United Arab Emirates government paperwork, step by step.

UAE Corporate Tax started with the first financial year that began on or after 1 June 2023. The rate is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000. The rate is 9% on the amount above that. Every taxable person must register with the Federal Tax Authority on EmaraTax. This includes companies that expect to pay no tax. When you register, you get a Tax Registration Number. You register online, and it takes about 30 minutes. Your deadline depends on when your business was incorporated or licensed.

8 steps · About 30 minutes to register2026-Latest

VAT is 5% on most goods and services in the UAE. A business must register when its taxable supplies and imports go over AED 375,000 in the previous 12 months. It must also register if it expects to go over AED 375,000 in the next 30 days. You can register by choice from AED 187,500. You register on the FTA EmaraTax platform. You then get a Tax Registration Number (TRN). If you register late, you will pay penalties. Check the current penalty amounts on tax.gov.ae.

7 steps · About 30 minutes to apply; approval varies2026-Latest

Every taxable person must file a Corporate Tax return. You must also pay any tax you owe. The deadline is within 9 months of the end of your financial year. For example, the FTA announced 30 September 2026 as the filing and payment deadline for the financial year ended 31 December 2025 (now passed). By the same 9-month rule, the year ended 31 December 2026 is due on 30 September 2027. You file in EmaraTax. Taxpayers who use Small Business Relief file a simpler return. If you file or pay late, you will pay penalties. Check the current amounts in the FTA penalty schedule on tax.gov.ae.

7 steps · Hours to prepare; filing itself under an hour2026-Latest

An employment residence visa is sponsored by your employer. The steps follow a fixed order. First you get a job offer. Then your employer gets a MOHRE work permit and an entry permit. Next you take a medical fitness test and give your Emirates ID biometrics. Last, your residence permit is issued. The standard visa is valid for 2 years. You can renew it. Your employer handles most steps. You cannot sponsor yourself on this route.

7 steps · 1–3 weeks (end to end)2026-Latest

The Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa. You can renew it. ICP's Golden Residency guide sets the term at 10 years. You do not need a sponsor. You can stay outside the UAE for more than 6 months without losing your residency. You can also sponsor your family. There are five main routes. Investors (AED 2M+) can apply. Entrepreneurs can apply. People with exceptional talent and specialised professionals can apply. Outstanding students can apply. Humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes can apply too.

6 steps · Varies by category — confirm current processing times with ICP/GDRFA2026-Latest

If you live in the UAE, you can sponsor your family to live with you. You can sponsor your spouse. You can sponsor unmarried daughters. You can sponsor sons under 25. You can also sponsor children with special needs. You must earn at least AED 4,000 per month. Or you must earn at least AED 3,000 per month plus accommodation. Each family member needs four things. They need an entry permit. They need a medical fitness test if they are 18 or older. They need an Emirates ID. And they need a residence permit. The permit is linked to your visa, so it ends when your visa ends. Parents follow different rules. They get a 1-year residence visa you can renew. The salary bar is higher, both parents are normally sponsored together, and each parent needs medical insurance.

10 steps · 1–3 weeks per dependent2026-Latest

Most visitors need a tourist visa. Some nationalities get visa on arrival instead, so check first. You can apply online through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) or Dubai GDRFA. You can also apply through a UAE-based airline, a licensed travel agency, or a hotel. You can choose 30, 60, and 90-day stays. Each stay can be single entry or multiple entry. There is also a 5-year multiple-entry visa that you sponsor yourself. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas.

7 steps · ~2–5 working days2026-Latest

The Green Visa is a 5-year residence visa. You can renew it. You do not need a sponsor. You can sponsor your family members. This includes your spouse and children. Three groups of people can apply. Skilled workers can apply. Freelancers and self-employed people can apply. Investors and business partners can apply too. Each group must pass its own test. The test checks your permit and your income or investment. All applicants take the same steps. You take a medical test. You get an Emirates ID. Then your residence is issued.

7 steps · 1–3 weeks (end to end)2026-Latest

With a virtual work visa, you can live in the UAE and work for a company outside the UAE. u.ae sets the main conditions. You must prove that your work is outside the UAE. You need a salary certificate that shows at least USD 3,500 per month. You can also show the same amount in another currency. You also need health insurance and a medical fitness test. The visa is valid for 1 year. You can renew it. Apply to ICP. If you will live in Dubai, apply to GDRFA Dubai instead.

