# Gay couple moving to dubai



## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Hi all,

I was hoping for some advice and reassurance. My partner of 7 years has been offered a great job opportunity based in Dubai. I however have some concerns as obviously homosexuality is illegal in Dubai and I don't really fancy 10 years in prison  If I moved out there with him would it be a massive problem if we were discreet? We plan to live together and would do this under the guise of friends. I therefore anticipate we couldn't be able to get a 1 bed apartment we would have to get a two bedder - is this the case?

Also I have not secured employment there yet. Is there any way he would be able to sponser me? We are both currently London based and British citizens. How does the visa on arrival work? I understand it has recently changed but is it still easily renewable after 30 days?

Everyone I have spoken to so far does not anticipate it being a problem but I would like to do a sanity check with you kind folk.

Thanks in advance for responding to me 

J


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Jon said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I was hoping for some advice and reassurance. My partner of 7 years has been offered a great job opportunity based in Dubai. I however have some concerns as obviously homosexuality is illegal in Dubai and I don't really fancy 10 years in prison  If I moved out there with him would it be a massive problem if we were discreet? We plan to live together and would do this under the guise of friends. I therefore anticipate we couldn't be able to get a 1 bed apartment we would have to get a two bedder - is this the case?
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome to the forum,

Yours does indeed pose a couple of problems but as you said I'm sure if you were discreet you'll probably be ok. I am sure there must be other gay couples living here, both expats and locals.

I think though I need to be frank and let you know what's what. Firstly you partner can not sponsor you, I would hazard he would have to come over here on an employment visa, gain residence status, find somewhere for you to both live and then you come over on a visit visa doing a visa run every 30/60days or so (whatever the current rules are) until you a) secure employment of your own  or b) get found out and reported 

If it's done this way then it should be easy for him to secure a one bedroomed apartment to keep costs down and then you just move in later. Plenty of batchelors share rooms here, but tends to be mainly the Indians and Sri Lankans that do this.

HTH & Good Luck


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## Dazcat (Aug 7, 2008)

Hello,

I dont want to put you off in the slighest but if i was a homosexual, i would not move to this part of the world! Not for all the tea in China. Do you really want to be living a lie the whole time your here?


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Dazcat said:


> Hello,
> 
> I dont want to put you off in the slighest but if i was a homosexual, i would not move to this part of the world! Not for all the tea in China. Do you really want to be living a lie the whole time your here?


Is it starting to get to you Daz, come on get out the closet with ya 

On a serious note though, it's not like you can be overtly affectionate with a female partner and I am sure your close friends (once you trust them enough) won't have a problem with it anyway and are certainly not going to shop you to the police.

As long as you don't go hamming it up like Julian Clary I'm sure you'll be fine. Discretion is the key.


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## alli (Mar 6, 2008)

You can be discreet as you want - all it takes is one p!ssed off neighbour with a hunch to ring the cops and BAM. 

I seriously cannot understand why gay people would even CONSIDER moving here. Seriously. How can you wake up in the morning knowing that your entire existence here is based on a lie? The penalties, both to yourself by living a lie AND the punishment inflicted by the law simply is not worth it.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

alli said:


> You can be discreet as you want - all it takes is one p!ssed off neighbour with a hunch to ring the cops and BAM.
> 
> I seriously cannot understand why gay people would even CONSIDER moving here. Seriously. How can you wake up in the morning knowing that your entire existence here is based on a lie? The penalties, both to yourself by living a lie AND the punishment inflicted by the law simply is not worth it.


Anyone thinking that gay people - of all ethnicities - are not living here already is very naive. Who cares anyway, what people do behind close doors is entirely up to them.

Anyway you're living a lie, you're an English woman in an Australian's body - like all your countrymen


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## Dazcat (Aug 7, 2008)

Crazy,

You've rumbled me.....and on a public forum.

