Moving to the United Arab Emirates

The UAE is seven emirates, not just Dubai. A contract in Abu Dhabi, a job in a Sharjah industrial zone or a house in Ras Al Khaimah mean different ports, different distances and sometimes different ways of doing things at government offices. We prepare moves to the United Arab Emirates in Wrocław – packing, inventory and loading – and handle the voyage, port clearance and delivery with a partner from the FEDEMAC network operating in the UAE.

Ports and the route through the Suez Canal

A container from Wrocław sails from Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Gdańsk across the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf. The voyage usually takes three to five weeks, depending on the shipping line and transshipments. Route changes in the Red Sea can extend this time, so we give it as a range.

What you need before clearance

1. A residence visa and an Emirates ID, or confirmation that they are being issued.
2. A copy of your passport with the visa page.
3. An inventory in English describing the contents of the boxes – vague descriptions lengthen the inspection.
4. A power of attorney for our partner to carry out clearance.

Used household goods of people starting their residence usually pass free of duty. Before you leave, also check whether your diplomas and birth and marriage certificates need legalisation in Poland and at the UAE embassy – employers and authorities often ask for them. Keep the originals of these documents in your hand luggage, never in the container.

What not to ship to the Emirates

Heat and delivery dates

From June to September temperatures exceed 40 degrees. This affects two things: the crew's unloading work, which is planned for early hours, and temperature-sensitive items – candles, cosmetics, vinyl records, instruments and photographs. A container standing in the sun at the port gets very hot, so we pack such items carefully and advise taking the most valuable ones by air. For the same reason it is worth cutting waiting time at the port by having documents ready before the ship arrives.

What we do on our side

We come for a pre-move survey, advise on what to ship and what to sell or keep in our storage, export-pack your belongings and prepare the documents. We write about how shipments outside the EU work under customs clearance. If you are going to Dubai, also see our moving to Dubai page – there we describe the rules in high-rise buildings and residential communities.

UAE – questions about your move