DP

Leaving Dubai — Your Complete Guide

Whether you're moving on after 2 years or 20, leaving Dubai requires careful planning. This guide walks you through every step so nothing falls through the cracks.

Outstanding debt in the UAE — including credit card balances, personal loans, bounced cheques, and unpaid rent — can result in a travel ban that prevents you from leaving the country. Address all financial obligations before your final departure.

90 Days Before Leaving

  • Notify your employer — review your contract notice period (usually 1–3 months)
  • Begin decluttering — sell furniture and items on Facebook Marketplace, Dubizzle
  • Research shipping companies — get 3 quotes for sea vs air freight
  • Notify your children's school (most require 1 full term notice)
  • Start gathering financial documents — bank statements, salary certificates
  • Review your tenancy contract exit clause and notify landlord
  • Check if you have any outstanding fines (traffic, Salik, municipality)

60 Days Before Leaving

  • Confirm your final working day with HR — initiate gratuity calculation
  • Book shipping company and schedule packing dates
  • Apply for security deposit refund from landlord (allow 4–6 weeks)
  • Cancel your DEWA account and schedule final meter reading
  • Request Ejari cancellation certificate from RERA app or service centre
  • Start selling or transferring your car — cancel RTA registration
  • Transfer or close investment accounts, brokerage accounts
  • Request salary transfer reference letter from bank for new country

Final 30 Days — Critical Tasks

  • Visa cancellation — employer processes through MOHRE (3–5 business days)
  • Emirates ID cancellation (happens automatically with visa cancellation)
  • Close UAE bank accounts — transfer remaining balance abroad
  • Collect DEWA refund deposit (AED 2,000 apartment / AED 4,000 villa)
  • Collect security deposit from landlord (minus legitimate deductions)
  • Final clear-out — donate to charity shops, UAE Red Crescent
  • Clear any outstanding bills — internet, phone, utility, credit cards
  • Obtain transfer certificates from children's schools
  • Cancel UAE driving licence or exchange it in destination country
  • Say your goodbyes — Dubai expat community is genuinely tight-knit

Visa Cancellation Process

Employment Visa Cancellation

  1. Employer submits cancellation request through MOHRE
  2. ICP processes Emirates ID cancellation simultaneously
  3. Takes 3–5 working days
  4. You receive a grace period of 30 days to depart or change status
  5. Cannot work for another employer during grace period

Sponsored Family Visa Cancellation

  1. The sponsor (visa holder) must cancel dependant visas first
  2. Done through ICP app or typing centres
  3. Children's visas cancelled before spouse's visa
  4. Then sponsor's own employment visa is cancelled
  5. Sponsor's cancellation requires employer approval
After visa cancellation, you have a 30-day grace period to remain in the UAE. This is enough time to complete financial tasks and arrange your departure. Do not overstay this period.

End-of-Service Gratuity — Claim What You're Owed

Gratuity is a legal entitlement under UAE Labour Law. Many employees leave without claiming it or accept less than they deserve. Know your rights.

1

Calculate Your Basic Salary

Gratuity is based on basic salary only — not allowances, bonuses, or commission.

2

Determine Years of Service

Count complete years of employment. Partial years count proportionally.

3

Apply the Formula

21 days basic salary for each of the first 5 years. 30 days basic salary per year after 5 years.

4

Resignation Deductions

If you resign (not terminated), you receive 1/3 of gratuity for 1–3 years, 2/3 for 3–5 years, and full gratuity after 5 years. Termination = full gratuity from day 1.

5

Payment Timeline

Employer must pay within 14 days of last working day. Disputes can be filed with MOHRE online or via the Tasheel app.

Example Calculation

Basic salary: AED 10,000/month. Serving 4 years. Resigned (so 2/3 rule applies for 3–5 years).

Daily rate: AED 10,000 ÷ 30 = AED 333.33
First 4 years × 21 days = 84 days × AED 333.33 = AED 28,000
After 2/3 deduction for resignation: AED 18,667 gratuity payable

DEWA Deposit Refund

AED 2,000
Apartment deposit
AED 4,000
Villa deposit

How to Claim

  1. Submit a 'Disconnection Request' on the DEWA app or website at least 3 days before move-out
  2. DEWA inspector visits to take final meter reading and disconnect supply
  3. Clear any outstanding bills on the account
  4. Refund processed within 7–14 working days to original payment method or bank transfer
  5. If paying by cheque, ensure your UAE bank account remains open to receive the refund

Ejari Cancellation & Security Deposit

Ejari Cancellation

  • Cancel through the RERA app or an accredited Ejari typing centre
  • Requires agreement from both landlord and tenant
  • Costs AED 40–80 in service fees
  • Must be cancelled before landlord re-registers with new tenant
  • Get the cancellation certificate for your records

