# Another One Moving to Dubai



## Osh (Mar 9, 2008)

Hi I'm Osh (female) and have been intently reading this site for a couple of days now. It's great! and I've got some very useful information...thank you to all who contributed. Hopefully, I will too, eventually.

My partner is heading to Dubai next week for a job interview. We are both very excited at the prospects of relocating there. We are from North Queensland, Australia. We are not married but have been together forever it seems  We are not young either so hopefully we will be accepted. Our children have grown up so it will be just the 2 of us making the move.

I hope to find work as well. Banking has been my career for the last 20 years, mostly in Business Lending which I just love. Will keep my eye on the job sites but if anyone knows someone, who knows someone in the industry, I'd really like to know. 

Can anyone tell me about the alcohol restrictions. I have read that you can't buy take aways so how does one entertain at home?? With cups of tea I guess 

Also read internet access is restricted. I currently use Skype & Yahoo Messenger to keep in touch with friends overseas. Are these sort of sites forbidden? Obviously this one isn't.

Thanks guys and girls I will be in touch  Hope this post wasn't too long...I'm new at this.


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## Geordie Armani (Jan 24, 2008)

once you get a residency visa you can apply for an alcohol license, but there are places where you can buy without a license so don't worry you won't dry out!!! Yahoo messenger is fine and so is skype in some areas, depends on where you live really. Good luck with the planned move! You will have to get a job as you aren't married but you are wanting to anyway, try all the local agencies.


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## Osh (Mar 9, 2008)

Thanks Geordie...so glad I won't have to dry out  Have been checking the bayt site for jobs. There's a few I'm qualified for but they want males...might have to change careers...or get married


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## Big Al & Family (Sep 23, 2007)

*Hi Osh*



Osh said:


> Thanks Geordie...so glad I won't have to dry out  Have been checking the bayt site for jobs. There's a few I'm qualified for but they want males...might have to change careers...or get married


why the eek at the end , if you dont get married you MITE have problems in Dubai. Any how its not that bad.... marriage

Ive been there ,wore the t-shirt for 21 years so far......

Plus Ive got kids.............Gone  slighty mad..heheheheheheheheheheheh

Hope you have fun in Dubai...

Bye
Dara.


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## Osh (Mar 9, 2008)

gee Dara....21 years!!!!! You don't even get that long for murder these days  we've been together 13 years so far...thats nearly as bad huh

seriously tho thank you for the reply and the humour  

wedding invite in the mail


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

Hello all.... My name's alli and it would appear I am in a similar postion to the thread maker!!

My man got offered a job in Dubai, we're looking to move in June. We'll be married before we go, but I'm pretty worried about the following.

- I want to work over there. Do I automatically get sponsorship because my hubby does?
- Is internet access easy to come by?
- What are the good places to find cheap furniture, household items etc - is there like a market or something of expats going home looking to sell their stuff?

Anything else you worldly types have to advise would be happily received!

So nervous..

Oh god what about tax back home.... 

And the pill? Are you allowed to use contraception over there?


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## Geordie Armani (Jan 24, 2008)

ha ha! you have NOTHING to worry about. Once your husband get's his visa he can then sponsor you, pretty straight forward. The pill is available over the counter in all pharmacies for about 3 quid! Furniture shopping - all over the place! main mall is Mall of the Emirates - do a search and find their website, I like the Home Centre. We have Ikea, Home's R Us, and tons of others. 

Tax - that is Elphaba's department she will be on later I would imagine, but she is in the UK at the moment on business. 

And before you ask - alcohol? yes you get a alcohol licence once you have a visa sorted out - well your DH will. 

Good luck


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

Hehe, I can see you've answered similar questions before, Miss A!

Thanks for your help. 3 quid over the counter contraception.. gotta love that!!!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

alli said:


> Hehe, I can see you've answered similar questions before, Miss A!
> 
> Thanks for your help. 3 quid over the counter contraception.. gotta love that!!!


Any specific tax questions? Just ask away...


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

Hi elphaba! Thanks for your reply. No specific questions at the moment about tax - it's more the fact that I'm gonna have to wrap all my affairs up here (sydney, aus) and I don't know where to start! Just thinking out loud is all 

You both seem pretty clued up on the whole dubai thing.
So far so good? 
Is there anything that surprised you, or perhaps you weren't expecting when you moved over there?

Sorry for the 20 questions, but I'm really interested to hear how you both started out.


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## trickeygirl (Feb 28, 2008)

*Tax*

Hello Alli,

Geordie and Elphaba are the experts on dubai. I have been researching dubai for the last two months and started before we even starting talking to our new employer in Dubai.

