The first month in Dubai is administrative. Almost everything you want — a phone contract, a bank account, electricity, a driving licence — is gated behind the same two documents, and they arrive in a fixed order. Work through this list and the month stops feeling chaotic.
Day 0: before you leave the airport
- Connectivity. Buy a travel eSIM before you fly, or pick up a tourist SIM on arrival. You cannot get a postpaid UAE line without an Emirates ID, and you will need internet from minute one for maps, banking apps and the taxi.
- Cash. Have some dirhams. Not everything takes cards, and the airport exchange rate is not the one you want for a large amount.
Week 1: the residency chain
This sequence is not negotiable and each step depends on the last:
- Entry permit — usually arranged by your employer or your free zone before you arrive.
- Medical fitness test — blood test and chest X-ray at an approved centre.
- Emirates ID biometrics — fingerprints and photo at an ICP service centre or accredited typing centre.
- Residence visa stamped — issued once the medical and biometrics clear.
- Emirates ID card delivered — this is the card that unlocks everything else.
The Emirates ID is mandatory for every resident and is issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP). Keep it on you. Note also that an employer is not entitled to hold your card — only to keep your data.
Week 2: money and a roof
- Open a bank account as soon as your visa is stamped. Digital banks can be same-day; traditional banks take longer but give you the chequebook you need for rent. Details in our banking guide.
- Sign the tenancy contract and register the Ejari. Budget for the agency fee, the deposit and the DEWA deposit in the same week — see the real upfront cost of renting.
- Connect DEWA with your Ejari certificate, Emirates ID and passport copy. AED 2,000 refundable deposit for an apartment, roughly AED 155 in activation charges.
Week 3: the infrastructure of daily life
- Postpaid mobile line with e& (Etisalat) or du, once you have the Emirates ID.
- Home internet — check which provider serves your building before you sign the lease if you work from home.
- Nol card for the metro and buses.
- Salik tag if you are driving — Dubai’s road tolls are automatic and unforgiving.
- Driving licence. Licences from a number of countries can be exchanged for a UAE licence without a test. The list changes; confirm your country’s current status with the RTA before booking anything.
Week 4: the things people forget
- Health insurance for dependents. Your employer covers you, not your family. See what is mandatory and what is not.
- Attest your documents. Degree certificates and marriage certificates often need legalisation for school admissions, family visas and certain jobs. Start it early — it is slow and frequently needs to be done in your home country.
- Register with your embassy. Free, five minutes, useful when you need a document replaced.
- Set up your transfer route home if you send money regularly. Bank versus specialist is a meaningful monthly difference.
- Keep the paperwork. Scan every document — visa, Ejari, contract, insurance card — into one cloud folder. You will be asked for all of them repeatedly.
The one-line version
Emirates ID first, bank account second, everything else third. Anything that seems blocked in your first month is almost always blocked on one of those two.
Processes, fees and eligibility lists change. Always confirm current requirements with ICP, DEWA, the RTA and your employer. General information, not legal advice.