Going to have to leave the country now!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

I know quite a few gay couples that live together, as usual, discretion applies. You'll be fine. As for the Julian Clary bit, there's people like that here too, have you seen how some of the cabin crew behave????

Don't worry, there's an active gay community here.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> I know quite a few gay couples that live together, as usual, discretion applies. You'll be fine. As for the Julian Clary bit, there's people like that here too, have you seen how some of the cabin crew behave????
> 
> Don't worry, there's an active gay community here.



I know quite a few gay men who work as cabin crew. They seem to behave very differently though when they're working!

Other places to find gays is the hairdressers! Nothing like someone who loves to gossip telling you some great stories whilst you have your hair done.

Made friends with a nice, gay dude in Starbucks as well. The gossip means I do not even mind wasting money on Frappuccinos!

I reckon if anything, it would always be a guy that shops a gay couple. Us girls love them too much!


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> Anyway you're living a lie, you're an English woman in an Australian's body - like all your countrymen


That's why I married a kiwi!  I was going to make some smart comment like, "at least we can play cricket/rugby/tennis", but I'm not quite sure we can at the moment.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> I reckon if anything, it would always be a guy that shops a gay couple. Us girls love them too much!


Just cos they're jealous of the attention women give them. Let's face it they have more style than the average straight bloke. Have you seen "Queer eye for a straight guy"?


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

I have many gay friends, I adore their company as they're not predatory and you're (as a chica) gauranteed a good night out with gay men! 

I will, however, reiterate what others have previously said regarding homosexuality and the UAE, keep a low profile and don't pee off the neighbours!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Just cos they're jealous of the attention women give them. Let's face it they have more style than the average straight bloke. Have you seen "Queer eye for a straight guy"?


Indeed they do! I can think of quite a few who could do with a gay friend to help them dress!!!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Indeed they do! I can think of quite a few who could do with a gay friend to help them dress!!!



Would that be to the right or to the left???


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Would that be to the right or to the left???


Ooooh!!! Thats a bit close to the knuckle......so to speak.....ahem...


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Indeed they do! I can think of quite a few who could do with a gay friend to help them dress!!!


Quite a few - or one in particular!!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> Quite a few - or one in particular!!


I don't know what you're talking about!


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Gosh now I'm really worried. I thought the law was impossed if you were caught in the act or admitted it. Not just a tip off from some peed off neighbour! I've been to Dubai twice on holiday and have never had a problem checking into hotels with my partner and sharing a double room. I'm quite surprised by all this. I really thought if you were discreet you wouldn't have an issue. :-(


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Sadly, simply being gay is a criminal offence here. That said, I do know several gay men here and they live just fine as they don't make a huge deal of it.

I would just ask you to be very aware and very careful. If discovered you would most likely be deported. The same punishment as for co-habiting (straight) couples actually.

-


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Jon,

Don't be worried, as you say, you've been here before and not had a problem. You're being told the letter of the law, but you really, really wont have a problem at all, don't recommend a full on snog in starbucks mind you....


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks Elphaba - advice much appreciated. I think if we do move a two bedroom flat will be needed, then if asked we can feign we are flat sharers! I can face deportation what I cannot face is imprisonment for being with another western man! We don't plan on flaunting it and are not affectionate in public but we would not want to be looking over our shoulder every five minutes. Having been to Dubai I didn't feel like that would happen at all but I guess what you experience is different on holiday to what it would be like living there full time. BTW Wicked is my favorite West End musical - I've been to see it 4 times! Not sure I'm going to try *defying gravity* in this instance though


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Cheers Andy much appreciated and point taken


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Jon said:


> BTW Wicked is my favorite West End musical - I've been to see it 4 times! Not sure I'm going to try *defying gravity* in this instance though


...and this is how they'll catch you out


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> ...and this is how they'll catch you out


crazy, no-ones catching anyone out here, stop scaring people unnecessarily, you're not in Saudi here you know, and let's face it there's gay bars based here as anyone who's been here for any length of time is fully aware of.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> crazy, no-ones catching anyone out here, stop scaring people unnecessarily, you're not in Saudi here you know, and let's face it there's gay bars based here as anyone who's been here for any length of time is fully aware of.



