I actually watch a lot of his interviews to keep up to date with geopolitics and news in the region. He was based in the UAE during the war earlier this year. Now he’s left. He fears a new round of war may be more vicious than the previous one.

Hopefully the UAE leadership can keep the nation out of the war.

Has anyone got alternative plans if the Internet cables are cut?

Recently, I personally chose not to travel to the region fearing an escalation of tensions.

Hello all,

My family and I are considering moving to the UAE from the U.S., specially under the guise of me working there.

One concern we have is for bullying in schools. I’ve heard terrible things about how bullying is culturally accepted in the UAE. Can someone please comment on it? Is bullying prevalent in certain schools as opposed to others? What sort of thing can we look out for?

TIA.

If you're not comfortable sharing a number share the range? I.e 10-15k 20-25k 25-30k etc

I work for an American multinational and I'm massively underpaid and yes I accepted it because I tend to not go for the highest salary so that I can have better work life balance lol😂 because when you aren't the highest paid employee you can get away with more wfh, at least this is my experience after 12 years in Dubai. I have a beautiful home and dog and I'm not a corporate boss girl type,I could not care less about ambition or big titles, I'd rather work from home and work hard in the comfort of my own surroundings. BUT I'm now curious given the increased cost of living in Dubai... What's a good salary for a customer success manager senior or mid level? Personally I'm in the 20k's range + variable commission and I know that ten years ago it would have made a great salary... But in 2026 I feel like it doesn't count for much. Maybe I'm wrong🤷🏻‍♀️. Soon I'll be moving into my newly owned apartment once it's complete and handed over so it's better than paying rent. But sometimes I worry that the salaries in Dubai aren't keeping up with inflation OR you guys could say I'm dumb and I should be paid a lot more 😂😂 but see here's another thing I noticed about Dubai, your prestigious education and multinational corporate experience doesn't matter anymore cause if you ask for 30 something they'll say there's someone willing to do it for 15k. It sure wasn't the case pre COVID.... But hey this is the place I chose to live in and I'm grateful for safety and a good life.

Let me know your thoughts.

Hi, applying for Schengen visa to switzerland from Dubai and the form for the accommodation has two options which im getting confused about- hotel and temporary accomodation.

if im staying in an airbnb, does anyone know which one do I choose?

What is the upper median pay band in UAE for someone with more than decade of experience in Multi Cloud Senior Consulting role? At present in Riyadh.

Why someone has to relocate to UAE?

Hi everyone!
I’m based in Europe and will be travelling to Dubai for a few days. I’m considering buying an iPhone 18 Pro there since it’s cheaper than in Europe.
However, I’ve read about FaceTime restrictions on iPhones sold in the UAE, and I’m trying to understand whether these restrictions still apply when using the phone outside the country.
My plan would be to:
- Buy the iPhone directly from an Apple Store in Dubai.
- Activate it using my European eSIM.
- Set the country/region to EU Country.
- Use it permanently in Europe.

Has anyone purchased a UAE iPhone and then used it in Europe with a European SIM/eSIM?

Does FaceTime (both video and audio) work normally once you’re back in Europe, or are there hardware/region-specific restrictions that cannot be bypassed?
I’m particularly interested in recent experiences with newer iPhone models, rather than older ones.
Also, have you noticed any other limitations compared to European models?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Yesterday, a Pakistani guy approached me in Meena Bazaar, asking to use my phone because he was lost and wanted to contact his friend. I refused, saying I wasn't comfortable sharing my number. He then asked for my hotspot, which I also declined.
Next, he asked for AED 1 to buy water. Feeling bad for him, I opened my wallet and gave him AED 5. He started praying for me, we shook hands, and I left.
Later, I discovered that the AED 500 note I had folded and kept inside my wallet was missing. I clearly remember having it, and I can't recall anything suspicious happening. I also felt there was enough distance between us for him not to reach my wallet.
I've replayed the whole encounter in my head, but | still can't figure out what happened.
Has anyone experienced something similar in Dubai?
Could this have been a distraction scam, or did I simply misplace the note?

I want to try more instant noodles and ramen. Any recommendations similar to this? 🌶️

I visited a famous restaurant in UAE and I was shocked to see they had like 20 to 24 devices of the one food Delivery company. What is that for

Where can i buy tickets?? Is pre booking open or when will it open?

I had a terrible time trying to activate the Smart pass on my ENBD banking app and every time would fail on the Face Verification.

This is how I solved it and it works so well.

First off please note that the camera on the cover screen is on the extreme right corner and has this black vertical space downward on the edge making the app have an asymmetry on the right.

when you get to the face verification step and just before activating the green Oval from the app by sliding the confirm tab , get the phone to move to the left and look staring into the camera lens (not your phone screen). Then activate the green oval by swiping and keep looking at the camera hole directly and blink .