7 steps · 1–3 weeks (end to end)2026-Latest

You can extend most visit and tourist visas from inside the UAE. You do not need to leave the country. Extensions can be repeated up to a total-stay cap. Your sponsor must apply for the extension. For a tourist visa, the sponsor is the travel agency or airline. For a family visit visa, the sponsor is your family member. Apply through ICP if your visa was issued outside Dubai. Apply through GDRFA Dubai if your visa was issued in Dubai. Always apply before your current visa expires. After it expires, overstay fines of AED 50/day apply.

6 steps · Varies (typically days)2026-Latest

You can check the status of a UAE visa, entry permit, or residence file online, including a UAE visit visa. It takes a few minutes. Use ICP Smart Services, on the website or in the app, for visas issued outside Dubai. Use GDRFA Dubai for visas issued in Dubai — a GDRFA visa status check for Dubai visa status. You need your passport number. It also helps to have your file (unified) number or your Emirates ID. The result shows your visa type and your sponsor. It shows the issue date and the expiry date. It also shows if your file is valid, expired, cancelled, or still under process.

5 steps · Minutes2026-Latest

The UAE uses one standard overstay fine. It is AED 50 per day. It applies to visit, tourist, and residence visas, per u.ae. The fine starts the day after your permitted stay ends. This is the day after your visa expires. Or it is the day after any grace period for your visa type ends. Check your exact fine on ICP or GDRFA. You can pay online. You can pay at a typing centre or an Amer centre. Or you can pay at the airport. Keep your receipt. Paying the fine does not extend your stay. After you pay, you must leave the UAE or change your status.

5 steps · Same day2026-Latest

Retired foreigners can apply for a 5-year residence visa. Per u.ae, you must meet two conditions first. You must have worked for at least 15 years, inside or outside the UAE. And you must be at least 55 when you retire. You must also meet one of two money conditions. The first condition has two parts. You own property worth at least AED 1 million. And you have savings of at least AED 1 million. The second condition is income. You have an annual income of at least AED 180,000. Do you want to apply from Dubai? Then your annual fixed income must be at least AED 240,000.

7 steps · 1–3 weeks (end to end)2026-Latest

Parents from other countries must finish their newborn's paperwork within 120 days of birth. There are four steps. Register the birth and get a birth certificate. Get the baby's passport from your embassy or consulate. Apply for an Emirates ID. And get a residence visa, sponsored by a parent who lives in the UAE. Start with the birth notification from the hospital. If you miss the 120-day deadline, daily fines apply. Check the current fine rate with ICP or GDRFA.

6 steps · Within 120 days of birth2026-Latest

Are you already inside the UAE? Have you received a new visa? For example, you may be moving from a visit visa to a residence visa for work, a Green Visa, study, or family. In most cases, you do not need to leave the country. Instead, you send a Change of Status request from inside the UAE. Changing your visa status in the UAE this way is done online through ICP Smart Services, or through GDRFA Dubai for a Dubai visa status change. The fee is AED 500 through ICP. GDRFA Dubai lists AED 500 plus Knowledge and Innovation dirham charges. Check the exact total in the portal. You must get the new visa first. If needed, you must also cancel your previous residence permit first.

6 steps · Varies — often within days2026-Latest

When you leave the UAE for good, your residence visa must be cancelled officially. In most cases, only your sponsor can cancel it. First, your employer cancels your work permit with MOHRE. Then your sponsor applies to ICP to cancel the visa. After cancellation, you get a grace period. You must leave, or change your status, before it ends. The grace period is 180, 90, 60, or 30 days. It depends on your residence category. If you stay past your grace period, you pay AED 50 per day.

6 steps · Same day to a few days2026-Latest

The Emirates ID is the official identity card for everyone who lives in the UAE. ICP issues the card. If you are a resident from another country, you apply for it together with your residence permit on one unified form. Dubai is different. Dubai uses GDRFA instead. The card stays valid for as long as your residence visa. Your 15-digit ID number stays the same for life, even when you renew the card.

