I heard about it, very awful and unfair, but this is not what I am asking for... 

Why any woman would willingly travel to such an society...

I am not saying, life is perfect here, but Dubai seems to be heaven (or at least a safe haven) for rapists.

I recently did a lot of in depth research on moving and living in Dubai, as well as a week long fact finding visit. My wife also used to live there when she was single, pm me if you still need someones brain to pick. 

K

Have lived for a year down there... wasn't too bad but happy to back in CH... Had some lovely times there, it's not as bad as everybody says, but there for sure is a darker side to this city state which they don't you to know. 

This is how we did it:

Normally, you need to get your degree translated into Arabic, than get it notarized as a true translation, and than go the UAE ambassy to get it verified again. costly and timely affair but they accepted my paperwork. Remember - if you have kids, and are umarried - get married before you go. if you are not married, you are officially not supposed to live together (though everybody does it) - if you are not married DON'T GET PREGNANT (or at least do not give birth in Dubai, or you will be in deep sh*t) There are loads of things you need to think about, but all the offical guides will help you with that. Be prepared to spent some time sorting out paperwork, or take a PRO (public relations officer - these guys cost, but they do magic) Good luck!!!

Hi,

This was a huge case in Norway a couple of weeks ago..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23381448

Thank you all for your helpful information! :) Degree authentication is sorted and good to go :) 

It is not just the way they treat women and immigrant workers. The following stories about a South African doctor, and even a Qatari doctor say loads about that society:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/south-african-doctor-held-in-uae-jail-on-10yearold-charge-8208039.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23096831

You may want to heed the words of Karen Andrews, whose story you may want to read about,

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

and which has nothing to do with rape or oppresion of women:

"The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship."

and here is the opinion of a philippino woman:

 "It's OK," she says cautiously. Really? I say. I can't stand it. She sighs with "This is the most terrible place! I hate it! I was here for months before I realised – everything in Dubai is fake. Everything you see. The trees are fake, the workers' contracts are fake, the islands are fake, the smiles are fake – even the water is fake!" But she is trapped, she says. She got into debt to come here, and she is stuck for three years: an old story now. "I think Dubai is like an oasis. It is an illusion, not real. You think you have seen water in the distance, but you get close and you only get a mouthful of sand."

It is not just a matter of what the chances are of something terrible happening to you. I would not want to contribute in any way or patronize such a backward and horrible society.

You have been warned.

All you guys warning me, have you lived in Dubai? Just out of curiosity :) 

No, but I never put the barrel of a loaded shotgun to my head and pulled the trigger either.

Hi,

I lived in the Middle East before. I think for 8 months of the year the weather is quite miserable (at least for me, i hate the hot weather) Dec-March it is lovely. 

One thing to check is if your driver's license can be exchanged over there. You can be an F1 driver with 50years of driving experience but if your license is from a country that they do not recognize, you will end up having to take the test over and over again. If you are there on a resident's visa then even an International Driver's license will not be recognized! 

Some do's and dont's:

Dont's: Wear short dresses in public, not married+get pregnant, swear at people, 

Do's: Understand a bit about Syariah Law (especially the part on sexual assault) - it is ridiculous so just know your rights in this law, Explore the many Souks, dessert safari, other beautiful sites outside Dubai. 

Good luck. 

Steph. Some people are here to start a discussion about just anything, and that's the fun of it sometimes. There are some dark sides to Dubai, for sure, but there are also a lot worse places than Dubai as well (the lovely state of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc.etc., - 3.2.1..... and we have a new discussion) . I think a little bit of google will tell you that and I presume most people mean well. 

On the driving license  http://www.dubai.ae/en/Lists/HowToGuide/DispForm.aspx?ID=11

For your residency permit you need a health test. As a suggestion, take the private option, and go to Al Wasl road health center. They are normally friendly and helpfull. Note that there are certain opening hours.

Make sure that you have legalised (do it here with a notary and the UAE ambassay/consulate) of just about any official document, and have copies of those ready. At least get your birth certificate, marriage certificate, (and your diploma's / degrees's ) done. It helps when there are loads of stamps and signatures on it :-) When you get there, make sure you carry at any moment when dealing with officials:

10 copies of any official document, but mainly your passport. 

Getting your dewa (water and electricity) done can be a hassle, depending on where you go to. Again, patience and a smile will get you very far. 

