The 60-day clock runs from your entry. OFFICIAL
You are asked to pay visa costs, or your passport is withheld: contact MOHRE on 600 590 000. OFFICIAL For advice on your specific contract, an employment lawyer can help; our partner Davidson & Co. handles employment and immigration law.
Do these in one sitting. Together they save hours over the next year.
Download the app, scan your Emirates ID, verify your email and phone with a one-time password, create a PIN, verify with face recognition, then set a signing password. OFFICIAL UAE PASS is the login for most federal and local government services and many banks and utilities. Source: ICP.
Install the UAE ICP app (and the GDRFA Dubai app if your residence is in Dubai) to see your residence status and digital Emirates ID. Install the MOHRE app to check your contract and work permit. Install your emirate's services app: DubaiNow for Dubai, TAMM for Abu Dhabi.
Most private-sector and federal-government employees must subscribe within four months of their work permit being issued. Premiums are reported as AED 5 a month plus VAT if your basic salary is AED 16,000 or less, and AED 10 a month plus VAT above that. You need 12 consecutive months of paid cover before you can claim. REPORTED Some groups, such as investors and domestic workers, are exempt. Confirm your own status and subscribe at iloe.ae or through the MOHRE app. The premium is yours to pay, not your employer's. REPORTED
Register it to your Emirates ID so banks and government services can verify your number.
More detail: our UAE Digital Services and Apps guide and UAE Government Services guide.
For a standard resident account, expect to provide your passport, Emirates ID, proof of residence (a tenancy contract or utility bill) and proof of salary such as a salary certificate or salary transfer letter. MARKET Some banks accept the Emirates ID application receipt if the card has not arrived yet, but policies vary. MARKET Minimum salary rules also vary: ADCB notes some banks require at least AED 3,000 a month. MARKET
Source: ADCB account opening guidance.
New arrivals often hit a loop: the bank wants a tenancy contract, but the landlord wants a bank cheque. Ask your employer for a salary certificate that states your role and salary, and ask the bank what it accepts as proof of address for new arrivals in temporary accommodation. App-based accounts from Central Bank licensed banks are often quicker to open and can bridge the gap.
Compare four numbers in writing before you commit your salary: the minimum balance, the fee if you fall below it, the minimum salary for the account, and the cost of international transfers. Your employer will pay your salary through the Wage Protection System to your IBAN, so give HR your IBAN as soon as the account is open. MARKET
If you need international banking across countries, our partner HSBC UAE offers relocation banking. Full comparison: UAE Banking Guide.
Most new arrivals sign a long-term lease in weeks three to six, once the Emirates ID and bank account are in place. Do not rush it in week one: registering the lease and utilities needs your Emirates ID, and the lease is often the document that decides your family visa.
Detail: Dubai Tenant Guide 2026.
Detail: Abu Dhabi Tenant Guide 2026.
Sharjah is served by SEWA, and Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah by Etihad Water and Electricity. REPORTED Deposits and steps differ by provider, so confirm on the provider's own website.
See our Sharjah Relocation Guide and Northern Emirates Guide.
This is an illustration, not a quote. Assumptions: unfurnished apartment at AED 100,000 a year, paid in four cheques, found through an agent charging 5% plus VAT, 5% security deposit, Ejari at about AED 220. ESTIMATE
| Item | Amount (AED) | Refundable? | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| First rent cheque (1 of 4) | 25,000 | No | ESTIMATE |
| Security deposit (5%) | 5,000 | Yes, at the end | MARKET |
| Agency fee (5% plus 5% VAT) | 5,250 | No | MARKET |
| Ejari registration | about 220 | No | MARKET |
| DEWA deposit (apartment) | 2,000 | Yes, at the end | OFFICIAL |
| DEWA activation fee | 155 | No | OFFICIAL |
| Cash needed up front | 37,625 | 7,000 refundable later ESTIMATE | |
Your remaining three rent cheques are usually handed over at signing, post-dated, so you need a UAE chequebook, which means a bank account first. In Abu Dhabi, swap DEWA for TAQA Distribution figures and Ejari for Tawtheeq. For a full budget, use our UAE Cost of Living Guide 2026.
If you want help finding a rental in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, our partner Altura Property handles residential rentals. For furnished short stays while you search, see Maison Privée.
Home broadband from e& or du is registered to your Emirates ID and usually needs your tenancy details. MARKET Book installation as soon as your lease is signed, as appointment slots can take several days.
Your employer must provide health insurance before your residence is issued. OFFICIAL That is the legal minimum. Whether it is enough is a different question, so check these points when your card arrives:
In Dubai, health insurance is regulated by the Dubai Health Authority; in Abu Dhabi by the Department of Health; and in the Northern Emirates the federal basic scheme applies, with MOHRE's basic package priced at AED 320 a year for eligible employees. OFFICIAL
Register with a clinic or GP near home in your first month, before you need one. Our partners NMC Healthcare (hospitals and clinics) and Pacific Prime (health insurance) can help if you need care or to top up cover.