6 steps · Same-day application; delivery varies2026-Latest

If you live in Dubai, you need a UAE licence to drive. To get your UAE driving licence (also called a Dubai driver's license), open a traffic file with an RTA-approved driving institute — the RTA driving license route. You pass an eye test. You take theory classes and pass a Knowledge test. You take practical driving lessons. Then you pass a Yard test for parking and a final Road test. Do you hold a licence from a country the RTA recognises? Then you can usually exchange it directly, with no tests. A new licence is valid for 2 years if you are age 21 or over. It is valid for 1 year if you are under 21.

8 steps · Weeks to months (training route); 1–3 days (exchange)2026-Latest

The Police Clearance Certificate (Good Conduct Certificate) proves you have no criminal record in the UAE. You often need it for a job, for immigration, for study abroad, or for a licence. People also call it a UAE police clearance, and a Dubai police clearance certificate is the same document for Dubai visa holders. Two authorities give it. Dubai Police gives it to Dubai visa holders. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) gives it in the other emirates. A Dubai Police certificate is valid for 3 months. An MOI certificate is valid for 30 days. If you will use it outside the UAE, you also need MOFA attestation.

7 steps · 5 working days (Dubai Police); within 24 hours (MOI)2026-Latest

MOFA attestation means the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that a document and its seals are real. Then authorities in the UAE or abroad can accept it. A document issued in the UAE goes to MOFA after the government entity that issued it adds its attestation or seal. Documents issued digitally skip this step. A document issued abroad must first be attested in the country that issued it. First the home-country authority attests it, then the UAE embassy there. After that, MOFA attests it in the UAE. If the document is going abroad, the embassy of the destination country in the UAE usually attests it after MOFA.

7 steps · 2 hours (digital, eligible docs) to 3 working days (courier)2026-Latest

You can renew a Dubai driving licence on rta.ae, in the RTA Dubai app, at a self-service machine, or at a Customer Happiness Centre. You need a valid Emirates ID. You need an eye test at a centre approved by the RTA. And you must pay all your traffic fines first. A renewed licence is valid for 5 years for expatriate residents. For UAE and GCC citizens it is valid for 10 years. If you are under 21, it is valid for 1 year. If you are 21 or older, you can renew up to 6 months before the expiry date. If you renew late, you pay AED 10 for each month, up to a maximum of AED 500.

8 steps · Same day (digital licence); physical card 2–3 working days by delivery2026-Latest

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of your UAE driving licence. It lets you drive legally in many other countries. It is valid for 1 year from the day it is issued. You must always carry it together with your original UAE licence. You cannot use it to drive inside the UAE. Only UAE citizens and residents with a valid UAE licence can get a UAE IDP. Tourists must get one in their home country before they travel.

6 steps · Same day (counter/airport) to 3 working days (online via the club)2026-Latest

You must renew your vehicle registration (the Mulkiya) every year. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months. You can renew up to 150 days before it expires. There is also a grace period of 30 days after the expiry date. A new car bought from an authorised UAE dealer does not need a technical inspection for the first 3 years. Your insurance must be valid, and you must pay all fines, before the RTA accepts your payment.

7 steps · Instant once insurance + inspection are in the system2026-Latest

You can transfer a used car in Dubai in the Dubai Drive app with UAE Pass. Or you can do it at an RTA Customer Happiness Centre or an Inspection Centre. The seller pays all fines and settles any bank loan. The buyer arranges insurance. If the car is over 3 years old, the buyer also arranges an inspection. Both sides sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement digitally. Then the buyer completes the licensing. The buyer gets the new Mulkiya within 14 days of the transfer.

7 steps · Same day to a few days (plus up to 14 days to complete licensing)2026-Latest

If you lose your passport in the UAE, follow these steps. Report the loss to the police. Get the formal lost passport certificate. Apply for a new passport at the embassy or consulate of your country in the UAE. Then go to GDRFA to have your residence visa stamped into your new passport. In Dubai, one extra point applies. Before the formal certificate is issued, your police report must be endorsed by the court, the Public Prosecution, and GDRFA. Embassy fees and processing times change from country to country.

6 steps · Days to weeks (embassy processing varies by country)2026-Latest

From 1 January 2027, new federal traffic rules set how long a UAE driving licence lasts, who can get one, and what it takes to pass. The rules come from Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which puts Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 into practice. Drivers under 21 get a 1-year temporary licence. First-time drivers aged 21 or over get 2 years. On renewal, UAE and GCC citizens get 10 years and expatriate residents get 5 years. Both the theory and practical tests need 75% to pass, and a dangerous mistake can still fail you even if you hit 75%.

