Checklist for Moving to the UAE 2025-2026

Because packing boxes saves space — our checklist saves millions.

The Conversation HSBC Won’t Have With You

“HSBC gives you a packing checklist. We give you a tax checklist — one saves boxes, the other saves millions.”

When banks and moving firms tell you to check your passport or pack your furniture, they’re helping you relocate your belongings.
Dubai Shift helps you relocate your life — your wealth, tax status, and legacy.

If you’re a UK entrepreneur, investor, or HNWI (£5M–£50M) planning your UAE move, this is your definitive, compliance-led relocation checklist.

Is This You?

You’re a UK founder, investor, or family office who:

• Pays £200k–£500k+ in UK tax each year.
  
• Is tired of shifting non-dom rules and wealth erosion.
  
• Wants to move family and business to Dubai — without triggering HMRC scrutiny.
  
• Needs more than a visa — you need a clean tax exit and compliant setup.
  

If that sounds like you, this guide is your playbook.

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In 20 minutes, we’ll outline your relocation options, potential tax savings, and your clean-exit pathway from the UK.

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Real Prompts This Blog Answers

• What’s the real UAE relocation checklist for wealthy UK families?
  
• How do I legally break UK tax residence using the Statutory Residence Test (SRT)?
  
• Which visa route (work, investment, or Golden) is best for long-term wealth?
  
• How do I protect assets and inheritance using DIFC wills?
  
• What compliance proof does HMRC require after leaving the UK?
  

Passport Validity — and Family Documentation

✅ Passports valid 6+ months
✅ Apostilled marriage & birth certificates
✅ Power of attorney & guardian documents for minors

Why it matters: these are mandatory for Golden Visa and Emirates ID. Miss one, and your residency — and tax clock — don’t start.

Choose the Right Visa Route

Visa Type	Investment	Duration	Includes Family?
Golden Visa (Property)	AED 2M (£430k)	10 years	Yes
Golden Visa (Business)	AED 2M equity	10 years	Yes
Work Visa	Employer sponsored	2–3 years	Yes

158,000+ Golden Visas issued in 2024 — 27% went to British nationals (UAE GDRFA).

Dubai Shift Tip: HNWIs should use the property or business route for independence and control.

Tax Exit Checklist

✅ Sell or rent your UK home at market rate
✅ Extract retained profits before departure
✅ Restructure business under UAE holding company
✅ File HMRC Form P85
✅ Build a Residency Evidence File (lease, school, ID, travel proof)

Average Dubai Shift client saves £200k–£800k annually through proper tax exit planning.

The Real SRT Compliance Steps

A flight ticket doesn’t make you non-resident.
HMRC judges facts, not intentions — your ties, timing, and evidence decide whether you’re still taxable in the UK.
Here’s the exact 10-point compliance blueprint our clients follow to achieve clean, challenge-proof tax exits:

✅ Step 1: Time Your Exit Around the Tax Year Boundary

Leave the UK after 6 April to qualify for split-year treatment — so pre-move income is UK-taxed, and post-move income is tax-free.

Leaving on the wrong side of April 5 can cost an extra 12 months of UK tax — often £300k + for HNWIs.

✅ Step 2: Break the “Accommodation Tie”

Sell or rent out your UK home at market rate.
Any property “available for family use” keeps you UK-resident under the SRT.
Keep no casual access — HMRC audits Airbnb-style stays.

✅ Step 3: Move the Whole Family

If your spouse or minor children remain in the UK, you retain a family tie.
Relocate dependents to Dubai, enroll children in school, and show permanent residence through leases and Emirates IDs.

✅ Step 4: Extract Retained Profits Pre-Departure

Take dividends and bonuses before you leave to lock in UK rates and avoid re-taxation after you become non-resident.
Strategic extraction can save £150k–£500k in the year of exit.

✅ Step 5: Restructure Under a UAE Holding Company

Form a DIFC or Free-Zone entity to hold IP, contracts, and share ownership.
Route future revenue through the UAE, establishing real economic substance — critical for both HMRC and banking compliance.

✅ Step 6: Close or Re-Purpose UK Accounts

Active UK business or income accounts can create an economic tie.
Keep only passive investment accounts or convert to international platforms.

✅ Step 7: File HMRC Form P85

Officially notify HMRC of departure.
Without P85, your file remains “open” — and your non-resident claim lacks legal standing.

