Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
#31
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
as a western expat you're allowed a certain level of a blind eye being turned to certain indiscretions ]
#32
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
I will, thanks.
Come on though, in reality this is a full on worst case, wrong time, wrong place on a Friday 13th type scenario. Obviously we all know it 'could' happen, however, I've NOT heard of it actually happening to anyone, and neither have any of my friends..... and that's in over 10yrs of stay.
As long as you're respectful and don't draw attention to yourself then Dubai will be happy to have you, and as a western expat you're allowed a certain level of a blind eye being turned to certain indiscretions. It's when you start being a dick that they start to trawl up these 'laws' and sting you with them.
Did you once get 'probed'.....?
Come on though, in reality this is a full on worst case, wrong time, wrong place on a Friday 13th type scenario. Obviously we all know it 'could' happen, however, I've NOT heard of it actually happening to anyone, and neither have any of my friends..... and that's in over 10yrs of stay.
As long as you're respectful and don't draw attention to yourself then Dubai will be happy to have you, and as a western expat you're allowed a certain level of a blind eye being turned to certain indiscretions. It's when you start being a dick that they start to trawl up these 'laws' and sting you with them.
Did you once get 'probed'.....?
I knew of about two dozen cases . . .
It is a risk - and not a teeny tiny one either. I believe you misunderstand where the risk comes from. It doesn't come from random raids from the Police or from random passer-bys you accidentally upset. It comes from nightwatchmen, jealous colleagues who want promotions, upset neighbours, etc. Sometimes even other Westerners!
In many cases, there is absolutely nothing that can be done to mitigate the risk (other than get married). For instance - nightwatchman wants to suck up to the boss by proving what a devout Muslim he is, and you just happen to be the poor sap he has the goods on. Or Colleague X wants your job and thinks the best way to get it is to bump you off somehow - and your naive Western colleague has been blabbing to everyone about how your girlfriend is in town. Nothing personal, just business!
I even knew of one guy who randomly reported married Westerners, just to see if something would stick (because, maybe they were just telling people they were married).
If you do get reported, you will never find out who did it or why, nor are there consequences for reporting someone falsely. Nor will you be given any "time in court" - you will not even know anything has gone wrong until your company's travel department calls to ask "window or aisle."
I do agree that the odds nothing happens are far greater than the odds of someone getting reported - but you are not wise to dismiss that. OP has no idea the office political environment he is walking into. The UAE is not the UK, and is not a Western country.
OP - Do not violate UAE law. More to your original question, you can get an Islamic wedding ceremony in the UAE on arrival, and then not have to bother attesting any documents or translating them, and then do the Scottish one after. The only way to eliminate the risk is to get married.
DO NOT say to ANY housing officer that your "fiancee" (that means your not married!) is in the country and ask about co-habitating. Just get married.
#33
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
OP - your other question - should be absolutely no problem to get her onto your visa if she quits her job. If she quits her job she doesn't have to leave the UAE immediately, I think technically you get 30 days, however your HR department can grant leeway on that and give you longer by just not reporting to immigration yet that you've gone (that is frequently done).
Under no circumstances will you fiancee and you be allowed to live together without an attested marriage certificate.
Under no circumstances will you fiancee and you be allowed to live together without an attested marriage certificate.
#34
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
What about that story?? It quite clearly says 'Filipinos' and as this forum is called 'British Expats', not Filipino expats I naturally assumed thats what we were talking about....
Go on, tell me there's no difference as to how the two different ethnicities are viewed under local law....
Go on, tell me there's no difference as to how the two different ethnicities are viewed under local law....
It is terribly arrogant to assume that being British puts a person above the law though...
#35
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
Are you a wedding planner?
"Just get married" = "Just enter into a hugely binding agreement, intended to be life long that could cause huge emotional, financial and moral distress should it ever break down or fail, partly or totally down to rushing into it".
I've said this before and been shot down for it but people in this region seem to take marriage so lightly, like it's less important that the package they're negotiating or what they've got for supper.
"Just get married" = "Just enter into a hugely binding agreement, intended to be life long that could cause huge emotional, financial and moral distress should it ever break down or fail, partly or totally down to rushing into it".
