Dubai is one of the popular destinations where many Indians are willing to relocate and reside. Owing to its proximity to India, it is an attractive destination, especially for those who are equipped with technological skills.
With this, Dubai is also considered one of the safest and most secure Middle Eastern countries for tourists. One of the main reasons is that the norms of the city are extremely thorough and careful, hence there is a low crime rate as compared to other parts of the world. But, relocation from India to Dubai with the intention to settle down in Dubai is a bit of a time-consuming task.
As relocating from India to Dubai is a time-taking task, one should keep calm and avoid unnecessary stress throughout the process. Thus, if you’re planning to settle down in Dubai and want to process how to shift your base from India to India, we have got you covered.
To settle in Dubai, you need to have a visa, an employment offer, and other required documents, but that is not all you require to settle in Dubai easily. Read further to know complete details on whether Is Dubai good for Indians to settle.
How to Settle in Dubai From India: Detailed Guide
To settle in Dubai from India, one needs to have a valid visa and other required documents handy to complete the procedure with ease. Have a look at the detailed information on how to Settle in Dubai From India discussed below:
Visas for Indians Moving to Dubai
Indian passport holders who desire to visit or reside in Dubai from India should first collect their visas through a sponsor. It sounds like a challenging task, but it is simple in reality. With this, you can gain more information about this when you do the booking of a hotel and submit the application for a visa through the travel agent.
If you want to avoid the hectic visa process then you can opt for a 14-day visa on arrival, but for this, you need to have a valid USA/UK/European Union residence visa or green card.
There are various types of UAE visas available for Indians who are willing to move to Dubai. However, it is important to ensure that the validity of your passport is a minimum of six months after the relocation. Let’s discuss the different types of Visas available when moving to Dubai as illustrated below:
- Employment Visa: The first type of visa is an Employment visa in which your employer issues the employment visa and residency permit to their foreign employees. After getting your UAE residence visa, you must confirm your UAE visa status through an online platform.
- Student Visa: If you are a student at UAE university, then you will receive a student visa until the completion of your course.
- Dependent Visa: The second type of visa is a dependent visa. It is issued to you if your spouse has a valid employment visa and is currently working in Dubai, then you will be considered eligible for a dependent visa. Moreover, your spouse must earn at least AED 3000 to 4,000 per month for your sponsorship. In case your children stay in Dubai, then they must earn at least AED 20,000 per month for your sponsorship. If your parents can sponsor you, then you must be either unmarried and below 18 years or a student.
- Property Owner Visa: If you want to buy or invest in properties in Dubai, then you will be issued a renewable residency visa. To know about renewable residency visas Visit Dubai Housing. Moreover, there are different benefits of this visa (dependents, etc.) that are determined by certain factors.
- Investors Visa: If an individual wants to do business in the UAE then he will be eligible to receive an Investor visa. However, there is an ocean of Dubai investor visas available to opt from.
Documents Required for Moving from India to Dubai
If you are willing to settle down in Dubai from India, the employer will handle various types of work associated with the process. But, you should make sure that all of your documents are in the prescribed order.
Before you settle in Dubai, you should possess your Indian university degree or attested copies of certificates. After moving to Dubai, this process might be a little longer and a challenging task. However, there are four steps involved in order to get your degree attested as shared below for the ease of interested individuals.
- In the first place, you are required to visit your university to get your paperwork stamped. To do this, you need to call in order to identify the documents required to complete the process. You will be required to carry copies of your mark sheets and educational certificates. Also, you need to carry attestation from the competent board depending on your field of work.
- After this, you need to carry your HRD certificate. For this, you need to visit your state’s HRD office or equivalent. There are no charges applicable if you directly visit the HRD office directly, however, you should carry all the required documents including high school transcripts and a passport-size photo (differs by state).
- To get all your documents attested by the stamp, you are required to visit the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi or you can also hire a registered agent.
- Finally, you should have an approval stamp from UAE Embassy.
- If you are going to Dubai as a married couple, then you need to possess an attested copy of the marriage certificate. With this, you are required to possess a good conduct certificate from India before submitting the application for a work visa. Moreover, you also need to carry passport-sized photos with white backgrounds.
Points to be noted before moving to Dubai from India
There are a plethora of points to be remembered by interested individuals before moving to Dubai from India as shared below:
Research for Accommodation in Dubai
Dubai’s real estate market is evolving and growing with a wide variety of properties that would easily align with all budgets and different preferences. Finalize whether renting or buying a house is suitable for you before completing the paperwork.
- Renting a Property in Dubai: Indians who are new in Dubai most probably stay in rented apartments initially. With this, it is also advised that you should not spend more than 35% of your salary on rent per month. You can search for affordable apartments in Dubai as it would be helpful in your savings. Also, remember that you need to pay rent every year or quarterly check-in Dubai. Moreover, you are required to pay for all the DEWA facilities (power and water), security deposit, internet/phone deposits, and agent commissions. Thus, it is advised to stay updated with all of Dubai’s tenant norms to avoid any sort of confusion.
- Buying a Property in Dubai: Dubai’s real estate market has witnessed tremendous growth with a variety of amenities for interested individuals. There are a wide variety of properties available in Dubai such as villas, apartments, and townhouses in reputed neighborhoods such as apartments in Dubai Marina, Arabian Ranches, etc. Going by past trends and statistics, there are many Indians who are investing in the real estate market of Dubai. If you wish to reside in Dubai, then you can rent out your property after shifting from Dubai, then it would be a secondary source of income and also help you to receive a residence visa on the basis of the size of the property purchase.
Education for Indians in Dubai
- There are many Indian curriculum schools or equivalents in Dubai available for kids who have relocated from India to Dubai. The list of various options is elaborated below:
- If your child is studying in any international school in Dubai, then they will get the chance to communicate with students across the globe.
- Various schools in Dubai offer ICSE and CBSE curricula around the city.
- The price of education in Dubai differs depending on the courses and facilities.
- Some of the top schools in Dubai are occupied quickly for all age groups. Hence, it is advised to apply to the school well in advance as soon as it is confirmed that you will be relocating to Dubai.
- The Indian schools will commence classes in the month of April, while most international schools will be open in the month of September.
Food for Indians in Dubai
- There are a plethora of Indian restaurants available all over Dubai. One of the most popular foods in the city is Indian cuisine. The Dubai restaurant serves food from all over India including street-side chaat, South Indian thalis, biryani, Jain food, and much more.
- Various restaurants are found in the ‘old Dubai’ districts with a wide range of options and budgets. But, you will always find Indian restaurants nearby your location matter where you stay.
- If you’re searching for groceries, then there are various shopping centers in Dubai that fulfill all your requirements. Some of the popular choices are Al Adil Supermarket, LuLu Hypermarket, etc which have a variety of items and brands for Indian shoppers.
Healthcare for Indians in Dubai
It is the responsibility of every sponsor to offer health insurance to the individuals for whom they have issued the visas. It means they need to offer medical insurance to your wife or children as well if they are on a dependent visa. However, there are few employers who offer insurance for dependents as well. Furthermore, you should go through the UAE government’s list of restricted substances carefully before carrying any medicines with you to Dubai from India.
Transportation in Dubai
The next famous attraction of Dubai is the public transport system which is widely popular across the world. There are three popular modes of public transportation in Dubai such as buses, metro, and taxis. Basically, buses are the less-expensive mode, then comes the Dubai metro, and lastly taxis.