Moving to Qatar in August! | ExpatWoman.com
 

Moving to Qatar in August!

3
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 July 2015 - 16:41

Hi Ladies,

At very short notice, we're moving from Dubai to Doha in about 2 months time!! Despite being in the UAE for 7 years I've never been to Qatar, so am CLUELESS as to where to begin. The rules on residency visas/exit permits/getting school places etc all seem to be so much more difficult there than here... I know it's still GCC but Qatar seems like a whole new world & it somehow isn't so simple as moving here initially was! There's so much stuff to 'tie up' here & ensure it's done 'correctly' before we can leave...it's all adding up & my stress levels are through the roof!!

Has anyone out there gone through similar recently & do you have any tips to stay sane?

I've realised that I'll most likely not now secure school places for my boys (aged 9 & 7) for September as we'll not yet have our residency visas...so I'm looking into home schooling them & I'll try to find school places for them/a job for myself once we're settled & legally resident.

Ok, where to start:
Q1...the move itself...any tips on good removal companies from DXB to Doha? I would prefer our stuff to go by sea direct from here to there & NOT via Saudi by road (as I've heard horror stories of items going missing & cartons & belongings being trashed at the Saudi border). Recommendations /thoughts welcome...
Q2...finding a place to live...hubby's company have not given the greatest package (times have changed, I know) & our housing allowance is only 7,500pm... so we'll need to top up but can only afford about 12000 MAX. Is it possible to get a 3 bed villa WITH GARDEN for this amount? The state/size of the home is not important, but I really need a garden to keep my sanity!!

Q3...anyone using or has used WES for homes chooling. What are your experiences & how easy is it to re-enter the school system in Qatar/elsewhere after a period of home schooling?

Thanks for reading!
Cath :)

2
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2015 - 14:16
Hi, we are also in the process of moving from Dubai to Doha in 2 weeks.I did get a very good quote for door to door with GCP movers.You can contact them :GCP (L.L.C.)Tel: +971 4 3859859Fax: +971 4 3278403 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.gcpmoversuae.com I wish you good luck with your moving process :)
15
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 July 2015 - 21:29
Hello! We are currently living in Dubai and are moving BACK to Doha in September after living in Dubai for the last two years. My kids are slightly younger (ages 3 and 1), but if you have any questions please feel free to message me. :) AC
3
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 July 2015 - 11:35
Hi! Thanx for your replies, Yup sorry I do mean 'back yard'....be it grass/sand/paving or whatever...just SPACE where I can have a few flower pots & the kids can play (in the cooler months). I guess best thing is to arrive & then drive around areas/see what's available :) Thanks for the tip on schools :)
616
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 01 July 2015 - 18:03
PS you can certainly apply for places without RPs. Schools aren't allowed to let them start without an RP though. Some schools will overlook this but it tends to be the more popular, established schools that are willing to.
616
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 01 July 2015 - 18:02
What do you mean by 'garden'? Gardens as I'd think of them (with grass for example) are fairly rare in Qatar and usually only available in the more expensive properties. A back yard (that you can then add pots to) is a different matter although even then they tend to be smaller in the cheaper properties (and unfortunately on 12k you're looking at the cheaper properties).