I've said this before and been shot down for it but people in this region seem to take marriage so lightly, like it's less important that the package they're negotiating or what they've got for supper.
#36
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
Are you a wedding planner?
"Just get married" = "Just enter into a hugely binding agreement, intended to be life long that could cause huge emotional, financial and moral distress should it ever break down or fail, partly or totally down to rushing into it".
I've said this before and been shot down for it but people in this region seem to take marriage so lightly, like it's less important that the package they're negotiating or what they've got for supper.
"Just get married" = "Just enter into a hugely binding agreement, intended to be life long that could cause huge emotional, financial and moral distress should it ever break down or fail, partly or totally down to rushing into it".
I've said this before and been shot down for it but people in this region seem to take marriage so lightly, like it's less important that the package they're negotiating or what they've got for supper.
I do agree with you - and at that point, the decision for those concerned should be to decline Middle Eastern employment offers and remain boyfriend/girlfriend in Europe.
The decision to move to the region necessitates certain life choices and that is one of them. It is not a Western society (people keep forgetting that, or are oblivious to it) and so legally co-habitating is not an option.
So that means get married, do long-distance with only you going back to Europe and no reciprocal visits by the partner to the Middle East, or don't come. Don't come is a perfectly valid option.
Last edited by carcajou; Jul 2nd 2017 at 12:55 pm.
#37
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
I do agree with you - and at that point, the decision for those concerned should be to decline Middle Eastern employment offers and remain boyfriend/girlfriend in Europe.
The decision to move to the region necessitates certain life choices and that is one of them. It is not a Western society (people keep forgetting that, or are oblivious to it) and so legally co-habitating is not an option.
So that means get married, do long-distance with only you going back to Europe and no reciprocal visits by the partner to the Middle East, or don't come. Don't come is a perfectly valid option.
The decision to move to the region necessitates certain life choices and that is one of them. It is not a Western society (people keep forgetting that, or are oblivious to it) and so legally co-habitating is not an option.
So that means get married, do long-distance with only you going back to Europe and no reciprocal visits by the partner to the Middle East, or don't come. Don't come is a perfectly valid option.
Or come and liver together but understand it's illegal?
I just think there are other options that just 'get married'.
I don't disagree that entering a region means playing by 'their' rules but that's so wonderfully vague that it could be hijacked to mean anything and then we'll be whistling past the crusades before you know it.
#38
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Location: Dubai
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
As for arrogance? What are you even talking about? Have you had a sip or two of the cooking sherry already? Who said anywhere in this discussion that being British we are "above the law"....? And on this point I feel you have intentionally misunderstood my point like you quite often do on this forum...... as it would be idiotic to think, and to argue that all nationalities and ethnicities are seen as equal here in the eyes of the law.
#39
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
I knew of about two dozen cases . . .
It is a risk - and not a teeny tiny one either. I believe you misunderstand where the risk comes from. It doesn't come from random raids from the Police or from random passer-bys you accidentally upset. It comes from nightwatchmen, jealous colleagues who want promotions, upset neighbours, etc. Sometimes even other Westerners!
In many cases, there is absolutely nothing that can be done to mitigate the risk (other than get married). For instance - nightwatchman wants to suck up to the boss by proving what a devout Muslim he is, and you just happen to be the poor sap he has the goods on. Or Colleague X wants your job and thinks the best way to get it is to bump you off somehow - and your naive Western colleague has been blabbing to everyone about how your girlfriend is in town. Nothing personal, just business!
I even knew of one guy who randomly reported married Westerners, just to see if something would stick (because, maybe they were just telling people they were married).
If you do get reported, you will never find out who did it or why, nor are there consequences for reporting someone falsely. Nor will you be given any "time in court" - you will not even know anything has gone wrong until your company's travel department calls to ask "window or aisle."
I do agree that the odds nothing happens are far greater than the odds of someone getting reported - but you are not wise to dismiss that. OP has no idea the office political environment he is walking into. The UAE is not the UK, and is not a Western country.
