First 30 Days in Dubai: Complete Expat Checklist

Your first 30 days in Dubai involve 8 essential setups in a specific order: residence visa stamping, Emirates ID, bank account, SIM card, rental contract (Ejari), DEWA, health insurance, and driving licence. Start in this exact sequence — many depend on the previous step.

Week 1: Visa & Emirates ID

Day 1-3:

Land in UAE on entry permit
Medical fitness test (AED 320, mandatory for visa)
Biometrics for Emirates ID (AED 270 + 32 service fee)

Day 4-7:

Receive residence visa stamp in passport (3-7 days)
Buy temporary tourist SIM (du/Etisalat) — AED 100 for 28 days
Find temporary accommodation if not provided

Week 2: Banking & Communication

Day 8-10:

Open bank account (Wio or Liv recommended) — needs Emirates ID
Order proper UAE SIM (du/Etisalat post-paid) — AED 125+/month

Day 11-14:

Receive Emirates ID (typically 5-7 days after biometrics)
Receive bank debit card (3-5 days after account opening)

Week 3: Housing

Day 15-21:

Apartment hunting (Bayut.com, Property Finder, Dubizzle)
Sign tenancy contract (typically 12 months upfront in 1-4 cheques)
Register Ejari online (mandatory, AED 220)
Connect DEWA (electricity + water) — AED 2,000 deposit for villa, AED 1,000 for apartment
Pay tenancy fee 5% of annual rent (Dubai municipal fee, paid via DEWA bill)

Week 4: Daily Life Setup

Day 22-30:

Get health insurance card from employer
Convert driving licence (if eligible — see RTA list)
Set up Salik account (toll system) — AED 100 minimum
Get NOL transit card (AED 25 + AED 15 credit)
Register at local clinic / GP
Find school for kids if applicable (process takes longer, start earlier)

Total upfront costs (single expat)

Medical + EID	AED 622
Visa stamping	AED 460
Rent deposit (5%)	AED 3,000-5,000
First rent cheque (3 months typical)	AED 12,000-21,000
Ejari + DEWA setup	AED 1,220
Tenancy fee (5% of annual rent)	AED 3,000-5,000
Driving licence conversion	AED 920
Total	AED 21,222-34,222 ($5,800-9,300)

Common first-month mistakes

Signing rental contract before having Emirates ID
Choosing wrong area without checking commute (use Google Maps for rush hour)
Falling for "cheap rent" too far from work — Sharjah-Dubai commute is brutal
Not budgeting for upfront cheque (most landlords want 3 cheques minimum)
Forgetting Ejari registration — required for many other services

Key takeaway: Plan AED 25,000-35,000 in upfront costs for your first 30 days in Dubai. Get Emirates ID first — almost everything else depends on it.

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