Expat guide: Abu Dhabi

Moving to Abu Dhabi

Oil-rich Abu Dhabi shines with its strong economy, abundant work opportunities and a city that offers a high-quality lifestyle and vibrant culture.

Abu Dhabi is popular with expat families due to the good schools and opportunities for outdoor recreation. With much of its traditional Bedouin culture intact alongside its oil wealth, Abu Dhabi also offers an enriching cultural experience, as well as a financially rewarding one.

Bringing pets to Abu Dhabi

You may ship pets to Abu Dhabi but given the heat and the likelihood of living in an apartment, large animals will not have a high quality of life. On the plus side, there are no quarantine laws

Shipping and removals

There is no shortage of shipping and relocation companies to meet the demand of people moving to Abu Dhabi. Sometimes the employer will have an in-house or preferred user who aims to make the move as smooth as possible. Relocation companies can be hired to assist with every aspect of the move, from furniture transportation to school enrolment.

It should be noted that the UAE has strict rules on what may and may not be brought into the country. No weapons, ammunition or narcotics will be admitted. The UAE has imposed bans on various medicines, including codeine. It is advisable to check what is allowed to bring into the country before travelling as being caught with ‘banned’ items can result in a jail term.

All music, books, CDs and DVDs will be subject to inspection/censorship at customs. Anything considered to be against the values, tradition and morality of the UAE will be banned. This would include anything with pornographic or anti-Muslim content.