Moving from Amsterdam to Dubai, without the guesswork

The 90-day timeline

Run it backwards from the flight date. Every task here comes from a move we actually did, not a template.

1. Days 0 to 30

   Decide and file

   • Pick the visa route: employment, freelance permit (from €1,848 per year in 2026), golden visa or company setup.
   • Legalise diplomas, birth and marriage certificates: the UAE does not accept apostilles, so each goes to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the UAE Embassy in The Hague, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Allow three to four weeks, so start here.
   • Get sea freight quotes. Ten boxes Amsterdam to Jebel Ali run €600 to 900 door to door, 4 to 6 weeks in transit.
   • Scan every document you own into one folder; you will upload each of them at least twice.

2. Days 30 to 60

   Cut the ties at home

   • Give notice on your rental or set the sale in motion.
   • Book the one-way flight and line up UAE health insurance from landing day; Dutch basisverzekering stops the day you deregister.
   • Report your departure to the gemeente, no earlier than 5 days before you leave. The M form for your emigration year is filed with the Belastingdienst the following year.
   • Sell or export the car, freeze or port the pension.

3. Days 60 to 90

   Land and activate

   • Entry stamp, visa medical and biometrics inside the first week.
   • Emirates ID lands in 2 to 4 weeks; open a bank account with the application receipt (see the banking guide below).
   • Rent with 1 to 4 cheques, register Ejari, connect DEWA.
   • Swap the Dutch driving licence: direct exchange, no test, about €222 in 2026.