Hi,

I am wondering if anyone can help me answer a few very common questions.....

I am a 24-year-old feature writer living in the North East of England. My mum lives in SHarjah (for past two years) and I am planning on uprooting myself and my long-suffering boyfriend to the UAE early next year.

There is no other reason than I fancy a change and I love the place (not just the tourist route, I have some Arab friends living in Dubai), and it's an adventure!

So.....

1. What should I be doing this far ahead of schedule?
2. My partner works for Lloyds as a personal accounting manager so nothing majorly flash. How do we look into getting him work?
3. We are unmarried but would obviously like to live together, I know people do this although under the religious law it's not allowed. What do people think?
4. Is it worth looking elsewhere and further afield than Dubai? Bearing in mind I will need a paper or magazine to (hopefully) work on.

Any other help or guidance would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Lemons, naturally.

Get married before you come out here ....

no need, I lived with DH for ages before we got married. Contact ITP - the are big publishing company here and Motivate. Do an internet search. Boyfriend could get a transfer??? you will need ALOT of money to set up here though, think carefully.

Yeah bollocks do you need to get married...best not to as after one of you gets caught shagging someone else its easier not to have to get divorced

I guess your bf could try Lloyds Bank out here, see if he can get a transfer.

Lots of publications out here, most of them full of fluffy crap too so you'll be fine (although the money isn't great)

Avoid ITP - they treat their staff appallingly.

Your B/f will be earning alot less over here.


Best thing to do is to leave him in the UK......you will soo much more fun!

I don't think she will want to do that!!

That was quick, thank you!

Marriage is certainly not an option!!!

"Blue cat", How much money, minimum, would you advise coming over with?

I have tried searching the internet for agencies but there are so many it's hard to tell what's legit and what isn't.

Fluffy crap?! Sounds good to me, temporarily anyway!

You keep replying as I'm trying to reply so if I'm ignoring you, sorry!

Why...she will after 6 months anyway

When you get to 10 posts drop me a PM

To save you searching....DONT use ****************

scam

Have you checked out the rent prices here ....depends on where you want to live and what sort of social life you want to lead, holidays, trips to uk etc.
You need 20,000k dhs

well to rent an apartment is going to be about 100K and you can't do that until you get a residency visa, and you can't get a residency visa til you get a job! then if you get the job it will take a couple of months to sort out. You would have to stay in temp furnished accom which can cost about 18 - 20 k a month, unless you rent a room in a villa??? could be an option.

Ok.

Thanks for the help on the websites, and for the relationship advice of course

Anything else will be appreicated! I'm coming out in October so if anyone has any 10-day "Would you survive living here?" tests, let me know!

Twinklestar, so If I came with £5k I might be ok as a starter? WHere do you suggest for accommodation? In Dubai or outside? Like I said I know Sharjah isn't as flash but if prices are better I'd be more than happy there. I literally haven't checked out anything which why I'm a little bemused and don't know where to start!

Residency visas........ I'll look into that now.

So avoid ****************, and ITP,. anyone else?

And I have no idea how to send a PM....