Check who provides each service, what documents it needs and when it actually becomes active.
Health insurance: check the network before you need it
Arrange health cover for every family member and confirm with the employer or sponsor who is responsible for each policy. DHA’s Dubai Health Insurance Corporation supervises the emirate’s health-insurance system. Do not assume an employee policy automatically includes a spouse, children or parents.
- Ask the insurer to confirm the clinics, hospitals and pharmacies near your intended home and school.
- Check premiums, co-payments, limits, referral and pre-authorisation rules, exclusions and the claims process.
- Ask specifically about existing conditions, ongoing medicines, maternity, dental, optical and any waiting periods.
- Arrange continuity of care before departure: medical summaries, vaccination records and a plan for specialist follow-up.
- Record emergency contacts, policy details and local care options; do not wait until a child becomes unwell to find out which clinic is covered.
Travelling with medicines
Check the exact medicine and quantity using the Emirates Drug Establishment’s personal-import guidance before travel. Controlled medicines may need additional documentation or permission; a medicine being prescribed abroad does not mean it can be carried without checks.
Keep original packaging and the required prescription or medical report accessible. Ask your clinician about continuity of treatment and local availability. Do not change or stop a treatment based on a relocation guide.
Ejari, DEWA and moving into the property
For a rented home, confirm the tenancy registration process with the landlord or authorised agent and use the official Ejari service. Check the parties, property details, dates and payment terms against the signed agreement.
Arrange DEWA using the documents required for your occupancy type. Confirm electricity and water are actually active, and check separate cooling, internet and community move-in arrangements. Photograph meter readings and test essential systems when collecting keys.
Banking and communications
Ask your chosen bank for its current resident or non-resident account requirements. These can differ by product and personal circumstances. Prepare identity, residence, address, income and source-of-funds evidence as requested; opening an account is subject to the bank’s checks.
Compare account fees, balance requirements, transfer costs and how rental payments will be made. Keep access to a second payment method while applications are pending. Arrange a mobile connection and home internet directly with the provider, checking coverage, installation timing and contract exit charges.
Driving and getting around
RTA publishes the eligible countries and conditions for overseas licence exchange. Check your licence-issuing country, nationality, residence documents, validity and any eye-test or other requirements through the specific service. If exchange is unavailable, ask for the relevant training and testing route.
Do not carry over assumptions from driving as a visitor after becoming a resident. Before buying or renting a car, obtain confirmation that your licence and insurance cover your current status. Compare parking, tolls, school transport and the actual commute when choosing a home.
Pets, heat and everyday family routines
For cats or dogs, coordinate the MOCCAE import process with a vet and the airline before booking. Check identification, vaccination, health-certificate, origin-country and breed conditions for the actual animal. Written landlord and community permission is a separate housing check.
Visit outdoor areas at the times your family would use them. Assess shade, walking surfaces, access to water and indoor activity options. Ask the school and childcare provider about hot-weather routines and transport supervision.
Put a little structure around the first year
- Store emergency contacts, medical cover and essential documents where the appropriate family members can access them.
- Keep reminders for passports, residence, Emirates ID, insurance, tenancy and school payments.
- Discuss wills, guardianship and cross-border family arrangements with qualified legal advisers rather than assuming your existing documents work unchanged.
- Review tax and financial obligations in all relevant countries, especially if you retain a home, business or remote employer abroad.
- Revisit the housing brief after living the school and work routine; a good long-term decision is easier with experience.
Common questions
Can I use my overseas driving licence after moving?
It depends on your current status, the licence and the applicable RTA rules. Check resident exchange or training requirements and insurance before driving.
Will utilities already be active in a ready property?
Do not assume so. Confirm activation, account responsibility and any separate cooling arrangements for your occupancy before moving in.
Official sources and checking your case
Sources reviewed 28 September 2026. Check the live service details before applying or paying. This guide provides general information; the authority, school, insurer or other provider decides the requirements for your circumstances.
- DHA: Dubai Health Insurance Corporation ↗
- Emirates Drug Establishment: personal medicine import guidance ↗
- Dubai Land Department: register or renew Ejari ↗
- DEWA: electricity and water move-in service ↗
- RTA: exchanging an overseas driving licence ↗
- MOCCAE: importing cats and dogs (official service guide, PDF) ↗
- Federal Tax Authority: tax residency certificates ↗