I will be in Dubai for a few days and was planning to get the NOL silver card, since I will be staying near Dubai Mall and will visit Kite beach, Global Village, that will be traveling in 2 zones.

Do I register for the NOL card and purchase the silver 2 zone for 80 AED?

Can I get physical NOL cards? I will have 2 kids, will I be able to get student prices for them?

If taking the ferry, from the first stop to the last, is that traveling through more than 2 zones? Will the NOL Silver card with 80 AED include this?

If I start at the first ferry stop and then get off in the middle and wait more than 30 minutes, then continue to the last ferry stop will this still be going through more than 2 zones?

The ferry seems like a nice way to see the shoreline and get around but I never see it mentioned anywhere.

Thanks

I am flying to Dubai from Cairo. Ideally, I’d like to get to Dubai as soon as possible to have more time there with my family. My friend, whom I’m traveling with in Cairo, has a flight at 10:15 AM back to America, so with any of these flight times, I’d probably go to the airport with her (hence why I prefer an earlier flight since I’ll already be at the airport). With the flight difference, is it practical to land in Abu Dhabi and take an Uber? I’m not sure how practical that is. Sharjah doesn’t seem too far away, but with the time difference, would it even make a difference by the time I Uber to Dubai from Sharjah? Would rush hour be a brutal commute during rush hour? I think for the Air Arabia flight, I’d have to pay for luggage, so the price difference won’t be as drastic as it seems in the photo. In this scenario I value time over cost of flight. Just not sure what airport to land in.

Hello,

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Thanks!

Hey, I’ve been researching how small & mid-sized businesses in Dubai handle online growth, and I’d love to hear from actual business owners.

What’s your biggest challenge right now? Getting new customers? Lowering costs? Finding the right tools?

Let’s share some insights! Would love to hear what’s working (or not working) for you.

I’ve been researching how Dubai hotels are losing 15-20% of their revenue to Booking.com commissions. Some hotels I spoke with are trying to push direct bookings but struggling.

If you run a hotel or work in hospitality, how do you get more direct customers? Do loyalty programs or mobile apps help?

The third planet on the right im not sure what it is

Looking for some ideas. We are visiting Dubai at the end of Feb and hope to catch some ICC CT games. Are there any community events, shows, meetups etc taking place in and around the actual matches? Links or any pointers would be appreciated.

Dear community,

I hope you are well.
I am being asked a proof of residence, and wanted to understand how I could make it work out as a co-resident, since my name does not appear neigther on the Ejari, or on any Dewa bills or anything.

Thank you for your help,

I have been using it past couple months. Seems smooth. Wanted to know if it's safe. Also, I haven't withdrawn anything from it yet, can they create problems later? Anything, I should keep in mind?

I’ve just been invited to an Emirati wedding, but the only decent thing in my closet is a navy blue abaya with gold detailing and a matching shayla with a white underdress. Is the white underdress disrespectful or is it acceptable? Help please 🙏🏾

Which apps should I download for Taxi and metro/bus?

I heard about Careem and now I am hearing about Yango? Which one should I use?

Does Yango have the RTA taxis on there as well?

What about for the metro and bus?

Hello, fellow professionals,

I'm seeking insights regarding the eligibility of the Oxford Brookes BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting for obtaining an audit license in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This degree is awarded upon completing the ACCA qualification and is accredited by the UK government. However, I understand that the UAE Ministry of Education may not recognize it as equivalent to a locally obtained bachelor's degree.

According to Ministerial Resolution No. (2-111) for the year 2022, applicants for the UAE audit license must possess a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field from a recognized institution. If the degree is in a non-accounting specialization, obtaining 15 credit hours in accounting courses approved by the Ministry is necessary. Alternatively, holding a foreign fellowship certificate from a professional body that is a member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is acceptable. The ACCA is a member of IFAC, and its qualifications are generally recognized in the UAE.

A Bachelor’s degree in a specialization other than accounting. (e.g. Engineering, and others) It is required to obtain 15 credit hours in accounting courses approved by the Ministry in accordance with Resolution (109) for the year 2022 from one of the universities accredited by the Ministry of Education in the country.

Given that the Oxford Brookes degree is awarded upon completion of the ACCA qualification and is not eligible to be accredited from moe , it is likely to be recognized by the khda. However, since it is a distance learning program, it may not be directly accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education. This could potentially affect its acceptance for the audit license application.

