If you are relocating to Dubai from another country, the experience can be a roller coaster of emotions. Without the help of reliable international movers, the tasks at hand may be quite overwhelming even more so if you’re relocating to Dubai with family.
To rid yourself of the stress of packing and handling all your belongings, book an international moving company now. There’s only so much you can manage yourself anyway.
Things to Do When Planning on Relocating to Dubai with Family
While the movers handle the packing and moving, here are a few things you need to check off your list in the meantime.
Sort Through Your Personal Belongings
Sort out the items you want to take with you and sell or place the rest in storage. Decluttering can do wonders when it comes to packing and unpacking not to mention that it also cuts back on your shipping cost.
Inform Your Landlord About Your Move
If you are currently renting a home, check your contract to know about the notice period you need to give to your landlord before leaving the premises. If you own your current home, think about whether you want to sell it or rent the property out and accordingly get in touch with an estate agent.
Pick an International Mover and Book Your Moving Date
You can get quotes from multiple international moving companies from ServiceMarket. Note that international moves in Dubai typically take between 8-12 weeks.
Book Temporary Accommodation in Dubai
Getting your paperwork sorted and finding a place to live in Dubai will take you a few weeks, so you will need to arrange for temporary furnished accommodation. For longer stays, consider choosing a furnished apartment as these are usually more reasonably priced than a hotel.
Book Your Flight
Once you have sorted out your temporary accommodation, the next step would be to book your flight. You can often save a significant amount of money by booking your flights in advance, rather than waiting until the last minute. Also, make sure to check that you have at least six months left on your passport from your travel date.
Get Important Documents Attested
To apply for residency in Dubai, you may need to get key documents attested including your birth certificate, education certificate, and marriage certificate (if you are married).
Start the Process to Get Your Dubai Residency Visa
You can’t rent an apartment or a villa without your residency visa. So the faster you can sort out your visa, the faster you’ll be able to settle into your new home. Your company should arrange this for you and pay for its costs. Budgeting for this takes up to one month. Moreover, remember that you will need to pass a medical test to get approval.
Find a School for Your Children
If you have children, then you should start looking for schools as soon as possible. Many of the popular schools are at full capacity and have waiting lists, so the sooner you start looking the better. The KHDA website is a good place to start as they have full listings of schools in Dubai and their curriculum, facilities, and ratings.
Visit Your Local Vet
If you have pets that you are planning to bring with you, visit your local vet to make sure that their vaccination is up to date and they meet all the requirements to be brought into Dubai.
Tasks To Take Care of Right Before You Move
Update Your Post Office Address
Depending on which country you live in, you may be able to forward your mail to a new address. You should also update your friends and family with your new address and how to contact you after your move!
Get Your Utilities Disconnected
Before leaving your home you will need to get all your utilities disconnected or transferred into the new resident’s name. Make sure to research the process of doing this in advance to avoid any last-minute complications.
Pack and Move
You should have already arranged the details with your international movers in Dubai so this should be a less stressful process. They will help you throughout the process from packing to moving and anything else related to relocating.
Things to Ensure Upon Arrival
Find a Place to Live
You may want to look for economical options initially as all the other expenses combined together might be a little complicated.
For advice on finding a new home that matches your needs and budget, check out our guide to finding a new home.
Apply for Your Emirates ID
Once you have your residency visa you will need to apply for your mandatory Emirates ID card. You can start this process at any authorized typing center or at an Emirates ID office. After submitting your application and paying the fees you will need to visit the Emirates ID center to get your photo and fingerprints taken before you will be able to collect your ID card.
Set up the Utilities
To find out more information on how to set up your electricity, water, landline, and internet accounts read online guides on how to get utility connections or ask around from people already living in your new neighborhood. It is recommended that you have all of this sorted before relocating to your Dubai home.
Register Your Tenancy Contract with Ejari
You will need your passport and visa, your Emirates ID, your tenancy contract, a connection receipt from DEWA (or a recent bill), and the title deeds of the rented property. You can get the Ejari certificate at any RERA office or authorized typing center.
Get Your New Home Ready
Whether the walls are screaming for a fresh coat of paint or you want a new shelf installed, now is the time to get that out of the way. You can also book a professional deep cleaning company to make sure your new house is spotless before you move in. Usually, the cost of doing this is borne by the landlord, so ask to make sure these are done by him/her before you move in. You can also get competitive quotes from ServiceMarket for these services.
Transfer Your Driving License
Depending on which country you got your driver’s license from, you may be able to immediately transfer that to a UAE driver’s license. You can check if it is transferable on the RTA website. If it is not, you will need to complete several driving lessons and pass a local driving test. There are several institutes you can register with including Emirates Driving Institute and Belhasa Driving Center.
Conclusion
Relocating to Dubai with family may seem very overwhelming. Apart from all the packing, there are so many other things that require your attention too. These may include your finances, visa, passport, and so on. You would have to be a superhuman to be able to manage everything all by yourself. To share your relocation burden with the professionals, visit ServiceMarket now and hire international movers and packers in Dubai.