I am an accounts manager here in Queensland, Australia and have access to people in international money and law. This is what I have learnt so far.

Our Tax year in 1 Jul to 30 June - if you work in australia for more than 183 days in a row you are considered a resident and tax assessable. So if you leave now you will have to add your income from Dubai for March, April, May and June to your income from Australia and pay tax on it. Then the next financial year you will be then classed as a non-resident and not tax assessable if you work away for the full year. (This can be more detailed - working in australia for 183 makes you a resident - working away for more than 91 in a row makes you a non resident.) I know the figures do not add up to 365 days - it is difficult to explain....better at talking than writing....haha.

I have some more details on rental income and when is the best time to return home in the australian financial year. plus capital gains from overseas. 
Cheers k


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## Geordie Armani (Jan 24, 2008)

NOTHING surprises me in Dubai! it is the weirdest place in the world (I think) but I love it regardless. Elphaba and I are friends incase no one had guessed!


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## cairogal (Aug 11, 2007)

> We are not married but have been together forever it seems We are not young either so hopefully we will be accepted. Our children have grown up so it will be just the 2 of us making the move.


Tell people you're married. Many employers will overlook this issue, though you cannot sponsor one another for residency. This means you'll either have to leave the country to renew your visa every so many months or get your own job w/ sponsorship (as you have planned). It's just best to keep your situation under wraps-don't tell people. All it takes is a pissed off neighbour to bring the police around (or a colleague w/ an axe to grind). 

Gulfnews: Raids on mixed-sex housing under way in Sharjah

You wouldn't be targeted by police, but if your cohabitation happened to come to their attention they would be obliged to pay you a visit.


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## Geordie Armani (Jan 24, 2008)

yes just wear a ring, no one will be any the wiser!


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## Osh (Mar 9, 2008)

thanks Cairogal and GA....I'll go shopping for a ring then  my partner will be thrilled!!


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

trickeygirl, thanks, that's awesome info to have. 

We just bought our first house, have been in it 6 months, gona have to pack up everything and rent the place out, so hectic! I've got no idea about negative gearing, capital gains tax, nothing. Time to learn, methinks!


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## trickeygirl (Feb 28, 2008)

*Tax Issues*

....... I am not an ACCOUNTANT and before you leave you should go to a local accountant and set up a file with him so you can have returns lodged. AND SEEK ANY TAX ADVICE from him/her.......

Everyone can interpret the tax law different ways.

The timing of departure and coming back in important:

If you leave the OZ before 30 June 08 you will have to add any income you have receive in Dubai to this financial year and pay tax on it - you will be considered a resident for the 07/08 financial year. Then the next year after working overseas for 91 days in a row you will then be considered a non resident and not have to lodge a TAX INCOME return, but if you rent your house out you will lodge a INCOME return as a NON RESIDENT.

Rental income is not TAX INCOME - If the house is in both names you will halve the rental income and both lodge a return. 

You can write-off: Management Fees, Rates, Insurances, Maintenance (anything that you would have to pay to keep the property up.) Plus if the house is new you can claim depreciation for 5 years. Interest you have paid on your home loan is also a write-off. PLUS ONE HUGE BENEFIT - return flights home to check on your investment porperty can be written-off.

example - 250,000 mortgage
- 27,000 repayments @ 10% interest (Interest paid $23886)
- 26,000 yearly rent @$500.00

When you minus rent from the interest paid that only leaves a balance of $2114.00 of your rental income. Then minus rates, insurances, maintenace etc there could not be any income left....brilliant. What ever is left you then half 50% each. But because you are a non-resident you no longer receive tax free thresold so you pay tax on your first $1. The percentage rates are different to the current % brackets you would be in.

Any money you return to Australia via a international bank tranfer when you are a non resident is NOT Taxable. If you bring in CASH to Australia any money over $10,000 AUS has to be declared and you will pay tax on it.

If you return to Australia the best time would be April, May or June. So you are not in Australia for more than 183 days.

If you are thinking about buying property once you get to Dubai you will have to be careful of capital gains.

Any questions - as I said not good at writing....better at talking...Cheers k


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks so much hun. We'll definately get a professional to help us sort our stuff out, but in the meantime that's some really great info to think about.


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## giants (Sep 23, 2008)

Elphaba,

I also have questions on taxes. I'm from USA and have been reading up on IRS website but those government websites can get tricky. I read all about the 330 days you need to be present.

Do you know if I have to pay social security tax or medicare when I am over there.

I apologize in advance if you don't know the specifics for the US!


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