# Uk oil worker looking to move to Dubai



## fraser280589 (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi guys, I'm new to this site but have found it very useful when looking for information, I have struggled to get information on some of my questions and hope you can help.

Here's my situation...


My girlfriend is leaving for Dubai tomorrow (Friday 19th, July) to work for emirates airline as Cabin crew. We are both white British nationals.

1. I work offshore in the North Sea for an American company (3 weeks onshore and 3 weeks off on a rotation) and am hoping to relocate to Dubai to spend some time with my girlfriend when I'm home. Obviously as we are not married it is illegal for us to live together but would I be allowed to rent an apartment for myself on a long term lease or would I have to spend my 3 weeks in hotels?
2. As I would be flying from Glasgow as soon as I am back on land and spending 20 days in UAE then leaving again would I need to get a visa or can I use a visit visa (as I will not be staying 30 days) or is there a limit on how many visit visas I can use per year?
3. If I spend 3 weeks in Dubai then fly back to the UK to transit to my heliport for my 3 weeks offshore would I be eligible for UAE tax laws? I would not spend time in the UK, my only times on the UK mainland would be when transiting too and from airports.


Look forward to hearing from anyone!
Thanks!


----------



## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

fraser280589 said:


> Hi guys, I'm new to this site but have found it very useful when looking for information, I have struggled to get information on some of my questions and hope you can help.
> 
> Here's my situation...
> 
> ...



Illegal to live together but you wouldn't be the first.

I don't think you can rent without a residence visa but you could set up a free zone business to get around that. I would actually do the math, three weeks in a residence hotel versus 6 weeks of rent, take into account furniture, DEWA, etc the short term residence hotel might be the way to go, especially if you spend an occasional 3 week break elsewhere.

Visa is not an issue, multiple 30 days visa's without restrictions on the number of visits. Of course if you were a black, brown or green UK citizen that might be different.

Tax questions should be run by a pro, relying on tax info from the internet is maybe not the way to go, especially as this is a special case with the work being done in the North Sea. I have heard there are "special" regulations on that.

By the way, red is for sarcasm.


----------



## FlexRay (Feb 12, 2013)

Hi, i was in the same position as you, answers below!

1. Yes it would be illegal but you wouldnt be the first as said above, just get your partner to rent a place and you stay with her and dont bring any attention to yourself

2. 30 Day visa will be enough, only thing is your passport with get full with stamps quicker.

3. Quick answer...No. If you are a UK resident you to pay TAX on all worlwide earnings, you would need to become a non UK resident BUT with you working offshore for 6 months of the year in the UK oil sector this would mean you would have to be UK tax (im presuming your installation is connected to the seabed, this means you are working in the UK) I stayed UK resident and paid taxes for 3 months while living in Dubai until my ship moved to Canada, now i am non UK resident and a resident of UAE.


----------



## fraser280589 (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys! My rig is a jack up and is possibly moving to the Norwegian sector soon, would that make any difference? 

My gf gets her accommodation paid by emirates so she wouldn't want to move but I suppose I could always just rent a serviced apartment for the 3 weeks I'm over there. 

Thanks again guys, any other info would be much appreciated!


----------



## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

what flex said but on the tax Q you need proper UK tax advice from an accountant/tax solicitor. 

If the rig is out of the 12 mile limit then you may have a claim to not be UK resident. 

Ain't an easy Q to answer but worth spending a few hundred £££ imo as you could save loads of tax

Other factors will include what connections you maintain (eg a home) in the UK and how many days you spend back there.


----------



## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

fraser280589 said:


> would that make any difference?


Nope.

You employer is in the UK right ? so you make income in the UK then gotta pay in the UK. 



fraser280589 said:


> I suppose I could always just rent a serviced apartment for the 3 weeks I'm over there.


Yup. You can get by doing it. Lots do.


