Ifti

Hi all,
I must say Im new to this forum but Ive noticed how friendly everyone is!!

Im thinking of relocating from the UK to Dubai (both myself and my wife, hopefully a child some time while we are there??!!). From research I take it I must do the followng:

1. Both my wife and myself enter Dubai on a 2 month visit visa.
2. Rent accomodation while looking for work in the IT field.
3. Hopefully find work (?!?!) who are willing to sponsor me (and maybe pay my accomodation!!)
4. Sponsor my wife to stay in the country once the company have sponsored me.
5. Stay in Dubai for as long as Im working (current plan around 3-4 years).
6. If we decide to have a child while we are there, add the child to my British passport, or create the child a new UK passport.

Do my plans seem realistic and is this the way to go??
Anything I should know about before taking the plunge?? We are looking to visit Dubai later this year (later in 2005) for a general holiday, and if all goes well and we like the area etc, look to relocate early 2006.

Any comments are most welcome.

Happy Xmas and New year to you all.

Ifti

novita77

Hello Ifti!!!! Welcome on board...

Can I ask do u and ur wife born in the UK or another country? Well I am just asking regarding abt child's passport in the other thread.

NOVITA

Bob

Welcome to the site. Can't really help, but sounds like a sound plan...just becareful when you get a job that it's something you like, that 6 month ban jobby could be a pain otherwise...

Ifti

Hi, I was born in the UK, and my wife was born in Pakistan. Hence although I hold a full British passport, my wife does not yet and is still on her Pakistani passport until she gets full residency etc.

Would you imagine this to pose a problem?

Thanks

Ifti

6 month ban?? So Im assuming I would have to stay in the same employment for a minimum of 6 months?

Bob

no....just that they don't like you leaving jobs for new ones, so a lot of places would have a ban of 6 month before letting a foreigner get employment with another company....just something to keep an eye out on the contract and visa...doesn't always happen, but it can...

Ifti

I dont chop and change jobs very often anyway so it shouldnt be a problem.....hopefully!!! Thanks for the info though Bob, definitely something to bear in mind....

Jammy_Dodgers

Please please please just bear in mind that the streets here are not paved with gold, and there are LOTS (and i mean lots!!) of people with the same plan as you. This has created a hirers markets and has driven wages down.
So unless you have very niche skills, do not expect a massive expat salary.

Like you said, best thing to do is pop out for a holiday and see what you think.

I wish you all the best in 2005

novita77

Hi Ifti,

I asked my hubby... if u born inside the UK, when the child born in Dubai... after the birth u just bring the birth ceretificate from Dubai authority, ur birth certificate and ur passport to attain ur child passport and ur child UK birth certificate.

If u r not sure u can double check again with the embassy.

Good luck Ifti...

joseph.creative

NO.

Normal contracts would be 12 months. 3 month probabtion. Piss them off at any point and you can be fired. If you really piss them off then you get banned and you end with having to leave the country.

Banning equals no work visa equals no residence visa equals illegal equals get out of Dubai or spend time in jail then be taken out of Dubai.

joseph.creative

I would suggest that she gets the UK passport first.

You were born in the UK so I have to ask this but if we looked at you then would we think UK westerner or Pakistani man with UK passport.

This is somthing to think about due to the racism in Dubai but then again there is no crime, forgery, money laundering or smuggling... and camels can fly! Just trying to give you a heads up about that.

There is the other side of this palce that people do not think about. As JD says the streeets are not paved with gold and in some cases they are covered in Camel shit. I am being to the point and honest about the place.

I am however very happy in Duabi and there are some good people so i am not one of these Duabi moaners who are only here for the tax free.

What you need to ask yourself is why do you really want to leave the UK?

joseph.creative

Creep... you all owe us lots of beer now !!! lol

1. Why bring your wife if ur looking for a job? you can extend to 90 days when ur here by oaying for it or doing a Muscat Visa run for example.

2. Very expensive. You will only be able to do thing such as Golden Sands and the Winchester. Unless you can blag a short term room in a villa by looking onthe notice boards in the local supermarkets.

Also unless ur super qualified and have certificates which has been certified inthe UK up the ying yang then the world and his wife are looking for IT jobs in the UAE> and also they can get cheap labour from India. Sorry. Harsh but real.

3. Work will sponsor yu if you get a job, they do the work visa and the residence visa. Easy enough there if you pass the blood test.

4. you can sponsor here to live in Dubai but not to work in Dubai.

5. er... if your job is in Dubai then it makes sense to live in Dubai as the traffic is shit in from Sharjah and the daily commute from London could take about 8 hours one way.

6. About the child issue... as i am not married, and use protection and the victim in case is also careful then the child issue is not a point I can answer.


Hope that all helps...

Ifti

Hi all

Many thanks for the responses. Some of them are abit harsh but I do appreciate the bare facts and they have made me re-think. I think it would definitely be best to take a holiday first and take things from there, maybe I am jumping the gun a little

I loved the line from JC - "the streeets are not paved with gold and in some cases they are covered in Camel shit". I'll have to remember that one ;o)

To be honest I have heard so much about Dubai (good things) that I thought it would be a wonderful place to work, knowing my wife and children would be in a safe environment. The amount of crap that goes on in London now is incredible - the latest being a string of knife attacks. I'd like to raise my family in a safe and secure environment I guess.

I have personally been working in the IT industry as an IT/Network Manager for several years now, so I have solid experience. I am currently part of a £20million government 'Test Bed' project and have redevloped the IT in a secondary school - Im talking cutting edge equipment, ceiling mounted projectors in EVERY teaching room, visualisers, 700 odd computers, 200 odd wireless laptops, brand new 1Gig backbone network, and so on. I have qualifications including a BSC(HONS) degree, A+ Certfied Professional, MCSE, and CCNA. Ive basically headed the whole project and started from scratch in developing the entire site.

I understand many people ar elooking for work in the IT field also. But you have helped me look at things realisticly I guess. Alot more thinking and preparation to do............I think this calls for a holiday.........maybe I'll see you all soon ;o)

Thanks again everyone, and Merry Christmas!!!

Ifti

joseph.creative

excellent qualifications and project there. Make sure you get the whole lot certified before you start looking for the job.

I am ex london so appreciate your point 100% and that knife attack thing is disgusting and the day before Xmas eve as well... sicko.

drop us aline over the mail thru the site. If u email then it means will have ur details which is better than alwasy using PM as it means I can think about a response and write it chilled in Japengo over a coffee.

A holiday would be agood idea and am sure that some of us could give u an idea of location etc etc so u see more of dubai than the happy face of tourism.

Take it easy.

The Messiah.

Ifti

Hi mate,
Yep I already have the whole lot certified - I completed all my studies a few years ago, and have been building it up with the work experience. Depending on when I can get time off I'd definitely look at coming to Dubai for a few weeks, wont be for a while yet though unfortunately. Probably after the summer now

Now you know my situation do you think I'd be able to find something? Or do you think I'd continue to live in hope??!!

I'll definitely keep in contact though. Thanks.