6 steps · 10 minutes to read2026-Latest

If you work for a private company in the UAE, you earn a gratuity when your job ends. This is also called an end-of-service benefit. You must complete at least one year of continuous service. The amount is based on your last basic salary. You get 21 days of basic wage for each of the first five years. You get 30 days for each year after that. Part years count too, in proportion. Since February 2022, all private-sector contracts are fixed-term. The old limited and unlimited contract rules no longer apply to new service. Under the old unlimited contracts, resigning could reduce your gratuity. That reduction no longer applies.

7 steps · 15 minutes to calculate2026-Latest

In the private sector in the UAE, maternity leave is 60 days. The first 45 days are fully paid. The last 15 days are half-paid. You can apply up to 30 days before your expected delivery date. You can get extra unpaid leave if you are ill because of the pregnancy or the childbirth. You can get extra paid leave if your baby is sick or has a disability. Parental leave is 5 paid working days, for both parents. These figures are for the private sector, under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021. The rules for the government sector are different.

7 steps · Maternity: 60 days; parental: 5 working days2026-Latest

If your employer breaks your contract or the Labour Law, you can file a labour complaint. Examples are unpaid wages, unpaid gratuity, unfair dismissal, and too many working hours. You file with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). You can use its website or app. You can also call the Labour Claims and Advisory Centre on 80084. MOHRE first tries to settle the case in a friendly way. If that does not work, MOHRE can decide claims up to AED 50,000 itself. It sends bigger disputes to the Labour Court. Do not wait. MOHRE guidance says to file within 30 days of the breach.

6 steps · About 14 working days for MOHRE handling2026-Latest

The Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme is unemployment insurance. It is mandatory for federal government and private-sector employees. You must pay into it for at least 12 months in a row before you can claim. If you then lose your job through no fault of your own, you can claim. You get 60% of your average basic salary from the last six months before you lost your job. You get this for up to 3 months per claim. The most you can get is AED 10,000 or AED 20,000 per month. The cap depends on your salary band. You must file your claim within 30 days of losing your job.

6 steps · Claim processed within 2 weeks of submission2026-Latest

You can set up one of two types of company. A mainland company is licensed by the emirate Department of Economic Development. In Dubai, this is Dubai DET. A free-zone company is licensed by a free-zone authority, such as DMCC. The mainland route follows a 9-step process. The free-zone route goes through the authority you choose. That authority issues the licence within 14 working days, per u.ae. Costs depend on the emirate, your activity, and your legal form. u.ae does not publish one fixed fee list.

9 steps · 15 minutes (Basher) to 14 working days (free zone); mainland varies2026-Latest

Opening a personal bank account — your main, or primary, account in the UAE — is easy once you have a residence visa and an Emirates ID, whether you open it in Dubai or any other emirate. Choose a bank. Prepare your documents. Then apply at a branch, or set up your bank account online in the bank app. Approval usually takes a few hours to a few days. Central Bank rules say accounts must be opened within 2 complete business days of application, unless financial-crime checks require more time. In that case, the bank must explain the delay and record the reason. Many banks ask you to keep a minimum balance every month. If your balance falls below it, the bank may charge a monthly fee.

6 steps · A few hours to a few days2026-Latest

You must renew a Dubai mainland trade licence before it expires. This keeps your business legal. Renewal is done through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DED). You can renew online through DET e-services or the Invest in Dubai platform. You can also use the DED Business app, or go to an approved service centre. You need three main things. First, a valid Ejari-registered tenancy contract. Second, the filled BR/1 renewal form. Third, payment of the renewal fees shown on the payment voucher. Fees and late-renewal fines change by licence type and activity. The DET portal confirms them when you apply.

6 steps · Same day once documents are in order2026-Latest

A free-zone company gets its licence from a free-zone authority, such as DMCC, JAFZA, or RAKEZ. It does not get it from the emirate DED/DET. The steps are simple. Pick your sector and your zone. Choose a legal form. Reserve a trade name. Then apply online to the zone authority. The authority checks your application. After approval, your licence is issued within about 14 working days. Costs change by zone, activity, legal form, and office package. Check the current fees with the authority you choose before you set a budget.