Good luck... and it's a nice place, though all is indeed fake, people are not always treated well and it's not a democracy..... but still, there are a lot worse places to live on this planet. And indeed, a little checking up on sharia law might help, and try to adhere to the local customs. My family had a good time in Dubai, met dozens of lovely (including locals) people however, the climate is harsh, and the fact almost everything is fake we couldn't really stand in the end, but it was a nice time!

Actually, it isn't so much the need to start a discussion. It is more about raising some sort of awareness that this goes on there. I am pretty sure the western women who were raped there and then reported it, did not know that was a bad idea.. Wether the fact that the laws are "this way" there is  ok or not, now that is another discussion. 

I don't think anyone warning of going to places such as Dubai said or believes, that all citizens of those places are bad or evil people.

But facts are facts. Some countries protect rapists more than they care for the victims of rape.

Hi Steph, Dubai is a very interesting place and completely different for living than any other place. I have lived there for 4 years before moving to Geneva ( quite shocking change :) and during these 4 years i had the most amazing times and also hard times.

Visa: to stay there permanently and work you would need to have a resident visa which are normally issued for 3 years, shoudl you find a job there , the company will apply for your visa, medical tests are required and you will get instructions where to go and how to do it on place

Accomodation: it is very easy to rent a place ( not as a Geneva style! ) - first come, first take , contract for teh rent is normally for 1 year and you have to pay  infront ( 1,2,4 cheques - depend of the contract )

Work: i would say with a swiss education you should find a job easier, always helps to know a lot of people and be very active socially, unfortunately there are many people working in high positions with not adequate experience and backround which makes things frustrating sometimes ( nightmare to solve problems with bank accounts, phone bills ect..)

Social life: Dubai is very very social place, you can party every day and meet people from all around the world, people are generally very friendly ( 70 % of the population are expacts), its easy to make friends but to make a very good friends you would have to work harder as people sometimes become very materialistic and loose values.

Dress code: well, officially you should respect the muslim culture and wear appropriate clothing but its definitely not that strict in dubai as some stories in newspapers tell. Girls wear shorts, skirts, dresses all the time except formal places. ( in shopping mall you could be stopped when wearing shorts or short dress )

I think as an experience for few years , dubai its good choice!

I hope i helped at least a little bit and wish you good luck :)

Zuzana

Thanks for your message Zuzana, very helpful! :) 

Hi, I lived there for 13 years, met my husband, had my kids there, loved most of it. Left in the end because it is a bubble and people don't often stay too long, but I loved it.

guys any tips regarding hotel or aprt booking am really lost , so many hotels and new areas

do you know any good web site which offer good booking deals or any reference for aprt. am planning to go in Oct for 2 weeks.

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp

hello,

this website is very common to use for searching an appartment, furniture,ect..i found all previous accomodation there..

http://uae.dubizzle.com/

good luck!

I was only 2 months and moved, so genrally only useful advice I can tell you is to be careful with locals. Their colture is different than western culture

Dubai Jails US Citizen For Parody Video

"A U.S citizen and former Minnesota resident has been in jail in Dubai since April 2013 for a video he made last year about poking fun at a group of suburban would-be tough guys.

KARE-TV reported that 29-year-old Shezanne Cassim was accused by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)of threatening national security and breaking federal cyber crime laws for participating in the making of "Ultimate Combat System: The Deadly Satwa Gs," a 20-minute short film that begins with an explicit acknowledgement that it is fiction.

According to CNN, Cassim moved to the UAE from Minnesota in 2006 to work for the Dubai office of PriceWaterhouseCoopers. His family has stated that the law was passed after the "Satwa" video was posted online in October 2012, and that officials have not told them how it threatens "public order.""* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian break it down.

*Read more here from Arturo Garcia / Raw Story:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/29/u-s-citizen-imprisoned-in-dubai-over-gangsta-parody-video/

seems like Whole world is screwed

Car owner arrested for taking 5 cents of energy without asking in USA...

According to WXIA-TV, Kaveh Kamooneh had plugged in his Nissan Leaf to an external power outlet at a Chamblee, Ga., middle school while his son played sports inside. Kamooneh says 20 minutes after plugging in, a police officer asked if he had permission to do so; when Kamooneh noted that no staffers were around, the officer accused him of stealing.

http://bcove.me/yjv1shyv

Source: http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/nissan-leaf-owner-arrested-taking-5-cents-energy-170034388.html

yeah. but come on, who drives a leaf?.... that alone should be reason enough to get arrested :-)