Moving to Dubai from the UK: Document requirements & checklist

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Moving to Dubai from the UK can be an exciting life change. However, the bureaucracy and paperwork you must navigate before completing the relocation may not be as thrilling.

You don’t have to worry, though. With some organisation and prior planning, you can take most of the pain and complexity out of the process.

In this post, we’ll simplify the process by detailing every document you need to make the move. We’ll also cover the document translations and embassy attestations you may need and how to get them fast.

Start here: Essential UK documents for your Dubai relocation

Regardless of your visa route, the following documents are essential when relocating to Dubai from the UK:

A valid UK passport
Educational certificates
Police clearance certificate
Birth certificates, if you have children
Marriage certificate, if sponsoring a spouse

Visa routes for moving to Dubai from the UK

The UAE offers different pathways for UK nationals to move to Dubai, each with its own visa. You can take any of the following visa routes:

Employment Visa (work permit): It applies when you have a valid employment contract with a UAE company (company sponsorship). It’s valid for two years and is renewable.
Skilled Employee (Green Visa): This is a self-sponsored five-year visa for those seeking employment with a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000. The employment should be at the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd occupational level, as classified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Self-Employed/Freelancer (Green Visa): The five-year visa requires a freelance or self-employment permit from MoHRE. You’ll have to prove annual income from self-employment of at least AED 360,000 for the preceding two years.
Virtual Work Visa: This one-year (renewable) visa is for remote workers employed by organisations outside the UAE. You must prove a contract of employment with a minimum monthly salary of $3,500.
Investor/Partner Visas: The visa is available to individuals who invest money in a new or existing business (2 to 3 years’ residency). You can also take the property investment route, where an AED 750,000 property investment will get you a two-year green visa.
Investor (Golden Visa): This is a 10-year visa (renewable) available to those who make a public or real estate investment of at least AED 2 million, highly paid professionals (e.g., doctors, scientists, etc) with endorsements, and executive directors with 5+ years of experience and a minimum monthly salary of AED 50,000.
Retirement Visa: This five-year (renewable) visa is available to retirees aged 55+. You must prove a monthly income of AED 20,000, property ownership worth AED 1 million, or financial savings of AED 1 million.

UK documents required by the visa route

You will need the following UK documents for the above visa routes:

Employment Visa (work permit): You must provide a degree certificate or the highest qualification certificate, an ACRO police certificate, and marriage/birth certificates if you’re sponsoring dependents.
Green Visa: You must provide a Bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent (for the skilled employee category), proof of self-employment (for the freelancer category), and bank statements/salary slips.
Virtual Work Visa: You must have an ACRO police certificate and an employment contract (or proof of company registration if you are a business owner).
Investor/Partner Visa: You must provide personal bank statements, an ACRO police certificate, memorandum/articles of association (if using an existing UK company), and audited financial statements.
Golden Visa: You must have an ACRO police certificate and bank statements/salary slips. For highly-paid professionals/executive directors, you must also have a degree certificate(s) and employment/experience letters.
Retirement Visa: You must provide an end-of-service letter from your last employer, an ACRO police certificate, and UK pension fund or bank statements.

How to legalise UK documents for Dubai

Even though your documents are authentic and valid, you must legalise them before UAE institutions can recognise them. Document legalisation is a formal process to verify the authenticity of documents for international use.

The process will unfold as follows:

Step 1 – Notarisation/solicitor certification: Documents not issued by a public authority (e.g., degree certificates, bank statements, salary slips, employment contracts, and employment letters) require prior certification by a solicitor or public notary before they can be apostilled. The solicitor/public notary will sign and stamp them, confirming their authenticity.
Step 2 – Get an apostille certificate from the FCDO: The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) legalises documents for international use by issuing an apostille. The apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature and stamp on the document.
Step 3 – Embassy attestation in London: Because the UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the UAE Embassy in London must attest to the apostille issued by the FCDO. The attestation is done digitally, and you’ll get a digitally attested copy, which can be verified online on the official website of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Managing all these processes alone can be overwhelming. Luckily, the FCDO has registered apostille agents/facilitators to help you get your documents legalised for use abroad.