7 steps · About 14 working days for licence issuance (after approval)2026-Latest

You open a business (corporate) bank account with a UAE bank after your company is licensed. The bank runs Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. It checks the company, its shareholders, and the people allowed to sign for it. The main documents are your trade licence, your Memorandum of Association, ID documents for the shareholders and signatories, and proof of address. Every bank has its own checklist, minimum-balance rules, and timelines. Check these with the bank before you apply.

6 steps · Varies by bank — corporate KYC can take longer than personal accounts2026-Latest

Traffic fines in Dubai come from Dubai Police, the RTA, and the MOI. You can check them by plate number, driving licence, or Emirates ID. Use the Dubai Police app, the RTA app, or the MOI app. Pay by card or Apple Pay. For large totals, you can pay in instalments with no interest. Dubai has no fixed discount for paying early. Discounts only apply during campaigns by Dubai Police, for a limited time. The amount shown in the app already includes any live discount. If a fine is wrong, you can dispute it. File an objection and add your evidence.

6 steps · Minutes to check and pay2026-Latest

For emergencies, call 999. You can report cybercrime on the eCrimes platform, in the Ministry of Interior app. Or use the Dubai Police eCrime website, Abu Dhabi Police's Aman service, or the Federal Public Prosecution's My Safe Society app. You can also go to your nearest police station. Economic crimes go to Dubai's Economic Security Center (ESCD). For a confidential tip-off, use Al Ameen (Dubai), Aman (Abu Dhabi), or Al Najeed (Sharjah).

7 steps · Emergency: immediate; other reports vary — confirm at the station2026-Latest

A student can live in the UAE for study in two ways. A resident parent can sponsor the student. Or the accredited university or college can sponsor the student. Universities help with the process. The student residence permit lasts for the full study programme. After you finish your studies, you can stay in the UAE for 180 days. You renew or extend the permit while you are still enrolled. You need an admission letter. You need a certificate from the university that states how long your study will last. You also need a medical fitness test, an Emirates ID, and health insurance.

7 steps · 2–4 weeks (end to end)2026-Latest

To enrol a child in a Dubai private school, follow these steps. Choose a school. Your child passes the school's admission assessment. The school registers your child with KHDA. Then you sign the unified Parent–School Contract through the KHDA Parent Portal. KHDA registration itself is free and takes 3 days. The school charges an application fee of AED 500. It also charges an enrolment fee of up to 10% of the tuition.

7 steps · KHDA registration: 3 days; KHDA enrolment decision within 1 working day2026-Latest

A degree equivalency certificate is also called a recognition certificate. It confirms that a qualification you earned outside the UAE is valid. It also confirms that it meets UAE standards. You often need it for government and semi-government jobs. You also need it for regulated professions, such as education, engineering, and healthcare licensing. You may need it for higher studies in the UAE, and for academic Golden Visa routes. University degrees go through the equivalency portal of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR). School certificates go through the Ministry of Education (MOE). Fees and processing times change. Check them on the portal before you apply.

6 steps · Varies — confirm processing time on the portal2026-Latest

Ejari is the official register of tenancy contracts at the Dubai Land Department. Every tenancy in Dubai must be registered. You need the registered e-Contract Registration Certificate to connect DEWA. You also need it to sponsor family visas. And you need it to use the Rental Disputes Centre. You can register online in the Dubai REST app or on the DLD website. Or you can register in person at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre.

7 steps · ~25 minutes (trustee centre) / minutes online2026-Latest

If you are a tenant, you start electricity and water through the DEWA "Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in)" service. You can use dewa.gov.ae or the DEWA Smart App. You need a registered Ejari first. When you enter a valid Ejari number, the form fills in your details for you. You do not need to upload any documents. Next, you pay the refundable security deposit and the activation charges. DEWA connects your supply within 15 working hours of payment. This is stated in DEWA's service guide.

5 steps · Minutes to apply; supply within 15 working hours of payment2026-Latest

Salik is Dubai's electronic toll system. You stick an RFID tag on your windshield. The tag is linked to a prepaid account. Each time you pass one of Dubai's 10 toll gates, the toll is charged to your account automatically. Toll prices change by time of day. At peak times you pay AED 6. Off-peak you pay AED 4. It is free from 1:00 to 6:00 AM. On Sundays the price is a flat AED 4. Since 1 June 2026, 5% VAT is added on top, so you pay AED 6.30 / AED 4.20. If you pass a gate without a registered tag, you get a fine. You also get a fine if your balance is too low and you do not top up within 5 days.