OP - Do not violate UAE law. More to your original question, you can get an Islamic wedding ceremony in the UAE on arrival, and then not have to bother attesting any documents or translating them, and then do the Scottish one after. The only way to eliminate the risk is to get married.
DO NOT say to ANY housing officer that your "fiancee" (that means your not married!) is in the country and ask about co-habitating. Just get married.
It is a risk - and not a teeny tiny one either. I believe you misunderstand where the risk comes from. It doesn't come from random raids from the Police or from random passer-bys you accidentally upset. It comes from nightwatchmen, jealous colleagues who want promotions, upset neighbours, etc. Sometimes even other Westerners!
In many cases, there is absolutely nothing that can be done to mitigate the risk (other than get married). For instance - nightwatchman wants to suck up to the boss by proving what a devout Muslim he is, and you just happen to be the poor sap he has the goods on. Or Colleague X wants your job and thinks the best way to get it is to bump you off somehow - and your naive Western colleague has been blabbing to everyone about how your girlfriend is in town. Nothing personal, just business!
I even knew of one guy who randomly reported married Westerners, just to see if something would stick (because, maybe they were just telling people they were married).
If you do get reported, you will never find out who did it or why, nor are there consequences for reporting someone falsely. Nor will you be given any "time in court" - you will not even know anything has gone wrong until your company's travel department calls to ask "window or aisle."
I do agree that the odds nothing happens are far greater than the odds of someone getting reported - but you are not wise to dismiss that. OP has no idea the office political environment he is walking into. The UAE is not the UK, and is not a Western country.
OP - Do not violate UAE law. More to your original question, you can get an Islamic wedding ceremony in the UAE on arrival, and then not have to bother attesting any documents or translating them, and then do the Scottish one after. The only way to eliminate the risk is to get married.
DO NOT say to ANY housing officer that your "fiancee" (that means your not married!) is in the country and ask about co-habitating. Just get married.
And seriously, watchmen...... maybe the odd one or two are devout but the majority accept a bottle of whiskey at Xmas / New Year etc. I used to pay off the watchman in Emirates accommodation with a bottle a month so I could go and visit my good lady.
As for your work, you have people grassing people up to get their job.... seriously?? What kind of business are you in? There's cold and there's that!
Come on, come clean. Whats your heritage / nationality?
#40
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
Two dozen cases..... Absolute b*llocks.
And seriously, watchmen...... maybe the odd one or two are devout but the majority accept a bottle of whiskey at Xmas / New Year etc. I used to pay off the watchman in Emirates accommodation with a bottle a month so I could go and visit my good lady.
As for your work, you have people grassing people up to get their job.... seriously?? What kind of business are you in? There's cold and there's that!
Come on, come clean. Whats your heritage / nationality?
And seriously, watchmen...... maybe the odd one or two are devout but the majority accept a bottle of whiskey at Xmas / New Year etc. I used to pay off the watchman in Emirates accommodation with a bottle a month so I could go and visit my good lady.
As for your work, you have people grassing people up to get their job.... seriously?? What kind of business are you in? There's cold and there's that!
Come on, come clean. Whats your heritage / nationality?
It is, in my opinion, not worth the risk (job) and jail time plus fines to try and circumvent the law here.
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 177
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
I think we're missing the point somewhat. The OP is getting married prior to moving. The issue is that they will not have time to have their marriage certificate notarised and attested x 2 before they move.
Obviously you need an attested marriage certificate in order to sponsor a spouse visa, but if they are on separate visas, can they live together as a married couple in possession of a marriage certificate and in the unlikely (but possible) event that someone reports them to the police, are the police going to lock them up and deport them because their proof of marriage is doesn't have a couple of stamps on it?
Obviously you need an attested marriage certificate in order to sponsor a spouse visa, but if they are on separate visas, can they live together as a married couple in possession of a marriage certificate and in the unlikely (but possible) event that someone reports them to the police, are the police going to lock them up and deport them because their proof of marriage is doesn't have a couple of stamps on it?
#42
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
I think we're missing the point somewhat. The OP is getting married prior to moving. The issue is that they will not have time to have their marriage certificate notarised and attested x 2 before they move.
