PhoenixGB

Hi All

This is my first post, I could really do with some help and advice..

GF has been offered and accepted a job in Dubai, Brand Manager on 21000AED PCM, plus bonuses and some expenses (like travel etc), with 7000 AED first month relocation fee and one months hotel paid for (I think...)

I am self-employed here in blighty, IT Consultancy, Web Design and Hosting services etc etc, what i would really like to do is continue my UK business from over there (at least the hosting and design side of it, gonna be hard to nip out and sort a crashed server from over there! ) Whats tax sitch if i live and do the work there, but clients are here (UK)?

She is talking about her being able to support us both initially till i can find work out there, and frankly i dont like the idea of being a kept man (could i have some cash please love??, err.. no thanks..).

She wants to get a 1 BR Apartment and i've told her we'll be divorced in weeks if we have to live like that. Can we afford a 2 bed? Is Sharjah cheaper?

What is the score with "local sponsors" for a pvt business, i have heard so many different stories.

I have posted my resume to a few sites and only one has come back so far, turns out the guy is part of an agency that post ur details on their site and point their "clients" in ur direction for a cut of the final bill for the project, anyone come across this? Seemed to think he could supply a visa, this sounded a bit fishy to me??

Will leave it at that for tonite, and hopefully if i get some response will continue with the million other q's i have.

Cheers All

Kev

BlackCloud

Well your most basic problem for living together out here is you are not married... Although you may get away with it you could be heading for problems. Maybe not so bad if you were here in your own right with your own visa whereby you would be self sufficient.

Someone else may answer the more involved questions.

Bob

Welcome to BE...but do have a search, this topic has come up a lot and there's quite a few threads on the situation, as well as packages needed because rent is expensive and not to mention paid up front etc.

Madam Medusa

your girlfriend can't sponsor you, so unless you get your own job, you will have to do visa runs...getting a private sponsor is difficult but not impossible is you have the dosh...

yep, sharjah is cheaper than dubai...

MM, xx

Blue Cat

the thought of commuting between Sharjah and Dubai makes me feel sick! the traffic is a nightmare.

Kev I am pretty sure you would get a job, it is sometimes easier when you are actually here. Plenty of stuff is advertised in the Gulf News on a daily basis.

Autonomy

if you were to set up your buiness through a freezone you'd be sorted for a visa...

the unmarried thing you need to be aware of - but I've never ever heard of any problems with this...

Inselaffen

not really a risk in Dubai for Europeans.
Sharjah would be a lot more risky though!

jrudofsky

Too many scare stories about the living together thing....but it is against the law so you need to take that into account when conducting yourself. However about 100,000 (ok i'm exaggerating) western expats do it but as Inse says in Dubai.

Sharjah is also 'dry' so you may want to take that into account?

Worth trying to speak to whoever covers IT recruitment at Charterhouse, they may have some thoughts.

g18c

I think you can get a Ras Al Khaimah free zone company for 15k AED or there abouts? My mate just done it i cant remember the money needed but it was cheap-ish considering you get a visa also.