What You Need to Know About Moving to Dubai
Society
Dubai's laws are strict for everyone, residents and visitors alike. You can't show affection to your partner in public or smoke on the street and in public places, and eating (even chewing gum) and drinking are forbidden on Dubai public transport. A violation costs from 100 AED. Fines in the UAE are high, so it's better to check the rules before you do something.
Mobile
In the UAE, a plan with 20 GB of data costs 200–250 AED. At the airport you can get a free SIM card with 1 GB of data for 24 hours. The SIM card is valid for 30 days.
Money
Visa and Mastercard cards issued in Russia won't work, but you can get a UnionPay card: it isn't accepted everywhere, but you can withdraw cash from ATMs with it. If you move as a foreign employee, your employer will help you open a bank account.
Residency
More precisely, a residence visa: there is no separate “residence permit” here.
You can get a residence visa in very different ways: through an employer, by opening your own company, through investment and so on.
Citizenship is very hard to get here, but it is possible! A well-known example is Pavel Durov, who received UAE citizenship in 2021. Otherwise you can get a residence visa. Without one, you can stay here for up to 90 days.
Settling in
It's easy to settle in here. About 90% of UAE residents came here to work. There are many expats from Russia and the CIS in Dubai, so making new friends is relatively easy. If you have time to plan your move, join the local chats: you'll get lots of useful advice and contacts. You can follow Dubai events through Telegram channels, for example the ones in our list.
Dubai's laws are strict for everyone, residents and visitors alike. You can't show affection to your partner in public or smoke on the street and in public places, and eating (even chewing gum) and drinking are forbidden on Dubai public transport. A violation costs from 100 AED. Fines in the UAE are high, so it's better to check the rules before you do something.
Mobile
In the UAE, a plan with 20 GB of data costs 200–250 AED. At the airport you can get a free SIM card with 1 GB of data for 24 hours. The SIM card is valid for 30 days.
Money
Visa and Mastercard cards issued in Russia won't work, but you can get a UnionPay card: it isn't accepted everywhere, but you can withdraw cash from ATMs with it. If you move as a foreign employee, your employer will help you open a bank account.
Residency
More precisely, a residence visa: there is no separate “residence permit” here.
You can get a residence visa in very different ways: through an employer, by opening your own company, through investment and so on.
Citizenship is very hard to get here, but it is possible! A well-known example is Pavel Durov, who received UAE citizenship in 2021. Otherwise you can get a residence visa. Without one, you can stay here for up to 90 days.
Settling in
It's easy to settle in here. About 90% of UAE residents came here to work. There are many expats from Russia and the CIS in Dubai, so making new friends is relatively easy. If you have time to plan your move, join the local chats: you'll get lots of useful advice and contacts. You can follow Dubai events through Telegram channels, for example the ones in our list.
24.10.2026