7 steps · Minutes to buy and activate2026-Latest

The NOL card is Dubai's contactless smart card for public transport. You can use it on the Metro, the tram, buses, and the waterbus. You can also use it for RTA parking. Dubai is divided into 7 zones. Your fare depends on how many zones you cross. Silver is the standard card. Gold gives you access to Gold Class cabins, at double the fares. Blue is personalised. It protects your balance and gives concession fares. The Red Ticket is a disposable paper ticket for occasional trips.

7 steps · Minutes to buy; top-up instant via app/machines2026-Latest

Dubai tenancy disputes go to the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC). The RDC is part of the Dubai Land Department. You file your case online. You pay a fee of 3.5% of the annual rent or the claimed amount. There are minimum and maximum limits on the fee. The system books your first session for you. The session is at least 7 days after you pay. The judgment comes to you by email. If your claim is AED 100,000 or more, you can appeal within 15 days. You can also enforce the judgment through an execution file.

7 steps · First session at least 7 days after payment; full timeline varies2026-Latest

When you leave a Dubai property, send a DEWA Move-Out (deactivation) request. You can use the website, the Smart App, or a Customer Happiness Centre. Your real-estate management company can also do it. You get a reference number. DEWA disconnects the supply. Your final bill arrives within 36 hours. After you pay it, you can ask for your security deposit back, by IBAN transfer or by cheque. Are you moving to another home in Dubai? Use Move-To instead. Your deposit moves with you.

7 steps · Final bill within 36 hours; disconnection per your move-out date2026-Latest

Home internet in the UAE comes from two providers: e& (Etisalat) and du. e& publishes its Neo fibre plans from AED 399/month for 1 Gbps. du's current home-internet prices were not published on the official du pages reviewed. Check them on du.ae. Apply in the provider's app, on its website, or in a store. Then a technician installs the connection.

7 steps · Application in minutes; technician visit on your selected date/time (e&)2026-Latest

Foreigners may buy freehold property in Dubai's designated freehold areas. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) issues the title deeds. A sale of a ready property is completed at a Real Estate Registration Trustee centre. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes. A mortgaged sale has extra bank steps. Off-plan purchases are registered in the provisional register through Oqood.

7 steps · 15–30 minutes at a trustee centre (ready sale); 1 business day (Oqood initial sale)2026-Latest

The UAE has three main ways to marry. You can have a Sharia marriage. You can make a marriage contract through the Ministry of Justice (eMarriage). Or, if you are a non-Muslim, or a Muslim who is not a UAE citizen, you can have a civil marriage at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court. Non-Muslims can also complete the marriage formalities at their embassy or consulate, or at their place of worship. Fees start at AED 50 (MOJ) or AED 300 (ADJD civil, standard).

7 steps · MOJ contract: 1 day; ADJD civil: up to 10 working days standard, 1 working day express2026-Latest

Non-Muslims who live or invest in the UAE can register a will. They can use the DIFC Courts Wills Service or the Abu Dhabi Civil Wills Office. Registration is what makes the will legally valid. If there is no registered will, the Abu Dhabi civil intestacy rules apply. The surviving spouse gets half. The other half is shared equally between the children.

7 steps · Varies — confirm on difccourts.ae / adjd.gov.ae2026-Latest

Pet imports into the UAE go through MOCCAE (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment) and its import-permit system. The requirements, fees, and timelines change. Secondary sources also give conflicting key figures. So check the current checklist on moccae.gov.ae before you book travel. Do not rely on fee or timeline figures from non-official sites.

6 steps · Varies — confirm on moccae.gov.ae2026-Latest

Health insurance is mandatory in the UAE. From 1 January 2025, the federal Basic Health Insurance Scheme covers private-sector employees and domestic workers in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain. Employers must buy it before a residency permit can be issued or renewed (MOHRE). The Basic Scheme costs AED 320/year. Dubai has its own Essential Benefits Plan (EBP). Abu Dhabi has its own scheme. Check their current terms with DHA / DOH.

6 steps · Varies — confirm with employer/insurer; Basic Scheme tied to residency permit issuance/renewal2026-Latest