We are London Apostille Services Ltd, an FCDO-registered apostille facilitator with 15+ years of experience preparing UK documents for use in several jurisdictions, including Dubai, UAE.

Here’s how we can help you get your documents legalised when you’re moving to Dubai from the UK:

Step 1: We’ll use our network of reliable solicitors and public notaries to certify your documents.
Step 2: We’ll ensure your documents are ready for an FCDO apostille. Our team will then hand-deliver them to the FCDO Legalisation Office and physically collect them when ready.
Step 3: We ensure your documents meet the specific requirements for UAE embassy attestation. We’ll then submit the documents to the UAE embassy in London for attestation.

Our process saves you the trouble of navigating complex government bureaucracy or coordinating several service providers.

Contact our team today to prepare your documents for the move to Dubai. We can also arrange Arabic translations where required.

Arabic translations: when and where they fit

Institutions in the UAE will accept most of your UK documents in English. However, translation to Arabic is often required for complex legal documents, such as a power of attorney.

Notably, the translation must be done by a certified legal translator, and the translator’s signature and stamp must be certified by a solicitor/notary before the document can be apostilled.

Based on our experience processing documents for use abroad, we’ll determine and advise you on the necessary translations.

Legal document with Arabic translation being signed, alongside an apostille certificate

Common mistakes that delay your UAE move

You must avoid the following common mistakes that may delay your move to Dubai:

1

Getting the legalisation sequence wrong: The correct sequence is notarisaton or solicitor certification, followed by an FCDO apostille, followed by UAE embassy attestation. Skipping any step will occasion a rejection, leading to delays.gov.uk/get-document-legalised
2

Presenting an invalid police certificate: The UAE Embassy requires your ACRO police certificate to be no more than 90 days old.
3

Presenting certificates from unaccredited institutions: Check if your university is accredited, as certificates from certain institutions may not be recognised by UAE authorities.

Final checklist: Your timeline for moving to Dubai from the UK

The entire process of legalising documents for use in the UAE can take several weeks. Therefore, you should start preparing well in advance to avoid last-minute delays.

Here’s how you should approach moving to Dubai from the UK:

1

8 weeks out: Research visa requirements and list all the documents required for your visa.
2

7 weeks out: Gather all original documents. Also, apply for a fresh police clearance.
3

6 weeks out: Begin the document legalisation process. The UAE embassy in London takes 7-10 working days to authenticate your documents.
4

2 weeks out: Ensure all UK document legalisation processes are complete.
5

Upon arrival: Initiate and complete the Emirates ID application process.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about moving to Dubai from the UK:

Do e-apostilles work for the UAE?

No, an e-apostille works as a single-step process. Because further UAE embassy attestation is required, an e-apostille is insufficient.

Can I use certified copies, or do I need originals?

Original documents are preferred. Depending on your document type, however, you may use certified true copies if you don’t have the originals.

Do I need a solicitor or notary for UAE legalisation?

Yes, you will need the services of a solicitor or a notary public when legalising a document not issued by a public authority. The solicitor/notary will verify the document’s authenticity, while the FCDO will verify the solicitor/notary’s signature and stamp.

How long does it take to legalise UK documents for Dubai?

The entire process takes between 7 to 10 working days. It helps to start the process well in advance.

What does it cost to legalise UK documents for Dubai?

You’ll need to procure several services: a solicitor/notary certification, an FCDO apostille, and embassy attestation. Email our office for a breakdown of the current fees in local currency.

Can I get my UK documents legalised if I’m already in Dubai?

Yes, if you courier your documents to our London Apostille Services Ltd office. In that case, we’ll manage the entire legalisation process on your behalf and send the fully legalised documents back to you via DHL.

Conclusion

Getting your CNI sorted doesn’t have to add stress to wedding planning. Most couples don’t realise how long the process takes until they’re already behind schedule.

At London Apostille Services Ltd, we’ve helped couples navigate CNI authentication over our 15+ years of experience. Our FCDO-registered team understands wedding deadlines and offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees.

From next-day apostille services to embassy attestation, we handle the entire legalisation process while you focus on your special day. Get your personalised quote today.