Getting Your Security Deposit Back

  • Typically 5% of annual rent (e.g., AED 4,000 on AED 80,000/year)
  • Conduct a move-out inspection with the landlord present
  • Document the property condition with photos and video
  • Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted — only actual damage
  • Landlord must return within 30 days or provide itemised deductions
  • Disputes go to RERA/Dubai Rental Dispute Settlement Centre

Banking — Close Accounts Properly

  • Settle all credit card balances — carry forward to a new country is not possible. Pay in full or request a clearance letter.
  • Personal loan settlement — if you have a UAE personal loan, you must either repay it fully, or arrange a cross-border repayment arrangement (rare). Most banks require full settlement.
  • Close current accounts — request account closure in writing. Banks may hold account open 30 days. Collect any remaining balance as a manager's cheque or international wire.
  • Cancel standing orders and direct debits — ensure all regular payments are redirected or cancelled before you close the account.
  • Save statements — download 3 years of bank statements before closing. You may need them for mortgage applications or visa processes in your new country.
Abandoning a UAE bank account with unpaid dues can result in a bad credit record with the Al Etihad Credit Bureau and may affect future UAE visa applications.

Car — Registration, Fines & Sale

Selling Your Car

  • Sell through Dubizzle, CarSwitch, or Cars24 for best prices
  • Dealer trade-in is faster but 15–25% below market value
  • Clear any outstanding loan — bank must issue a clearance letter
  • Transfer ownership through RTA — new owner pays AED 350 transfer fee
  • Reclaim any unused registration period as a proportional refund

Clear All Fines First

  • Check traffic fines on the RTA app or Dubai Police app
  • Check Salik balance — request refund of remaining credit
  • Unpaid fines block registration transfer to new owner
  • Large unpaid fines can trigger a vehicle impound notice
  • Some municipalities (Sharjah, Ajman) have separate fine systems — check each

Children's Schools

  • Most Dubai schools require one full term's notice (typically 13 weeks). Check your enrollment contract carefully — financial penalties apply for shorter notice.
  • Request Transfer Certificates (TC) for each child from the school principal. This is required to enroll in any new school globally.
  • Request school reports for the last 2 academic years and any standardised test scores (IGCSE, IB, AP, etc.).
  • KHDA may require attestation of TC documents for some receiving countries. Check in advance.
  • Settle all outstanding fees — schools may withhold TC until the account is clear.

Shipping Your Belongings

Sea Freight (FCL)

AED 8,000–25,0003–8 weeks

Best for: Full household of furniture and boxes (3+ bedroom)

Full Container Load — most cost-effective for large moves. Book 6+ weeks ahead.

Sea Freight (LCL)

AED 3,000–10,0004–10 weeks

Best for: 1–2 bedroom worth of belongings

Shared container. Cheaper than FCL but slower due to consolidation stops.

Air Freight

AED 15–50 per kg3–7 days

Best for: High-value items, urgent documents, limited belongings

Very expensive for large volumes but fastest option for essentials.

Excess Baggage

AED 10–40 per kg (airline rates)Same as flight

Best for: Small additional items beyond standard luggage

Check airline policy. Emirates allows generous checked baggage on Business/First.

Get quotes from at least 3 moving companies: Crown Relocations, Transgulf, AGS Movers, and Allied Pickfords are established Dubai operators. Ask specifically about customs duties at your destination country.

Debt Warning — Travel Ban Risk

This is the most critical section. The UAE takes financial obligations extremely seriously. Outstanding debts can result in a travel ban — you will be stopped at the airport and unable to board your flight.

Debts That Can Cause a Travel Ban:

  • Unpaid credit card balances
  • Personal loan arrears
  • Bounced cheques (criminal offence in UAE)
  • Unpaid rent (landlord can file a police case)
  • Business debts and outstanding supplier payments
  • Court judgments in favour of any creditor
  • Guarantor obligations (if someone defaults on a loan you guaranteed)

How to Check for a Travel Ban:

Check via the Dubai Police app ('check if wanted') or the GDRFA app. A clean check does not guarantee no issues at smaller police databases — settle all known debts regardless.

The Emotional Side of Leaving Dubai

Dubai is a city that gets under your skin. Whether you spent 2 years or 20, the city has a way of making people feel at home while simultaneously always feeling temporary. Leaving is rarely straightforward emotionally.

The expat community in Dubai is one of the most globally connected networks you'll ever be part of. Your Dubai friends will scatter to six continents — and that's actually a superpower. Embrace the WhatsApp groups, the meet-ups abroad, and the "next time you're in my city" invitations.

Give yourself time to grieve the lifestyle, the weather, the freedom, the brunch culture, and the tax-free salary. Then embrace what comes next. Dubai has a way of preparing people for the world in a way few cities can.

Many people leave Dubai and come back. Always leave on good terms — professionally, financially, and socially. The world is smaller than it looks.