Moving on
 

Just handed in my notice last week and starting the lengthy process of getting out of Doha - last working day's on the 28th Feb, aiming to get out of the country within a couple of days after that at most.

I have a piece of paper as long as my arm with the signatures and stamps that I need in order to make this happen, so it's going to be a fun couple of months...

Re: Moving on
 

Congrats?

Where you off to next?

Re: Moving on
 

Definitely congrats. Off back to Blighty!

Re: Moving on
 

Lovely, enjoy! Meow has posted a link about things to consider when leaving the Middle East I think....probably find it in any of her signature links.

Re: Moving on
 

Lucky bastard :cool:

Re: Moving on
 

Cheers, I'll have a look! Handily someone who left here last year wrote a checklist based on his experiences leaving, so I've got a good starting point. I'm going to update it in the process for other guys who'll probably be off next year too.

Re: Moving on
 

is it really that complicated and convoluted to 'leave' the country?
you close your bank account
you pay off any cc debts and close those off
cancel dewa, du/etisalat, car reg, salik,
what's missing?

Re: Moving on
 

Book a flight.

Re: Moving on
 

It is.
I left Abu Dhabi 2 years ago and the process was frustrating.
My bank account with ADCB remains open despite every effort. Have simply given up now.
I spent 2 days at etisalat closing my phone account
ADDC closure took about 4 visits (bring this bit of paper/no bring it as a colour copy/ no where is stamp etc etc)
I could go on.
Prepare to be patient.

Re: Moving on
 

I have a page worth of signatures needed from the various departments for my company to prove I don't have anything signed out to me or owe any money. This includes going to a library I've never visited to confirm I never took out any books, that kind of thing. And of course not all of these departments are on the same site...

This is the bit I want to do most, but I currently daren't until everything else is sorted! Luckily I won't be paying it for myself anyway though, so the subsequent increase in ticket prices doesn't bother me as much as it would.

Re: Moving on
 

You clear on the UK tax implications of returning to the UK before the end of the tax year? There is a split year concession available, but it comes with strings attached.

Re: Moving on
 

Yeah, I've looked into all that thanks.

Re: Moving on
 

I would kind of enjoy some of this stuff. Menial tasks, just rolling around getting some bits done. Pleasant days.

Caveat
I would enjoy this stuff if it was on company time and instead of working. Not on my own time.

Re: Moving on
 

I have been assured that this is the case. In fact, they were surprised I even came back to work at all that day instead of wandering off to get started on them, despite the fact we had a big deadline the next day and I do actually still work here for the next two months.

Re: Moving on
 

Brilliant.
I resigned from my other job out here and was out of the office packed up and done within 2 hours....yes, that included typing a leaving email to the whole office....dictated by my boss over my shoulder. :blink:

Re: Moving on
 

FYI for anyone else planning to leave.

I'm in Dubai this week and the first thing I did this morning was to go to Emirates NBD to formally close down the bank accounts.

This is what I learned:

They will not start the process of closing down your bank account until your credit card has been cancelled. Despite that my card has no balance, it will still take 45 working days to cancel the card. Yes, you read this correctly. Not four-five working days but 45 working days.

Once the card is formally cancelled, then they will close down the bank account and that takes three working days. When I asked what to do given that I wouldn't be in the country two and a half months from now, they said to send a letter of request along with some form (which they gave to me) to the home branch (the branch where you started the account) along with a copy of your passport page.

I was, of course, a bit pissy about it. Especially when I learned that the bank will charge me 25 AED for each month the account is under balance (I currently have 300 AED in the account and the min balance is 5,000 AED).

On the bright side, it's another excuse to pop over to Dubai from Doha to make sure the accounts are formally closed and all that ;)

Re: Moving on
 

He dictated the leaving email? Was he that worried about what you might say otherwise?

I can confirm that the 45 day thing applies to credit cards over here as well, so bear that in mind when you plan to make your exit from Doha too.

Re: Moving on
 

Leaving the UAE can indeed be complicated. A guide to all you need to do to leave Dubai is here: https://financialuae.me/2016/04/11/n...leaving-dubai/

It's been a very popular article.

Re: Moving on
 

Oh yeah. Demanded that I wrote an email to all staff in the office to tell them...but then told me exactly what to write over my shoulder. :rofl::rofl:

Re: Moving on
 

The 45-day notice for credit cards applies in Saudi too. I got caught with the when leaving a job there in 2002. They refused to give me clearance unless I deposited SAR25,000 with them. They said I could have run up debts, by using the card in places where payment was still reconciled manually rather than electronically. I paid the deposit, and left KSA but had problems getting my deposit back. Got it back in the end after I send my pals the heavies around to the Arab National Bank in downtown Jeddah.