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There's a two part answer.

Firstly, it is illegal for an unmarried couple to live together in Dubai. Having said that, many couples do and they have no problem. However, you need to be sensible about it; for example don't attract the attention of the authorities by having noisy late-night parties that cause the neighbours to call the police!

The second thing is much more difficult. To live in the UAE you must have a Residence Visa. To get a Residence Visa you must have a sponsor, which is your employer. But you will not be able to sponsor your girlfriend. Only legally married people can sponsor their spouse, and the paperwork to prove you're married is daunting.

To live here together you have to get around this problem, for example by your girlfriend finding a job herself so that her employer will be her sponsor. Or of course, you could get married which would solve all the problems :-)

Hi, I was wondering, what are the benefits and downfalls of being separated from your husband if you a female?

Will my employer be happy about that?

Will I have problems when if I travel alone without my husband?


Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Ruby, I don't understand your question. "Benefits & downfalls of being separated" in what sense?

Your private domestic arrangements are nothing to do with your employer, whether you're single, married, divorced, separated.

Equally, why would you have problems travelling alone? You're a person travelling on your own passport - that's it.

I was not sure if your private arrangements affected in the hiring process and I also was not sure if being a women traveling alone could comprise the was I get treated during customs.

Thank-you for clarifying that, I hope my questions are too silly, just never traveled so far from home.

Ruby, lots of women from all over the world travel here on their own. Some are married, some are not, some leave their husbands behind in their home country. I'm sure some are divorced and others are separated too.

If your employer asks if you're married you can say yes or no, you don't have to prove it.

"So far from home" you said - where's home?

I live in CA, USA and I'm actively seeking through the web for employment in Duabi. I'm thinking of finding a roommate since the cost of renting an apartment is high. What do you think?

It's going to be difficult to find a job via the web. Thousands of people are looking for jobs here and many of them are here on visit visas. That's obviously the best way to find a job because they're right up to date with what's available and they can attend interviews. That gives them a big advantage of course.

Sharing is an option but the government is cracking down on overcrowding, and also on singles living in areas designated for families, they can only live in apartments.  If you go to my blog and click on the'laws' and 'real estate' labels you'll get some information.

I am spanish and speak french and english too and I am thinking moving to Dubai, Im profetional in catering also have experience as a receptionist but I want to try massagiste I have heard it is well paid, anibody can give me some information? thank you, my name is Alfonso

JoeyDee, he asked about co-habiting so that means a permanent move, therefore a visit or tourist visa is no good. She will need a residence visa...and because of the costs involved (plus possibly cutural objections from the company) his company is highly unlikely to sponsor his girlfriend.

I lived in Kuwait for one year.
On a tourist Visa.
Every three months we did a small country hopping (3 times Bahrain, one time Dubai).
Coming back into Kuwait I had a new 3 months Visa and could stay with hubby.

Thanks goodness I did it that way.

It took hubby 2 weeks to get his Visa canceled (yes, they cancel the Visa there).

You might wanna think about that option and see, if you even like it there and take the next steps from there.

Nicole, people did that here in the past - the visa run - for a while but the authorities are cracking down on it now so it's not easy to simply hop out and back in.

JoeyDee, 'permanent' really means on the normal three year (renewable) residence visa. We can't become citizens so in that sense we're not going to be permanent...although I know plenty of people who've been here thirty years or more.

That sucks
Thanks for the Info though - just in case we have to go again.