Relocating to UAE
Understand the country before you commit to the move.
45% verifiedThe United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, a major hub for business, finance and remote work with tax-free personal income and sponsor-based residence visas including the long-term Golden Visa.
Ask about moving to UAE
Answered only from Atlas's verified UAE guides — if it's not covered yet, we'll say so rather than guess.
Life in UAE
What will life actually be like?
Where should I live?
Living: Major Cities
What will daily life cost?
Living: Cost of Living
What is healthcare like?
Healthcare: Average Medical Costs
What about schools?
Living: Education
How will I bank?
Banking: Best Banks
How will I get around?
Living: Transportation
Cities
Where should I live?
Dubai is the UAE's most populous emirate (4.47M+ residents, 2026), the global business/tourism hub and most expensive for living costs. Abu Dhabi, the federal capital, follows closely (~4.13M residents), offering a somewhat lower cost of living and more government/institutional presence. Sharjah (~1.9M residents) is a popular, more affordable residential and business alternative bordering Dubai. Expatriates make up nearly 90% of the UAE's population (~10.4 million people, 88%+ of the total in 2026), with Indians the largest single foreign national community (~3.5 million).
Read the cities guide →Residency
Find your residency route
Your best route depends on how you plan to live, work and invest. These are the guides Atlas currently holds for UAE.
How do you plan to support yourself in UAE?
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Citizenship
UAE nationality is governed by federal nationality law. Citizenship is generally acquired through birth, descent or specific legal provisions. Naturalisation…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Remote Work Visa
The United Arab Emirates offers remote work residence programmes that allow eligible foreign professionals to live in the UAE while working for employers loc…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Permanent Residency
The United Arab Emirates does not operate a traditional permanent residency system comparable to many other countries. Instead, eligible foreign nationals ma…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Processing Times
Processing times for UAE residence visas vary according to the visa category, sponsoring authority and the completeness of the application. Medical examinati…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Required Documents
Required documentation varies according to the residence category, sponsor and purpose of stay. UAE immigration authorities may request additional documentat…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Retirement Visa
The UAE offers retirement residence programmes for eligible foreign nationals who satisfy the applicable financial and legal requirements. Applicants general…
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Visa Overview
The United Arab Emirates offers multiple residence pathways for foreign nationals seeking employment, business opportunities, investment, retirement, family …
United Arab Emirates — Residency: Work Visa
Employment in the United Arab Emirates generally requires a residence visa sponsored by an employer together with a work permit issued in accordance with UAE…
Property
A home is a relocation decision
Taxes
Understand the cost of your move
Banking
Banking
Healthcare
Healthcare
Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Business
Business
Business: Accounting
Verified guideBusiness: Annual Compliance
Verified guideBusiness: Company Formation
Verified guideBusiness: Hiring Employees
Verified guideBusiness: Limited Company (LLC) & 100% Foreign Ownership
Verified guideBusiness: Payroll (WPS)
Verified guideBusiness: Social Security (Gratuity & GPSSA)
Verified guideBusiness: Sole Proprietorship (Sole Establishment)
Verified guideFrom the Journal
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