Has anyone here obtained the Oxford Brookes degree via ACCA and successfully applied for the UAE audit license? If so, could you share your experience and any steps you took to ensure eligibility?

Additionally, I understand that the degree is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in the UAE. Could this attestation assist in the application process?

I appreciate any insights or experiences you can share.

Thank you!

I have recently been attending a pretty big amount of job interviews. I would say that most of the people whom I talked to were respectful and diplomatic.

Even if they already sensed for themselves that I am not a good fit, they would keep their respectful tone till the end and we both would leave each other with a smile.

However, some individuals are next level, imo they get inspired by Don Carleone from Godfather or some other arrogant disrespectful boss of the mafia lol.

They would tell me directly in my face that I don’t know something (they didn’t ask me a question that i would fail to answer) or simply were giving away a suspicious vibe like if i were some kind of an imposter.

Share your toxic interview stories.

Saw this when I topping up my Salik account, I was not even there for an hour, how can I dispute? This is madness.

I have old British Pound notes (from 1990s) and want to exchange for new notes, or for AED. Where can I do this?

Update: Seems like some banks in the UK will exchange for new notes.

Hello folks,

We are an Indian couple(M30;F29; recently married) moving to Dubai soon. What are the key things that I would definitely need to carry from India that would help me ease into Dubai without spending much. My organisation is paying for the cargo and I have about 300 kgs of weight limit.

What do I already have planned for :

1. My family is helping me with basic cookware and cutlery.
2. I am also getting a 4 burner cooktop (I have heard the ones in UAE are super expensive)
3. Basic bed sheets, bath essentials are also packed

Any recommendations for what else would be super essential? I want to be as efficient as possible in carrying maximum stuff from India to begin with to minimise my spends and maximise my cargo utility.

Thanks in advance!😁

My workplace has installed solar panels on their premises and as per the last DEWA bill there is a credit balance of 44,000 KW generated. Does DEWA have a policy where they reimburse extra units we have in credit with them. If so, what is the unit rate per kilowatt they reimburse back to the consumer. I called DEWA call centre seeking information, but they were clueless and asked me to contact Shams Dubai. I sent a mail to them, but they just give generic replies. Not helpful at all.

Could anyone provide me with reliable information regarding my query please. TIA.

Hey everyone

I am looking to start a band in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and I am looking for passionate members to join me, if you're into bands like Nirvana, Green Day, Hole, Oasis and A day to remember and you love playing original music, let's create something unique together.

I play guitar and sing, I am looking for:

Drummers and Bassists

I am into punk rock, grunge and alternative sounds. if you're interested please let me know.

Since 2023, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, and unfortunately, Dubai hasn’t been spared. I haven’t personally been terminated, but I’ve had to switch jobs twice just to avoid layoffs—I simply can’t afford to be unemployed since I’m the breadwinner for my family.

The problem is, no matter how many times I switch, the layoffs seem to follow me. Just recently, two department heads and four senior employees in my company were let go due to "underperformance" over the past 4–6 months. I’ve been lucky enough to complete some key projects, which has given me a bit of a lifeline, but I know I’m not safe either.

The constant fear of losing my job is exhausting. It feels like layoffs have become the norm, especially in the tech industry. No matter how attractive the job offers are, I hesitate to accept them because job security is never guaranteed. In fact, the higher the salary, the higher the risk—you might get fired within months.

And what’s even more frustrating? Hard work and long hours don’t guarantee job security anymore. No matter how skilled or dedicated you are, you’re never truly exempt from being laid off

I'm considering moving from Switzerland to Dubai, it's not an easy choice so I'd like some feedback especially from people that already lived in Switzerland in the past and so they know the pros and cons of each place.

Right now I live in Lugano, in the past I also lived in Zurich and Zug. I have my own company and I'm based in Switzerland because of taxation. On around 500,000€ of profits per year, I pay around 90,000€ of taxes (all included). This is much less compared to my native country in Western Europe but it's still quite a lot compared to Dubai and as my profits increase each year I'll pay more and more.