Obviously you need an attested marriage certificate in order to sponsor a spouse visa, but if they are on separate visas, can they live together as a married couple in possession of a marriage certificate and in the unlikely (but possible) event that someone reports them to the police, are the police going to lock them up and deport them because their proof of marriage is doesn't have a couple of stamps on it?
Obviously you need an attested marriage certificate in order to sponsor a spouse visa, but if they are on separate visas, can they live together as a married couple in possession of a marriage certificate and in the unlikely (but possible) event that someone reports them to the police, are the police going to lock them up and deport them because their proof of marriage is doesn't have a couple of stamps on it?
#43
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
Two dozen cases..... Absolute b*llocks.
And seriously, watchmen...... maybe the odd one or two are devout but the majority accept a bottle of whiskey at Xmas / New Year etc. I used to pay off the watchman in Emirates accommodation with a bottle a month so I could go and visit my good lady.
As for your work, you have people grassing people up to get their job.... seriously?? What kind of business are you in? There's cold and there's that!
Come on, come clean. Whats your heritage / nationality?
And seriously, watchmen...... maybe the odd one or two are devout but the majority accept a bottle of whiskey at Xmas / New Year etc. I used to pay off the watchman in Emirates accommodation with a bottle a month so I could go and visit my good lady.
As for your work, you have people grassing people up to get their job.... seriously?? What kind of business are you in? There's cold and there's that!
Come on, come clean. Whats your heritage / nationality?
Please don't be naive. You are not in the UK. For your own sake I hope you start paying a whole lot more attention to what is going on around you.
Do not break the law in the UAE and you will not have to worry about these things.
Oh, and I am a white Westerner. Not that I think anyone needs to - to use your words - "come clean" about their nationality or ethnicity, and I don't want to think about what you are implying with that.
#44
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
. . . and someone else could be giving the nightwatchman two bottles to dig up stuff on you. There are a lot of people in the UAE who are very adept at "walking between the raindrops" and engineering things so that someone else gets the blame/scrutiny. Like the nightwatchman getting the finger pointed at him, when the real brains of the operation is someone standing off in the shadows and he was just a minor player.
Please don't be naive. You are not in the UK. For your own sake I hope you start paying a whole lot more attention to what is going on around you.
Do not break the law in the UAE and you will not have to worry about these things.
Oh, and I am a white Westerner. Not that I think anyone needs to - to use your words - "come clean" about their nationality or ethnicity, and I don't want to think about what you are implying with that.
Please don't be naive. You are not in the UK. For your own sake I hope you start paying a whole lot more attention to what is going on around you.
Do not break the law in the UAE and you will not have to worry about these things.
Oh, and I am a white Westerner. Not that I think anyone needs to - to use your words - "come clean" about their nationality or ethnicity, and I don't want to think about what you are implying with that.
I'm not being naive, and after living in the region (in more than one country) for over a decade I think I have a pretty good grasp on what really does go on here but thanks for the 'advice'... but lets just agree to disagree on this one.
Enjoy your 'crazy' life.
#45
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Re: Fast Track Options Moving to Abu Dhabi from UK
[QUOTE] I'm not being naive, and after living in the region (in more than one country) for over a decade I think I have a pretty good grasp on what really does go on here but thanks for the 'advice'... but lets just agree to disagree on this one. [END QUOTE]
Really? I don't think you do - otherwise it wouldn't come as a surprise to you to read that people get sent home for co-habitating. I am both sorry - and a bit envious - that your Middle Eastern experience has been so sheltered.
Whatever. Not my life - or my consequences. OP, do not break UAE law and make sure you have an attested marriage document before living together. An Islamic ceremony on arrival is a quick way to do that if you can't get your Scottish one done in time.
Really? I don't think you do - otherwise it wouldn't come as a surprise to you to read that people get sent home for co-habitating. I am both sorry - and a bit envious - that your Middle Eastern experience has been so sheltered.
Whatever. Not my life - or my consequences. OP, do not break UAE law and make sure you have an attested marriage document before living together. An Islamic ceremony on arrival is a quick way to do that if you can't get your Scottish one done in time.
Last edited by carcajou; Jul 3rd 2017 at 8:23 am. Reason: Messed up the quote block