Dubai is the gem of the Middle East. It’s impossible to imagine that this supermodern place with the tallest and most luxurious buildings in the world didn’t exist just a few decades ago. It’s born from the desert that surrounds it, but today is one of the most beautiful architectural wonders in the world. A lot of foreigners is moving to Dubai, and the city is very open to European newcomers. If you are planning to make Dubai your new home, here are some things that you have to know about it so you can adapt better. When you are relocating to another country, the biggest question is “Will you be happy after moving?“. Researching and preparing will help you get that answer.
Moving to Dubai
Before you buy your plane ticket there are a lot of things that you have in mind. Moving is stressful, but moving to another continent is an even harder task.
There are a lot of ways to minimize stress by following these steps:
- Find your new home in Dubai – Before you start to pack your things, you have to find a place to put them in, when they arrive. The easiest way to do that is to find a reliable relater. In Dubai, there are a lot of specialized relaters that specifically help European newcomers to find a place to live in. They will take all of your demands into consideration and send you pictures of the places most suitable for you. Laws in Dubai are very strict, so don’t worry – what you see is what you get.
- Figure out the legal requirements – before European newcomers move to Dubai, it’s important to make sure that paperwork is in order. Find out what kind of visa do you need to get, and how. Make sure that any additional documents, like marriage licenses, bank statements or diplomas, are certified prior to entering the country. If you are moving because of the work, your employer will likely take care of your papers. Check all the paperwork with your lawyer, just in case.
- Hire professionals – The best way to avoid stress when moving is to hire a good and reliable professional mover. Especially when you are moving to another continent.
- Finding the best moving service is the crucial step that can save you a lot of nerves and patience.
- Learn about the culture and the country that you are moving to – Knowing what you can expect from the place that you will call your new home is a crucial thing for faster adaptation into a new environment. Somethings still may surprise you, but the cultural shock won’t be so intensive, and you will adapt quickly.

Tips for European newcomers in Dubai
After you settle down in your new home in Dubai, you can start exploring the city. Here are some tips that will help you to adjust:
Weekends
In most countries, Saturday and Sunday are days for the weekend. Well, not in UE.
Friday and Saturday are the days for weekly rest because the Friday is a holy day in the Muslim religion. It’s very different and strange for the European newcomers, but you will adjust after just a few weeks.
Follow the country’s rules
Some of the things that you are allowed to do in Europe, in Dubai can get you arrested and even deported. Get to know what things are punishable by law and avoid them. Avoid things such as public intoxication, public displays of affection, buying fake goods, taking pictures of strangers or kids and other illegal acts.
Make friends from other countries
Dubai is a multicultural city. Only 20% of the United Emirates population are locals. Other 80% are foreigners that live and work there. Since the local population is very small, there’s no way for a foreigner to ever get a citizenship of the UE. But what you can get, are the friends from around the globe.
Nightlife
Among the other great things, Dubai has one of the best nightclubs in the world that will thrill the European newcomers that love nightlife.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Dubai is that you can’t drink alcohol. It’s forbidden only for locals, foreigners can enjoy it in almost every club and restaurant. You just need an alcohol license. To obtain it, you need to be more than 21 years of age, you have to have a residence visa, you can’t be Muslim, and you should have a minimum monthly salary of at least Dh3,000.
Public drinking is strictly prohibited, and Dubai has a zero tolerance for drunk driving.
This is the city that evolves every day.

Attractions
What you have to have in mind is that Dubai is always under construction. With new crazy attractions and immense skyscrapers being opened every year, it’s only natural that Dubai is constantly under construction.
There are so many attractions in Dubai.
Everything that is built here has to be “the most” – the biggest, the tallest, the most expensive, the most extravagant.

Their shopping malls are not just for searching the latest fashion collections. In one you can admire the huge aquarium with thousands of different sea species, the other is the entrance to the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa), outside there are fountains that dance with the sound of music. In another shopping mall, you can sky in the middle of July.

There is also the replica of Venice, where you can ride a gondola through the artificial canals that resemble the great Italian city. What more can we say about the town that has its own artificial island made in the shape of the palm tree?
One thing is for sure – you can’t have a boring day in Dubai.
Prepare for the heat
You have probably heard that Dubai is very warm, especially during the summer months.
However, until you got there you can’t understand just how steaming hot it really is.
In the summer, temperatures of 50s degrees Celsius are a daily routine. It may be sounding that you are moving to heel instead in one of the greatest city in the world, but the weather is entirely bearable.
That is because everything is equipped with air conditions.
AC is a must have in every facility in the city, and in all kinds of public transportation.
Even bus stops have their own air conditioning.
Most of the buildings have underground parking lots, so your car won’t be as hot as the oven. Everything is so equipt that you basically don’t have to step into the scolding sun in days, except when you are going to the beach.