GCC relocation checklist

The admin of moving to Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait or Oman — in the order it actually needs doing, with the slow items first. Ticks save in your browser; print it if paper is more your thing.

The long poleCertificate attestation, explained once

Your degree — and for family visas, your marriage and children's birth certificates — must be attested before a GCC work or dependant visa is issued. It's a chain of stamps, each one confirming the last, and it commonly takes 4–8 weeks end to end. Start it the day you sign the offer.

1. Home-country verificationSome countries require a solicitor/notary to certify the document first; others go straight to step 2. UK degrees usually go direct.
2. Foreign-ministry legalisationYour home country's foreign office confirms the document (UK: the FCDO Legalisation Office; many countries call this an apostille). Days to a couple of weeks.
3. Destination-country embassyThe Qatari/UAE/Saudi (etc.) embassy in your home country adds its stamp. Fees and turnaround vary widely — this is usually the slowest link. Saudi degree-holders often also need Cultural Bureau verification.
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after arrivalA final MOFA stamp in-country (MOFAIC in the UAE). Your employer's PRO normally handles this one.

Attestation agencies will run the whole chain for a fee — often worth it for the embassy queue alone. Get quotes from two; prices vary more than service does.

Phase 1 · 3–6 months outDocuments & clearances

• Review the offer against real costsRun it through the salary calculator — including school fees, education allowance, and what you'll keep paying at home.
• Start attestation: degree(s)The chain above. Longest lead time on this page.
• Start attestation: marriage & birth certificatesNeeded for spouse and child sponsorship. Same chain, same timescale — run them together.
• Police clearance certificateACRO in the UK, FBI check in the US, equivalents elsewhere. Some countries require this attested too — check before sending.
• Passports: 6+ months validity, spare pagesRenew early for everyone travelling — visa stamps need blank pages.
• Apply to schoolsGood international schools waitlist. Budget for application, assessment and deposit fees — the one-off costs section of the calculator has a line for these.
• Medical records & prescriptionsCopies of vaccination records, ongoing prescriptions with generic names, and a supply to bridge arrival. Check your medications are permitted — some routine ones are controlled in the GCC.

Phase 2 · 1–2 months outVisa, logistics & notice

• Employment visa processingEmployer-led: they'll request attested documents, photos, sometimes a pre-arrival medical. Your job is fast turnaround on whatever the PRO asks for.
• Shipping quotes — decide what actually movesSea freight takes 4–8 weeks; air is fast and expensive. Furnished rentals are common — often less should ship than you think.
• Give notice: job, landlord, utilities, subscriptionsDecide what continues at home — the calculator's home-commitments section is effectively this list with numbers on it.
• Book flights & temporary accommodationMany packages include arrival flights and 2–4 weeks' hotel — confirm before paying yourself.
• Driving licence prepSeveral GCC states convert licences from certain countries directly; others require a local test. An International Driving Permit covers the gap on arrival.
• Home-country tax positionResidency rules, departure forms (e.g. UK P85), and what your GCC income means at home. An hour with an expat-tax adviser pays for itself.

Phase 3 · Final weeksMoney

• Set up international money transfer before you flyBank branch rates are consistently the worst way to move salary home. Compare a specialist — Wise for mid-market-rate transfers, Western Union for cash pickup and reach — while you still have your home bank's security devices to hand. Affiliate links: cost you nothing, help keep this tool free.
• Tell your home bank, keep an account openYou'll want it for the commitments you're keeping. Update your address and check your cards won't be blocked abroad.
• Arrival floatFirst salary can be 4–6 weeks away and deposits come first. The calculator's one-off costs section tells you the number; have it accessible, not all in cash.
• Bridge insuranceTravel/health cover from departure until the employer policy activates.

Phase 4 · First month in-countryArrival admin

• Arrival medical & biometricsBlood test and chest X-ray for the residence permit; employer arranges, usually in week one.
• Residence permit & national IDQID in Qatar, Emirates ID in the UAE, Iqama in Saudi. Nothing else works without it — banks, tenancies, even some SIMs.
• Local SIMAirport counters do tourist SIMs; switch to a resident plan once your ID exists.
• Local bank account & salary letterNeeds your ID and a salary certificate from HR. Salaries pay through regulated wage systems, so this unblocks everything.
• Housing: lease, deposits, utilitiesAnnual rent is often paid in 1–4 cheques up front — this is the arrival float's main job.
• Final MOFA stamps & family sponsorshipThe last attestation link, then dependant visas. Your PRO drives; you supply documents and patience.
• Convert your driving licenceDirect exchange or local test depending on nationality and state.