----------



## fraser280589 (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks again guys! My employer is an American company but I work in the North Sea on a jack up rig which isn't attached to the sea bed. My rig looks like it's moving to Norway soon so would that make a difference if I was in Norwegian waters? 

Thanks again.


----------



## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

fraser280589 said:


> Thanks again guys! My employer is an American company but I work in the North Sea on a jack up rig which isn't attached to the sea bed. My rig looks like it's moving to Norway soon so would that make a difference if I was in Norwegian waters?
> 
> Thanks again.


Where do you get paid ? In which country were you hired ? I am sorry I am not getting that.

Your American employer has an office I guess in the UK where you were hired right ? So you were hired in the UK. If you make money in the UK you pay income tax there for making money there and any other country depending on legislation in terms of Aliens that are considered "residents" for tax purposes.

Example: My company is Canadian, but I was hired in the US (the Canadian company has offices there). So my income is American in origin I decided to live in Canada and work remotely in the US. So my residence is in Canada.

I not only pay income tax in the US because my income is in US dollars, but I also pay income tax in Canada because I am a resident there. Tax agreements kick in due to country agreements but still pay tax. You see ?

I read your questions again. Listen if your "home base" is in the UK you really cannot dodge taxes just because you worked for 3 weeks offshore


----------



## fraser280589 (Jul 19, 2013)

Ah I see, sorry I'm not clued up when it comes to this sort of thing. Yes the company I work for is American based but have an office in Aberdeen where I was hired from and I get paid in GBP. You have made it a lot more clear for me now, thank you.


----------



## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

fraser280589 said:


> Ah I see, sorry I'm not clued up when it comes to this sort of thing. Yes the company I work for is American based but have an office in Aberdeen where I was hired from and I get paid in GBP. You have made it a lot more clear for me now, thank you.


 No problem. Glad was able to shed some light.

There may be ways for you to save in income tax. If your American company has an office in the UAE you could be hired there and dodge income tax good since there is no income tax in the UAE.... just a thought. Of course that living in the UK for more than 6 months might force you to pay income tax there.


----------



## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

As a Brit you pay income tax based on where you are resident. Tax rules in Canada or the US are irrelevant. If you can prove to HMRC that you are not resident in the UK then you don't pay income tax in the UK. Sounds simple and it is for most of us. Your case is complex. You need to pay for proper advice if you're aeriously contemplating this. Don't rely on what people here 'think' or you could get completely screwed....


----------



## FlexRay (Feb 12, 2013)

fraser280589 said:


> Thanks again guys! My employer is an American company but I work in the North Sea on a jack up rig which isn't attached to the sea bed. My rig looks like it's moving to Norway soon so would that make a difference if I was in Norwegian waters?
> 
> Thanks again.


Sorry for taking the piss but....

Must be a pretty special Jackup before it is not connected to the seabed?

I work on a Drillship which is connected to a wellhead, that means i work in the UK. You are most likely to be connected to a wellhead AND have 3 gigantic legs touching the surface.

If its in Norwegian Waters, your company will need to pay your local tax, and you will need to fly into a Norweigen airport.


----------



## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> As a Brit you pay income tax based on where you are resident. Tax rules in Canada or the US are irrelevant. If you can prove to HMRC that you are not resident in the UK then you don't pay income tax in the UK. Sounds simple and it is for most of us. Your case is complex. You need to pay for proper advice if you're aeriously contemplating this. Don't rely on what people here 'think' or you could get completely screwed....


Residency isn't however quite so clear cut, and a few years back HMRC introduced a 3-tier system based on time spent in the UK vs material/finance ties to the country.

Simply put, you could be resident in the UAE - but still qualify as resident in the UK depending on your situation.


----------



## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

FlexRay said:


> Sorry for taking the piss but....
> 
> Must be a pretty special Jackup before it is not connected to the seabed?
> 
> ...


Can't say I've heard of a jack-up that's semi-submersible when it's actually drilling, kinda defeats the purpose of being a jack-up in the first place.


----------

