Moving To Dubai for Remote Work

Recently, I decided to move to Dubai under their Virtual Work visa scheme. This is a one-year renewable visa for remote workers making more than $3500 USD per month. In this post, I outline the process I went through in case it helps someone else looking to do the same.

Why Dubai

Since I started my SaaS business, I've had the luxury of being able to work from anywhere. I've been moving from place to place every few months, fully embracing the nomad life. While this has given me perspective and adventure, it has also eroded my sense of 'home'. Committing to Dubai for one year is my way of injecting some much needed 'home' into my life.

As long as I don't get distracted, Dubai provides a good environment for getting shit done. Casting the vacationers to one side, I sense a strong hustle culture here. Even as I draft this, two young men at the adjacent table are passionately discussing their 5-year business outlook. The zero income tax means people keep what they earn. This incentivizes many people to work hard and value money. It's not uncommon for people to work multiple jobs and long hours. That's infectious.

The infrastructure is rock solid. Apartments feel modern. English is widely spoken. It's safe. It's digitized. It took me just four days after I landed to get my visa and six days to get my identity card. No time is wasted on bullshit, which I cannot say for many European countries I also considered. And if you factor in the zero income tax in Dubai, it ends up being more affordable than its European and American counterparts.

Process

I first applied for a Virtual Work entry permit. My entry permit was granted within two weeks of me applying. This let me enter Dubai. Then I took a medical test, gave my fingerprints, and got my Virtual Work visa, all within a span of 4 days and for under $400 USD. My Emirates ID came in the mail another 2 days later.

Entry Permit

Cost: $100 USD

I applied for a Virtual Work entry permit directly via GDRFAD. Their online system was easy enough to use (surprising for a government website) that I didn't need to hire an agency to do this for me. To save money, I recommend applying while you're outside of Dubai. I hit a few snags during this process which are worth noting.

  1. I didn't have health insurance. So I had to get some. I read on Reddit that UAE immigration accepts SafetyWing, so I went with that. I paid for one month, not the full year. SafetyWing lets you download an official 'proof of insurance' letter in PDF format. They accepted it.
  2. The application form only accepted a UAE number and address, which I didn't have. I used my friend's number and address. I think you can just fake both because they aren't used for anything important. All correspondence happened via email.
  3. Even though I submitted proof of income via my business bank statements, they got back to me with a request for a 'salary certificate' that states how much I'm paid and that I can do my work remotely. Since I have my own LLC, I thought this would be self-evident. Fearing that a back and forth would entangle me in more red tape, I designed a simple salary certificate on my company's letterhead stating that I'm the founder and I get paid so and so. Then I got my colleague, whom I temporarily made the Head of HR, to sign it. They accepted it.

My entry permit was granted within two weeks of me applying. It is valid for 60 days from the day it is granted. You must enter Dubai within this period to complete the rest of the steps to get the visa.

Get a Local Number

Cost: $15 USD

The first thing you should do once you enter the UAE is get a local number. You will be asked for this number multiple times throughout the rest of the process. After baggage claim, I went to the nearest Etisalat kiosk. I took their cheapest package at 50 AED which gives 4 GB data for 28 days and some limit on talk time which I'll never hit. Some things to note about Etisalat:

  1. Incoming texts are free, but outgoing texts are not. They cost some AED per text. This is drawn from your account balance.
  2. You cannot top up your account via the Etisalat app if you're using an international card. You must go to a physical store to do so. They're not difficult to find.

First Visit to Amer Center

Cost: $170 USD

Amer is a middleman between the Immigration office (GDRFAD) and you. They take your information and feed it into the GDRFAD system, and they take their fees for providing this convenience. I didn't consider bypassing Amer. There are Amer lounges all over Dubai. I found one close to my Airbnb and close to a metro stop (though taxis are very reasonably priced in Dubai). They asked for my passport photo, entry permit, email address, local phone number, and local address. They were averse to physical copies. Instead, they asked me to submit everything via Whatsapp. Luckily I had all the documents on iCloud. The address you provide them is the address they will physically mail your Emirates ID to. So make sure you're staying at that address for the next 7-10 days. In my case, I provided my friend's address.

The Amer officer processed my paperwork, scheduled my medical test at a clinic nearby, and scheduled my fingerprinting appointment for the following day. He offered me two options: expedited vs normal. I picked normal. I recommend only picking expedited if you need a visa sooner than 3 days. For all this, they charged me $170 USD, inclusive of the fees for the medical exam, fingerprinting, and the generation of the Emirates ID card which would be mailed to me later.

Medical Test

I got this done after I left the Amer center. I was in and out of the clinic in 30 minutes. They took my blood and a chest x-ray and texted me the results within 12 hours. I will not forget my x-ray experience. For some reason, we were asked to remove our shirts in advance. Ahead of me were a dozen half-naked guys from different countries all waiting their turn. We all kept exchanging awkward glances. I think it the first week in Dubai for all of us.

Fingerprinting

The fingerprinting happens at the Immigration office and I was in and out in 1.5 hours. They use state-of-the-art fingerprinting machines to get a thorough set of prints not just of the fingertips but the entire palm. My one qualm about Dubai is the length the government goes to monitor its residents. There are cameras everywhere. And supposedly, there are plainclothes police patrolling the busy streets. The fines levied for breaking the rules are prohibitively high. 200 AED for drinking or eating in the metro for example. While this keeps Dubai safe and clean, it comes at a cost. One can't skirt the law as easily as in South Asia.

Second Visit to Amer Center

Cost: $120 USD

Assuming you pass the medical test and don't show up on any 'Wanted' lists, the Amer center—via GDRFAD—applies for the Virtual Work visa on your behalf. I hit one snag here: the lady asked me for my IBAN of a UAE bank account in case I'm not approved and they need to refund my money. I told the lady I don't have a UAE bank account. She said their system requires it. Luckily I could call my friend and use his.

Within seconds, my visa was approved. Phew. Most countries would make this official by stamping a passport. This is what I expected in the UAE too. But that was not the case. Instead, I received an email with a PDF which contained my visa details. Dubai has digitized even this.

Emirates ID

You can find the tracking number for your Emirates ID via the online portal. Two days after my visa got approved, I received a call on my UAE number from the delivery guy saying he's arriving with my Emirates ID. He cross referenced my passport and handed me the envelope. The card is the size of a drivers license and looks professionally made. The lettering is crisp and the plastic is good quality. On the back it states my occupation and my employer—'Dummy Sponsor for Virtual Work'. On the front it states the expiration date exactly one year from now.

It's official. I'm a resident of Dubai. Hope this guide helps you become one too.