Moving To UAE From The UK

Moving to UAE

If you are moving to the United Arab Emirates, whether to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, Britannia Movers International has the experience and the local knowledge to tailor the move to your individual needs.

	Importing Personal Effects to the UAE Shipments of household goods and personal effects are allowed duty free entry, provided that they have been owned and used prior to importation. All necessary documentation must be completed and submitted when requested, before your shipment is dispatched. Please note that you must be in the country in order to successfully complete all customs clearance procedures. All books, CDs, videos, DVDs and magazines are subject to physical inspection and should be packed in to separate cartons and marked clearly.
	Prohibitions and Restrictions In general it is in your interest not to import the following items: Firearms & ammunition Inflammable goods & substances Plants & plant material Foodstuffs, perishables or otherwise Narcotics and dangerous goods Offensive materials Alcohol & Tobacco
	Transit Times Groupage or shared load consignments via Dubai usually take 8 to 12 weeks door to door. However, this can vary depending on volumes being shipped, customs or immigration delays and prevailing weather conditions. Sole use containers usually take 5 to 6 weeks door to door
	Bar Coding All Groupage consignments will be bar coded before they are loaded into the shipping container. This will ensure that no items are left at origin.
	Domestic Pets Britannia can recommend a specialised shipper of animals to assist you in sending your family pet(s) from home to home. They will coordinate all documentation and necessary veterinary procedures. Find out more about pet transport.
	Importing Motor Vehicles to the UAE Importation of motor vehicles to UAE will be subject to compliance, it is probable that duty and tax will apply.
	International FX When you are making international payments for individuals you can benefit from IFX expertise in seeking the best possible rate, whether you are sending or receiving foreign currency. IFX can help to protect you from exchange rate fluctuations and save you time and money on international payments. IFX offers : International payments Regular Overseas Transfers Prepaid Currency Card Forward Contracts More info on the IFX website.

Moving to the UAE With Britannia

Your Move to UAE With Britannia – Britannia has established a long standing and successful relationship with a network of dedicated removers, who will assist you with your destination services. Their full contact details will be sent to you prior to the forwarding of your consignment. Our agents are part of our extended Britannia family and we meet with them on a regular basis to ensure high standards of service are maintained.

Customs clearance – It normally takes 7 to 10 days for customs clearance and delivery. The time taken to clear goods through customs can be affected by Government policy, X-raying of goods, physical inspection, volume of traffic and the levy of any import duties or taxes. Charges raised by customs or quarantine officials will be paid for by our Britannia agents, who will seek reimbursement from yourselves prior to delivery.

Destination Services – Following customs clearance your consignment will be delivered to your home, if you have paid for a door to door service, on a mutually convenient date. Goods will be delivered into your new home and placed in the relevant rooms as directed by you. Professionally wrapped and packed goods will be unwrapped and cartons unpacked onto a flat surface. All used packing materials will be removed from site on the delivery day. Although, there will be insurance implications, you do retain the right not to have some or all items unpacked or unwrapped should you so choose.

Living in the UAE

Up until the 1950s the UAE’s economy was based mostly on fishing. Once oil was discovered and regular exports commenced Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan began to heavily invest in property development, schools and buildings which created the modern cities of the UAE which we know today.

These days the the UAE is home to some of the wealthiest and ambitious individuals on the globe. Residents in the UAE enjoy the 3rd highest per capita incomes in the world. The majority of the UAE’s economy revolves around natural exports, in 2009 85% of the economy was based on natural gas a oil exports.

The UAE has a much more relaxed approach to Western cultures than many other Arab or Islamic nations. For instance although drinking in public is forbidden, in bars and hotels it’s allowed. Although Western fashion is very popular due to the high number of expats based in the region, stricter rules apply in public spaces. It’s important to be aware of these laws and any restrictions before you decide to move permanently to the UAE.

Interesting facts about the UAE

• The total population of the UAE is 4.7 million and the main language spoken is Arabic
• There are roughly two males for every female in the UAE
• The indigenous population of the UAE, Sunni Muslim Arabs, are outnumbered by migrant workers who have flocked to the region looking for work in the booming oil industry
• In Dubai residents don’t have to pay any income tax
• Unlike in neighboring Saudi Arabia, Islamic dress code is not compulsory. Many people follow Western fashions and shopping malls and department stores are very popular

Tips about moving to and living in the UAE

• The United Arab Eremites is one of the most fascinating and exciting places to live in the world. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are two of the most breathtaking cities on the globe and both feature incredible architecture like the The Burj Khalifa building, which is the tallest building in the world.
• Although the climate in the UAE is subtropical and therefore hot all year round the area caters for those who enjoy winter sports with indoor snow centers for skiing and snowboarding.
• Around 50% of students in the UAE attend private schools that require fees to be paid. Public schools in UAE focus their curriculum on the UAE’s goals and developments. Lessons are taught in Arabic but there is a strong focus on developing English as a second language.
• Your living and housing costs in the UAE will depend on the region you are moving to. If you are moving to Dubai for example, your expenses will be rather high, but this is balanced out by the fact that there is no income tax to be paid.

Further reading…

You can find a more indepth account of life in the United Arab Emirates by visiting our Ultimate Guide to moving to the United Arab Emirates.