Now, why am I considering moving to Dubai? First of all, I want to reduce my taxation as much as possible. Second of all, I don't like living here. Random people that have never lived here think it's some sort of heaven but the reality is very different. I'm getting depressed living here because there is nothing to do and the people are very closed off, it's almost impossible to make friends here. No Swiss people will ever include you in their social circle because they have their own group of friends they met in school or university and they're very closed off to outsiders. Expats live in their own bubble and they're also not the friendliest people....the expat community here isn't like in London.

As a result I feel very lonely here and it's like I'm wasting my life away. There is lots of beautiful nature around, but it's depressing to go hiking alone if you don't have anybody to come with you. Same for skiing or going to the lake. All these things are only good and an advantage if you people some people that you can share these activities with.

Another con is the terrible weather, 5 months per year in winter you barely see the sun shining and it definitely affect your mental well being.

The country has a reputation of being boring and it's absolutely true. If you walk down the streets past 7pm (9pm in Zurich) they're basically empty, especially during winter. Everything feel asleep here and although in the beginning it can feel peaceful, long term it drives you crazy if you're young.

Dating also sucks here, local girls basically date only local guys. A lot happens through social circles which again, as a foreigner, you aren't allowed inside.

Everything is also crazy expensive, some things are just ridiculous (meat for example). I'm getting tired of it all. Many expats I talked to shared the same view and indeed a lot of them treat Switzerland as a temporary destination and after some years they go back to their own or they go to another one so friendships here (with expats) are very fleeting.

Now, why Dubai? First of all, I have a need to reduce my taxation. I have an EU passport but nowhere in Western Europe the taxation is inferior to Switzerland and it's crazy high in places like Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Italy, ecc.

Moreover I've already visited Dubai in the past and It seemed that the people are very friendly, it was so easy to befriend other expats in Dubai compared to Switzerland. I'd reduce my taxation to zero, the cost of living would be similar or inferior to Switzerland, and I'd have only to stay there 6 months per year so I can escape during the summer when the weather is unbearable.

Still, I don't want to make a mistake. Anybody can offer some feedback?

Hi. Does terminal 2 have the cling wrapping facility for luggage?

Can I drive a 50cc scooter on small roads and at a short distance. If I buy one without a number plate can I get plates on it and then drive it. What's the legal age btw to drive a 50cc is it 16 years of age. Thanks

Basically title. Has anyone gone through the process of sponsoring their sister in law on a visit visa to the UAE? If you have it’d be much appreciated if you can share your experience. Thank you!!

Hello, I’ve applied for DHA license and Dataflow verified and confirmed that my document verification is completed. However DHA is now saying experience criteria is not fulfilled. I have provided necessary documents with 3+ years of work experience. Note: I didn’t take the DHA exam but applied via the PLAB and GMC route because if you have completed PLAB and have GMC you are exempted from taking the license exam.

Hello,

Asking for a friend.

He's looking to get into a university with an online class option and assignment based exams. Preferably within UAE. He's a working professional and just wants a degree for the sake of it. Any decent degree Is fine for bachelors. Please let me know your suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Single mother of 1 Currently inside of Dubai coming up on my 90day tourist limit but would like to get a work visa to become resident and stay. I know my only option is a freelance visa since I’m pregnant and wouldn’t get hired for domestic work. Is it possible to obtain this visa within a week? What is the best and cheapest way to go about it? Will they even allow me a residency visa being single and pregnant? Limited time to figure this all out, please help! P.S no need to be rude or judgmental about my unwed pregnancy, my boyfriend was murdered.

My car battery died because I left the lights on by mistake the other day. The CAFU tech insisted I needed to change the battery but I got him to Jumpstart it and it worked fine and I used it the next day.

I didn't use it over the weekend and came back to the battery dead again today.

Called the guy again and he insisted the battery health was at 0% and needed to be changed. He started listing prices until I showed him that I bought the battery from his company 6 months ago and it was still under warranty.

He suddenly became almost incoherent, decided to check the battery health again (it was suddenly at 50%) and he was sure I didn't need to change it, just charge it for a while.

It was almost comical the 180 he did. He just sheepishly drove away without even saying a word to me. Ridiculous how these companies just want to milk their consumers without a thought about the effect of the waste they're creating.

So i was planning to move to dubai, so wanted to know which is the cheapest way to go to dubai get a visa and start a life in dubai . Do we need to invest in buying the house first or need to start a business for a living which option is better. And how much is the minimum amount needed in INR to explore both the options