Job Discussion Forums

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

Ok just to clarify....

1. I need to get my degree and teaching certificated attested. When do I need these documents ready? Like do they need to be sent to UAE a month before my arrival or do i simply bring them with me when I go?

2. I enter UAE under a temporary visa that is issued at the airport? Or do I need to apply for it before I arrive?

3. Once in the UAE I give them my attested documents and they get my residence visa and work permit?

4. What about medical checks, criminal record checks etc? What am I missing.

5. I've heard that you need a passport that is valid for at least 3 years AFTER you enter UAE to get a work permit/residence visa. Is this true?

I guess I'm stressing out a little, I'm really unfamiliar with the process for UAE and I don't want to get denied because I didn't understand or know about a certain step.

THANX GUYS!!!

seven seas · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 65

Your employer should have told you about all this, but it will get sorted out quickly once you're there.

If you can attest your quals while you're still at home, do it ASAP.

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

You take care of the attesting the docs - HR takes care of everything else. If they don't and can't or won't respond to your legitimate inquiries (including when they want the attested docs) it would be a big warning bell for me.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I would make sure that my passport was good beyond the end of the contract at the very least. Otherwise you have to carry both passports when traveling out of the country until the visa in the old one expires.

Unless they have come up with some new "visa transfer to new passport" system...

VS

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127

There's no problem with renewing your passport in Dubai or Abu Dhabi - It's a lot quicker here than in other countries I've had to do this. There is no "visa transfer to new passport" system..." Instead, your embassy will do something dastardly ingenious and clever.... they will staple your old passport to your new passport. The pure genius of these diplomatic chaps!

Immigration (and other government agencies) here is quite used to dealing with stapled together passports.

So don't worry about making sure your current passport extends beyond the life of your contract.

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

Thanx guys. I did get information from the school. But they stressed me out because they told me to hurry up and get my docs attested. Due to time differences I wasn't able to clarify WHEN I would need my documents and I was already crossed eyed trying to figure out my contract and understand what attested included and worrying about my passport.
So attest them in home country and carry them to UAE with me.

Anything else I need to know? Other then signing the contract, attesting documents and getting THOUSANDS of passport photos done I'm good???

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127

ya goood if ya attested before ya come.

Don't forget your drivers license (if you have one) so you can get the UAE one.

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:54 pm Post subject:

What johnkg says is important and correct. Folk could help you out more if you announced your nationality...which you may have done on a different thread, but who the heck has time to search posts when "The Simpsons" is on.

Tonight's episode is when Homer goes bankrupt and Bart takes up ballet! Laughing

Seriously, tho...nationality? Every country has different requirements and hoops to jump through. Rolling Eyes

NCTBA

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

I'm Canadian and my friend is American. We're both moving to UAE for the first time in August.

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject:

Your friend will require that s/he get an apostille from the Secretary of State of the state that awarded the college degree. That will require the original being presented to a notary public of the state that it was awarded in. Once the SoS gets the "true and correct" copy attestation, they will issue the apostille.

Then the attested and apostilled copy is sent to the U.S. State Dept. for their official "okey-dokey" (apostille), it can either be sent to the Emirati mission in the U.S. or brought here for verification at the U.S. Embassy/Sharia Court. Hoops within hoops!

BTW, everything worked out for ol' Homer and Bart in the end. Almost like it wuz make-believe! Laughing

NCTBA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Make sure your driver's license has 2-3 years to go too. You never know what kind of hassle the fellows at the department of motor vehicles can come up with. It is like every fellow behind the window makes up his own rules. Rolling Eyes

I have known people who were refused because their home license had less than 2 years to run.

I hated the stapled together passport thing - old one was big enough with my dozens of added fold-out pages... and would have had a new passport if I had known about it.

It is true that getting a new passport tends to be easier in the Gulf than in DC though. Cool

Not sure if that is true with all the new rules.

VS

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

Thanks guys, my stress level is much lower. I'm signing and sending the contract today! Whoooo Hoooooo!

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127

johnkg · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 127