Your first 90 days in United Arab Emirates: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The 60-day entry-permit clock: medical, biometrics, and visa issuance each gate the next step — a failed medical or slow typing-centre paperwork means fines or restarting the permit.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Residency activation: medical fitness test + Emirates ID biometrics (ICP/GDRFA) — no municipal address registry
Entry permit is valid 60 days — status change, medical, biometrics, and visa issuance complete inside it
Employer or sponsor PROs typically run the sequence through Amer/typing centres; the Emirates ID has replaced the passport visa sticker; Dubai tenancies also register in Ejari.
Get your Emirates ID (no personal income-tax number for individuals)
The single ID for leases (Ejari), bank accounts, phone lines, utilities, and insurance.
Applied for together with the residence visa; biometrics at an ICP centre; the card arrives days after visa issuance.
Open a bank account
Full accounts need the Emirates ID + residence visa (many banks add a salary certificate); some banks pre-open on the entry permit while the EID processes. FATCA/W-9 paperwork is standard for US persons.
Enrol in healthcare
No public enrollment — health insurance is mandatory and visa-linked (employer/sponsor provides it; a basic-plan mandate covers all emirates from 2025); proof is checked at visa issuance.
Sort your driver's license
Tourists drive on an IDP, but once the residence visa issues a foreign license is no longer valid — about 50 nationalities including the US swap directly for a UAE license (eye test + fees, no driving test).
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to United Arab Emirates?
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in United Arab Emirates: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in United Arab Emirates?
Residency activation: medical fitness test + Emirates ID biometrics (ICP/GDRFA) — no municipal address registry — Entry permit is valid 60 days — status change, medical, biometrics, and visa issuance complete inside it. Employer or sponsor PROs typically run the sequence through Amer/typing centres; the Emirates ID has replaced the passport visa sticker; Dubai tenancies also register in Ejari. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Emirates ID and do I need one?
Emirates ID (no personal income-tax number for individuals) is United Arab Emirates's personal tax/ID number. The single ID for leases (Ejari), bank accounts, phone lines, utilities, and insurance. Applied for together with the residence visa; biometrics at an ICP centre; the card arrives days after visa issuance.
Can I drive in United Arab Emirates on a US license?
Tourists drive on an IDP, but once the residence visa issues a foreign license is no longer valid — about 50 nationalities including the US swap directly for a UAE license (eye test + fees, no driving test). Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to United Arab Emirates?
No public enrollment — health insurance is mandatory and visa-linked (employer/sponsor provides it; a basic-plan mandate covers all emirates from 2025); proof is checked at visa issuance. See our healthcare-systems guide for how United Arab Emirates's system treats foreign residents.