And there are no gay or bisexual Emiratis at all. None whatsoever. Not anywhere. And no meet up points. No, not in this town. 

-


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Jon said:


> ...snip....
> 
> BTW Wicked is my favorite West End musical - I've been to see it 4 times! Not sure I'm going to try *defying gravity* in this instance though


Cool!  Popular is my favourite track. I take it you have read the book? It is one of my favourites.


-


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> And there are no gay or bisexual Emiratis at all. None whatsoever. Not anywhere. And no meet up points. No, not in this town.
> 
> -


By Almighty God!!!!  And there was me thinking there were!  LOL


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> crazy, no-ones catching anyone out here, stop scaring people unnecessarily, you're not in Saudi here you know, and let's face it there's gay bars based here as anyone who's been here for any length of time is fully aware of.


Can you not see that was a bit of harmless fun-poking at the world's misconceived stereotypes of gay people. Have you not read my previous posts on this subject?


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Absolutely and the recent sequel Son of a Witch which is also great!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Jon said:


> Absolutely and the recent sequel Son of a Witch which is also great!



I have had a copy of Son of a Witch since it was published, but have put off reading it as I didn't want to be disappointed.

Let me know when you move out and we can meet for a Wicked/Wizard of Oz discussion. 

-


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> crazy, no-ones catching anyone out here, stop scaring people unnecessarily, you're not in Saudi here you know, and let's face it there's gay bars based here as anyone who's been here for any length of time is fully aware of.


Blimey, who rattled your cage!!!  A bit harsh!!!


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Fab Elphaba will do! You will love Son of a Witch.

One other (probably very dumb) question for everyone is regarding the visa situ. When you enter Dubai you can stay up to 30 days now (new since July 08). Can this be extended to 60 without leaving the country? Also when it is time to leave can you just go to a neighbouring country then reenter or do you have to go back to your country of origin?


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Jon said:


> Fab Elphaba will do! You will love Son of a Witch.
> 
> One other (probably very dumb) question for everyone is regarding the visa situ. When you enter Dubai you can stay up to 30 days now (new since July 08). Can this be extended to 60 without leaving the country? Also when it is time to leave can you just go to a neighbouring country then reenter or do you have to go back to your country of origin?


Yes, it can be extended to 60 days and yes, you can just go to a neighbouring country (my flatmate just did a visa run on Saturday!)


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

I got 60 days a week back though Maz???? extendable to 90 on payment of AED500!!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Blimey, who rattled your cage!!!  A bit harsh!!!


OK, OK, In hindsight a little terse, but let's face it the as I'm from Newcastle the nuances of the English Language will never be my forte.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> I got 60 days a week back though Maz???? extendable to 90 on payment of AED500!!


I didn't actually ask her how many days she got but it seems that depending on where you go and who you meet there, the visa can be valid for anything from 30 - 90 days.


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## Jon (Nov 2, 2008)

Oh thats reassuring Andy / Mazz. 90 days should be long enough to secure employment. I didn't want to keep going back and forth to the UK. I take it that was applicable for British citizens as well? Also on another note thanks to eveyone so far for their honest advice - it means a lot.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> OK, OK, In hindsight a little terse, but let's face it the as I'm from Newcastle the nuances of the English Language will never be my forte.


 I can't really comment as it wasn't my toes you tread on but no, you do not have a gift for languages! 

At least you made me smile!


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## pokenose (Oct 10, 2008)

guys, just a word of caution...its best not to name nationalities in particular...esp since we are living in their country....and this is forum that can be viewed by anybody...


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

No-one did, it doesn't exist, just like aids doesn't exist here....


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