Moving to the UAE with family needs three things in this order: your own visa, then housing with Ejari registration, then visas for partner and children. School places are applied for in parallel, not afterwards. As of 09/2026.
The order decides the timeline
For a single person the move is one chain. For a family it is several that depend on each other — and tackling them in the wrong order means waiting.
The sponsor first needs their own residence visa. Then comes housing, because the Ejari-registered tenancy contract is a prerequisite for family visas. Only then can partner and children be sponsored. That is why in most cases one person travels ahead and the family follows some weeks later.
What must run in parallel
Two things cannot wait for the chain to complete:
The certificates. For partners and children the authorities require certified marriage and birth certificates, often with apostille and Arabic translation. Obtaining them at home regularly takes longer than the entire visa process. Start the day the decision is made — not when the sponsor has their Emirates ID.
The school places. Good schools keep waiting lists, and admission often depends on assessments. Enquire only after arrival and you take what is free.
Housing: what matters in practice
Tenancy contracts usually run twelve months and are paid in one to four cheques in advance — the fewer cheques, the lower the rent often is. Add the deposit, agency commission and connection fees for electricity and water.
Ejari registration is not a formality: it is a prerequisite for family visas, utility contracts and in some cases for school enrolment.
| Item | Single person | Family with two children | |---|---|---| | Rent deposit and prepayment | AED 20,000 – 40,000 | AED 45,000 – 90,000 | | Furnishing and settling in | AED 5,000 – 15,000 | AED 15,000 – 35,000 | | School per child per year | — | AED 25,000 – 90,000 | | Buffer for three months | AED 15,000 – 30,000 | AED 40,000 – 70,000 |
These are market figures, not our prices, and they vary strongly by location and school. What company, visas and insurance cost depends on your structure — the first estimate calculates that range.
Schools: the criterion behind the curriculum
British, American, IB and German-language curricula are available. The choice decides more than the syllabus: it determines how easily a later move back or on to a third country works.
Anyone considering a return should check that the qualification is recognised. Anyone staying international is often more flexible with the IB.
Moving first, then looking for schools. In popular areas the sought-after schools are full by the start of the school year. Start the application in parallel with the visa process and you have a choice — wait, and you take the place that is left.
Health insurance: mandatory, but not all the same
Health insurance is required for every residence visa. Basic cover satisfies that requirement. Whether it is enough is another question: with pre-existing conditions, family planning or if a particular clinic should be reachable, the difference only shows when it matters — and switching is difficult by then.
Statutory cover at home ends on departure. Anyone considering a return should check before deregistering whether an entitlement arrangement makes sense.
What we recommend
Plan backwards from the desired school start, not forwards from the decision. The start of the school year is the only fixed date in this project — everything else can move, that cannot.
And start with the certificates on the day you decide. They are the most common reason families arrive later than planned.
Exit Palm does not provide legal or tax advice. For legal and tax questions we work with licensed partners in Germany and the UAE. All information without warranty, as of the date shown.