# Potential move to Abu Dhabi queries



## RoryMacDon94 (Jan 12, 2021)

Hi all I was hoping someone could help me with some questions I have regarding a potential move to Abu Dhabi.

Background - I have received a job offer from my company to move to Abu Dhabi on a 12-month project. Due to the short term nature they are not currently offering to pay for my partner to join. Although, I am currently trying to negotiate to make them cover the costs for her to join, 

We have done some research to see the likelihood of her joining without my company paying for it but finding some information difficult to understand. From what I can see it will not be possible for me to sponsor her to join me as we are not married. The other option would be to get a long term visit visa and look for work once over there. Therefore, I would really appreciate some guidance on some possible alternatives.

1. If my company did offer her to join, could they get her a working visa or is it only possible to get a tourist visa?
2. Can you get an independent working visa for Abu Dhabi without a job offer?
3. Would it be possible for my partner to join me on a 90-day tourist visa to begin with then look for work once we are there?
4. Do employers in Abu Dhabi help pay to switch from a tourist visa to working visa? If not how much approximately would this cost?
5. How likely is it to be able to pick up a job during this 90-day period? Appreciate probably impossible to answer but anyones experiences would be great to hear.

Any other thoughts or guidance to help clear things up would be great. Thanks in advance!


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## UKMS (Jan 9, 2017)

RoryMacDon94 said:


> Hi all I was hoping someone could help me with some questions I have regarding a potential move to Abu Dhabi.
> 
> Background - I have received a job offer from my company to move to Abu Dhabi on a 12-month project. Due to the short term nature they are not currently offering to pay for my partner to join. Although, I am currently trying to negotiate to make them cover the costs for her to join,
> 
> ...


Hi

I can’t fully answer all your questions but here goes

1. Even if they did pay the costs of her joining you I’m not sure of the visa situation with regards to an unmarried couple in light of the recent law changes. They certainly won’t give her a work visa unless she works for them. With a married couple a wife gets a ‘house wife’ designation if she’s not working sponsored by the husband but often arranged and paid for by the husbands employer (that’s my scenario). Assuming you are coming from the UK she can enter as a tourist under her own steam.
2. You need a job to get an employment visa. If you lose your job your visa goes too.
3. Yes many people do it.
4. If you get a job offer the visa comes with it. 
5. How long is a piece of string  ... you don’t make any mention of her line of work. You could find a job in a day (unlikely) or never.


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