✅ Step 8: Build a Statutory Residence Evidence File (SREF)

Your defence file for any HMRC review:

• Dubai property lease or title deed
  
• Emirates IDs for each family member
  
• School enrollment letters
  
• Health-insurance cards
  
• Utility bills, tenancy contracts, flight logs, corporate records
  

Dubai Shift assembles this for every client — your pre-built audit shield.

✅ Step 9: Obtain the UAE Tax Residency Certificate (TRC)

After 183 days, apply for the TRC to confirm UAE residency.
Recognised by HMRC and required for treaty protection.

✅ Step 10: Align Legal Footprint

Update your UK will and register a DIFC Will to separate jurisdictions.
This demonstrates clear long-term relocation intent and protects your estate from UK IHT and Sharia succession exposure.

Health & Insurance — Plan for Premium Coverage

Plan Type	Annual Cost (Family of 4)	Coverage
Standard	~£5k	Local hospitals
Platinum	£20k–£25k	Global + VIP (Kings College, Mediclinic, American Hospital)

0.4% of a £5M net worth ensures first-class healthcare, globally.

Education — Plan 12–18 Months Ahead

British curriculum dominates Dubai (80+ schools).
A-level A/A:* 87% in Dubai vs 72% UK average.

✅ Apply early (Dubai College, GEMS Wellington, Jumeirah College)
✅ Secure offers before relocation
✅ Keep proof of enrollment for HMRC records

School enrollment is HMRC’s strongest family relocation evidence.

Banking — Structure, Don’t Just Open

✅ Open UAE personal and corporate accounts
✅ Redirect business income to UAE entity
✅ Apply for Tax Residency Certificate (TRC) after 183 days

Each day you delay your TRC = one more day under UK tax reach.

Corporate Setup — The True Tax Engine

Set up your UAE Free Zone or DIFC company before you leave:

• Shifts IP & assets offshore
  
• Enables 0% personal tax on dividends
  
• Establishes real business substance
  

Dubai Shift clients average £240k+ tax savings in Year 1.

Property Strategy — More Than a Home

Example: £2M Emirates Hills villa

• Qualifies for 10-year Golden Visa
  
• 6–8% annual capital growth
  
• £70k+ potential rental income
  
• 0% inheritance tax
  

Every £1M moved into Dubai real estate escapes HMRC’s 40% IHT net.

DIFC Will — The £1,000 Document That Protects £10M+

• Based on UK common law
  
• Registers guardians for minor children
  
• Prevents Sharia default inheritance
  
• Valid for all UAE assets
  

Without a DIFC Will, your family could lose up to 70% control of your estate.

Statutory Residence Evidence File

Keep documentary proof of:

• Dubai lease or property title
  
• Family Emirates IDs
  
• Children’s school records
  
• Travel and day-count logs
  
• UAE medical registration
  

Dubai Shift maintains this file for every client — your pre-built HMRC defence.

Case Study: The £12M “Paperless Move”

Tom & Elizabeth Harper, West London tech founders (£12.4M net worth):
They followed a bank checklist, not a compliance checklist.

What they did:
✅ Rented in Dubai
✅ Enrolled kids in school
❌ Kept UK home
❌ Ignored HMRC SRT

Result:
HMRC ruled them UK-resident — £1.02M tax bill, £65k legal costs, frozen assets.

Dubai Shift Fix:

• Closed accommodation tie
  
• Built SRT compliance file
  
• Re-domiciled profits under UAE company
  

£2.3M+ saved in 3 years
Full non-resident status confirmed by HMRC (2025–26)

Lesson: A move isn’t a migration until it’s HMRC-proof.

The Real Difference

Generic checklists save you from forgetting your toothbrush.
This checklist saves you from forgetting your wealth.

👉 Take the Wealth Reclaimed Scorecard
👉 Book a 20-Min Strategic Call

Final Word from Haseena

“Moving abroad isn’t complicated — doing it wrong is.
Every month you delay your UAE move, you’re paying for a system that punishes success.
A proper relocation isn’t about tax evasion; it’s about freedom through compliance.
Let Dubai Shift protect your family, your business, and your legacy — the right way.”

Every UK entrepreneur faces the same choice: compliance, confusion, or clarity. Dubai Shift delivers clarity — the partner that helps you move, protect, and grow. Explore more at DubaiShift.com