Full detail: UAE Healthcare Guide.
You need residence and an Emirates ID before you can exchange a foreign licence. MARKET Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) lets holders of licences from listed countries exchange them without lessons or tests, after an eye test at an RTA-accredited centre that costs between AED 140 and AED 180 depending on the centre. OFFICIAL
If your licence is not on the list, you will need training and tests. Check the current list on the RTA exchange service page before you assume you qualify.
Until you have a UAE licence, plan your first weeks around ride-hailing and public transport, and confirm with your rental company and insurer what licence you are covered on. Tolls (Salik in Dubai, Darb in Abu Dhabi) and parking apps are set up once you have a car.
Detail, including a licence exchange checker and a rent versus subscribe versus buy calculator: UAE Driving and Vehicle Guide.
You can sponsor your family once you hold a valid residence permit yourself.
You need a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation. Several advisers report that authorities read this against the salary on your contract, so check how your package is split before you apply. REPORTED
Once your dependants enter the UAE on an entry permit, you have 60 days to apply for their residence visas.
Sponsored family members aged 18 and over must pass a medical fitness test.
Expect to need attested marriage and birth certificates and your registered tenancy contract (Ejari or Tawtheeq). Parents are subject to higher, emirate-set thresholds. REPORTED
If you have children, school choice should be settled before you arrive, not in your first month. Start with our Dubai International Schools Guide, Abu Dhabi International Schools Guide or Schools in the Rest of the UAE, and check term dates on our School Holiday Calendar 2026-27. Families should also read Moving to Dubai With a Family.
The paperwork usually lands by week four. Feeling at home takes longer, and it is worth planning for too.
Especially dress in public buildings, behaviour during Ramadan and photography of people. See our UAE Culture and Customs Guide.
Sports clubs, school parent groups and professional networks are the fastest routes in. See Expat Networking and Things to Do With Kids.
Register with your embassy or consulate if your country offers it.
See the UAE Pet Relocation Guide.
Time delivery for after your lease starts. See the Moving and Logistics Guide.
Waiting for your employer to start the clock. Your 60 days run from entry. Chase the medical booking in week one.
Booking a trip home before your Emirates ID is issued. Your passport may be needed and your residence is not yet complete.
Signing a long lease before your salary account exists. You may not be able to provide post-dated cheques.
Assuming your package meets the family visa salary test. Check the salary written on your contract.
Forgetting ILOE. It is a personal obligation with a fine attached, and it does not happen automatically.
Not reading the contract before signing. Differences from your offer letter are far easier to fix before registration than after.
Carrying a controlled medicine without approval or documents. Check MOHAP's list before you fly.
Leaving school decisions until arrival. Popular schools have waiting lists.
Using an unregistered SIM or someone else's line. It creates problems with banks and government services.
Paying visa or recruitment costs yourself. Your employer bears these by law.
Tick these off as you go. Print this page or use the interactive planner above for dates and reminders.
| Service | Contact or portal | Tag |
|---|---|---|
| Police emergency | 999 | OFFICIAL |
| Ambulance | 998 | OFFICIAL |
| Fire and Civil Defence | 997 | OFFICIAL |
| Coast guard | 996 | OFFICIAL |
| Dubai Police non-emergency | 901 | REPORTED |
| Poison and drug information | 800 424 | REPORTED |
| MOHRE (employment) | 600 590 000 | OFFICIAL |
| UAE government portal | u.ae | OFFICIAL |
| Residence and Emirates ID (federal) | icp.gov.ae | OFFICIAL |
| Residence (Dubai) | gdrfad.gov.ae | OFFICIAL |
| Abu Dhabi services | tamm.abudhabi | OFFICIAL |
| Unemployment insurance | iloe.ae | REPORTED |
| Dubai electricity and water | dewa.gov.ae | OFFICIAL |
| Abu Dhabi electricity and water | TAQA Distribution | OFFICIAL |
| Dubai roads and licensing | rta.ae | OFFICIAL |
Numbers change. We checked these on 27 September 2026; confirm on the official portal before you rely on one.
The questions new arrivals ask most, answered with their source tier.
Enter your arrival date and a few details. You get a dated plan in the right order, every legal deadline worked out, and an estimate of the cash you need for a rental. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
An illustration, not a quote. Landlords, agents and buildings vary. Chiller and district cooling deposits are not included.
Tags: LAW UAE legislation. OFFICIAL published by a government authority. MARKET common practice or a provider's terms. REPORTED credible reporting, confirm before relying on it. ESTIMATE our worked figure.
General information to help you plan, not legal, immigration or financial advice. Rules and fees change and depend on your employer, emirate, nationality and visa. Confirm with the relevant authority before you act. Figures last checked .
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