Moving to the UAE from the UK: visa on arrival, attestation, driving licence and tax

For holders of a full "British citizen" passport, GOV.UK states you get a visitor or tourist visa free of charge on arrival, with no need to apply in advance; your passport is stamped at immigration and the visa is valid for up to 90 days over a 180-day period, beginning on first entry, either continuous or split across visits. Emirates and flydubai place the United Kingdom on their 90-day multiple-entry tier, adding that the stamp is valid for six months from the date of issue for 90 days of stay in total. The UAE Government portal does not print the country list itself and says the lists "may vary from time to time" and to check with the UAE embassy; GOV.UK says the same. British nationals holding other passport types (for example British Overseas citizens) are not covered by this on the pages we read.

A UK document is not accepted in the UAE until it is legalised. The UK is a Hague Apostille member, but the UAE is not, so an FCDO apostille is a required first step rather than the whole answer — the UAE embassy and UAE MOFA steps follow. Both governments describe the same three-step chain.

Britain is on Dubai RTA's list of 20 countries whose licences any nationality can exchange. A UK-issued licence is exchangeable for all categories, with no translation and without the original being withdrawn, provided the licence is valid and you pass an eye test. The fees the RTA service page lists are below. Fees and processes in emirates other than Dubai are not stated on the pages we read.

The UK-UAE Double Taxation Convention was signed on 12 April 2016 and entered into force on 25 December 2016, taking effect from 1 January 2017, with modifications from the Multilateral Instrument during 2020. GOV.UK's living-in-the-UAE guide states the UK has a double-tax agreement with the UAE so you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries, and that the UAE has no income tax on salaries or wages. It adds that only UAE citizens can claim a UAE pension, while expatriates may be eligible for end-of-service benefits after working in the UAE. The Convention's Article 4 defines a UAE resident as an individual domiciled, habitually resident or with a centre of vital interests in the UAE, or an entity incorporated or recognised under UAE law. UK statutory residence, split-year treatment and HMRC certificates of residence are matters of UK law and are not covered here; check GOV.UK before relying on your position.

If you are moving the household, the sequence is: secure a residence route (employment, investment or Golden Visa), complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID, then sponsor your family — for which your UK marriage and birth certificates must be through the attestation chain above. GOV.UK notes that a residence-visa applicant takes a blood test, and a positive result for a communicable disease can lead to detention and deportation. Read UAE residence visa and family visa.

If you are moving a business, British nationals form companies under the general rules — 100% foreign ownership on the mainland for most activities and in free zones. See business setup and, for property-linked residency, Dubai property and residency. There is no UK-specific Golden Visa or company rule.

For a trip, the 90-day visa on arrival needs nothing in advance beyond a valid passport. For a move, get your UK certificates into the FCDO and UAE embassy chain early — the standard apostille alone can take up to 25 working days — and read UAE residence visa. Ask for a review below if you want a person to sequence the family or business file.