Moving to Dubai from the UK? Start here.
Straight answers on moving, taxes, visas and setting up in Dubai — for people coming from the UK.
Free tool — Are you still UK tax resident?
Answer five quick questions for an indicative read on your UK tax residency under the Statutory Residence Test, the rule that decides whether your UK tax stops when you move.
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Every guide is written to answer the questions people actually ask.
Moving from the UK to Dubai
The full picture: timing, costs, and what to sort before you go.
Explore →UK & UAE Tax
Non-residency, the Statutory Residence Test, split-year, the treaty and UAE corporate tax.
Explore →Company Formation
Freezone, mainland, offshore, trade licences and self-sponsorship.
Explore →Visas & Residency
Golden, investor, freelance and employment routes, plus the Emirates ID.
Explore →Banking in Dubai
Opening an account as a Brit — and which bank actually suits you.
Explore →Relocating Your Family
Schools, areas, housing, shipping and healthcare.
Explore →Wealth & Pensions
UK pensions, QROPS/QNUPS and selling a UK business.
Explore →AML & Compliance
Health checks, KYC and economic substance for UAE businesses.
Explore →Latest guides
Clear answers, reviewed and dated.
- UK & UAE Tax
Do I still pay UK tax after moving to Dubai?
Moving to Dubai doesn't switch off your UK tax bill on its own. What matters is when you stop being UK-resident — decided by the Statutory Residence Test, not your flight date.
- UK & UAE Tax
The Statutory Residence Test, explained for a Dubai move
The SRT is how HMRC decides whether you're still UK tax resident. Here's how its three parts work — and why the 'ties' test is the one that catches Dubai movers out.
- Banking in Dubai
How does a Brit open a Dubai bank account?
Opening a UAE bank account as a UK national is straightforward once you have residency — but the KYC is thorough. Here's what you need and why applications get knocked back.
- Wealth & Pensions
What happens to my UK pension if I move to Dubai?
Your UK pension doesn't have to move when you do. Here's how it's treated, whether you can draw it from Dubai, and why transferring (QROPS/QNUPS) is a regulated-advice decision, not a default.
- Relocating Your Family
Best areas in Dubai for UK families
Where UK families actually settle in Dubai — the villa communities, the apartment options, and why the right area usually comes down to schools and commute rather than the area itself.
- Visas & Residency
How do I qualify for the Dubai Golden Visa?
The Golden Visa gives long-term UAE residence with no employer sponsor. Here are the routes UK movers actually use — property, investment and specialised talent — and what it gets you.
- Company Formation
Freezone vs mainland vs offshore: which UAE company do I need?
The three UAE company types in plain English — what each is for, and which fits a UK founder moving over. Most service businesses want a freezone; here's why, and the exceptions.
- Moving from the UK to Dubai
Moving from the UK to Dubai: the complete guide
The whole move, in plain order: residence visa, breaking UK tax residency, banking, housing and schools, and shipping. Here's how the pieces fit and the sequence that works.