Leaving Dubai? Here's How to Do It Properly

Whether you have decided to leave, or if you have had that decision made for you, there is no time to waste. Allow yourself a day or two to adjust to the situation, but leaving anything until the last minute will be stressful, expensive, or you might even be denied boarding at the airport if the essential paperwork hasn't been taken care of.

Set yourself key deadlines using a smartphone app, online calendar or an old-fashioned diary! Make a note of your last day at work, and when you plan to exist Dubai. It's easier to work backwards from your intended leaving date.

You will usually hand over your Emirates ID card and passports for cancellation at an agreed time.

Spouses and children/dependents have their visas cancelled first, and then the employee's. From the date of cancellation, you have 30 days to leave the country before accruing daily fines.

To keep things running smoothly, you'll need to give your credit card provider some notice of your departure. To cancel the card, they'll require the balance to be paid in full. It's the same with an overdraft or loan.

Once final settlements have been paid, you can request a clearance letter from your bank, which states that you have no outstanding liabilities. This might be requested by your employer before they cancel the visa or pay your EOSB entitlement. It might also prevent your account from being frozen.

Banks often reassure you that they don't routinely freeze accounts, but we have all heard of the potential risks and stresses over this particular issue, and we don't recommend testing it out at the most hectic time during an international move.

Producing your clearance letter in the event of having your account frozen may speed up the process of having it open again. Sometimes it is a bank system default that freezes the account when the final pay and benefits is paid in, even if all liabilities have been cleared. Some banks offer international accounts in various currencies, which might be of help to you in your next home.

Unless your departure coincides with the end of your tenancy contract, you'll need to negotiate the terms with your landlord or agent.

You may have outstanding cheques and several months left on your contract. Successful talks with the landlord may depend on the speed with which the premises can be re-let to a new tenant, so it pays to co-operate as far as possible and show willingness.

Security deposits can be returned shortly after the final inspection, which is best done on the day you move out, or the day before. It is best to be there during the inspection and have your receipts and contract to hand.

RERA can be called upon (tel: 600 555556) to settle disputes as long as your rental agreement was registered with the Ejari service initially.

Your DEWA cancellation can be done online here, but a visit to one of their offices a few days before you need the service to be stopped is easy enough. You can request for Clearance Certificate from DEWA, here.

Request the service to be stopped and make sure you're paid up. On the day the service is stopped, return to the office to pay your final bill and collect your DEWA deposit (or use the deposit against your final bill, if wanted).

Other services such as OSN require a month's notice of cancellation, and this can be done on the phone to their customer service representatives. They will arrange a date to come and collect the receiver box from your accommodation.

It is a good idea to get several quotes as they will vary. Remember to ask questions such as how often they have shipped to your destination country, whether boxes and packing are included, insurance options, and sailing duration. Removals companies will need a valid passport, visa page copy and full payment before they can proceed and book your move.

Allow at least a week between your belongings being picked up and the sailing date to avoid delays and avoidable storage charges. Prices will vary according to the time of year, the destination and the volume of your things. Sharing a container is a cost-effective way of shipping a smaller volume but it will take longer.

About the contributor

I am Clare, a full-time Mum to Gregory who is 10 and really good at it. I am married to Gary, a Logistics Manager, and we have an unusually vocal rescue cat named Kassie.

I’ve dabbled in journalism and had stints working for magazines like the UK's Good Housekeeping and Country Living, and also The Guardian’s travel and obituaries desks as an assistant.

Dividing my time between the scorching sand of Dubai and the more temperate climes of Cornwall for the last six years has provided me with ample writing fodder.

Since the time of publishing, Clare has moved to Cambodia with her family