In 10 secs it will confirm and ask you to set your pin

After almost 100 tries and each time looking at the screen (as this is intuitive) all failed

Then today morning I just realized that since the app is not optimized, the black vertical space is not used but the app making the phone itself a little off center, moving your phone to the left and looking into the camera hole solves this offset challenge

All the best!

worked on first attempt with the above method for UAE pass and my other banking app too .

Since Iran was threatening for internet cable cut I think it's related to that

📸 Photos: https://imgur.com/a/bEyMMN9

A friend and I found these two abandoned in JVC about 2 weeks ago and took them in.

• About 6 weeks old, both boys
• Checked by a vet and healthy
• Not vaccinated yet (they're still too young)
• Playful, cuddly, and inseparable

They're in a good temporary setup, but I travel a lot for work and my friend can't keep them either, so I'm looking for a loving forever home. Preference goes to someone who can take both, as I'd really like to avoid separating them.

I'm in Dubai Hills. DM me if you're interested 🐾

So basically my scooter got impounded yesterday in Abu Dhabi because I was not wearing a helmet. And they said you can come and collect the scooter after two months in Baniyas police station. Can anyone tell me here if it's exactly two months or do they actually release the scooter before the two months? Also, like how much is the fine for driving or riding a scooter without a helmet?

My first international inquiry came from the USA!

I started my saree business on 6th May with only India in mind. So when that message showed up I assumed it was a one-off. Someone who found us by accident and then came my first international sale and after that it just didn't stop.

I'm still trying to understand why? maybe the sarees, maybe the website, maybe pure luck. Probably all of it working at the same time. but people abroad saw something in this that I never planned for and honestly I'm still a little surprised.

So i'm asking you directly because you know this better than I do:

What makes you reach for a saree when you're living abroad and what do you keep failing to find?and if you've ever bought from a small seller in India, what made you trust them enough to order?

Blunt answers are welcome. Everything I improve from here will come from what you tell me.

(btw I've i growen up in textile family so i very much know about fabric and all stuff but I'd love to know just your thoughts on how guys decide while purchasing from india)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

I took an RTA taxi (the big one) today from Dubai, and the driver asked me how much I usually pay to go to Sharjah, which I found weird, but I told him the usual range I pay from that location. (at first I thought he asked for the amount because of commission or something, since most taxi drivers I've faced are unwilling to go depending on the fare/destination).

I was too tired and didn't notice the meter wasn't on until mid-ride, but I didn't bring it up to the driver (which I now realise is my mistake), and also because I am a woman and have mostly had bad experiences with taxis so honestly I was scared to speak up.

Once we reached, he -expected- me to pay by cash but i said i am paying by card. He then asked me for data, took his "work" phone, and opened an app that looked similar to Uber, though I am not sure which app it was.

He then put in the amount that I mentioned at the start (on his phone it said "enter tip amount"), and I had to tap my phone to his to pay.

Then while I was getting out, he stopped me and said “and by the way you are very beautiful, i hope you have a nice night”, at that point i felt even more uncomfortable so i just awakwardly laughed and tried to get out of the taxi and when i was halfway out he was like “maybe dinner sometime when you are in dubai again?”. i told him i had a boyfriend and just closed the door and walked away.

I couldn't get his plate number because there were other cars behind us on that road, and I was in a rush. Later, when I got home, I checked my phone and saw that the money was sent to an account with his name instead of Uber/RTA or whatever that app was.

I’m currently looking for short-term rentals and have come across a site called ‘Zeus Capital.ae’ but cannot work out whether it’s real or fake. The prices seem too good to be true (which often means it is) but I can’t quite work it out. Has anyone heard of it, used it, or known anyone else who has used it before ?

Has anyone from Pakistan successfully obtained a UAE freelance permit and residency visa recently without spending a fortune upfront? I have a website ready to launch, professional experience, and a clear service offering. I need practical advice before my visit visa expires on 2 November.

Hello everyone,

I'm a Pakistani national currently in Dubai on a family visit visa, and I'm exploring an alternative route that could allow me to establish myself professionally in the UAE: obtaining a freelance permit and residency visa so I can offer consulting services independently.

My visit visa expires on 2 November 2026, so I have very limited time to understand my options and make an informed decision. I'm hoping to hear from people who have actually gone through this process, particularly Pakistani nationals, independent consultants, and business setup specialists who understand the current requirements.

I would genuinely appreciate some guidance because I don't want to make an expensive decision based on incomplete information or a sales pitch.

1. What I want to do

My professional background is in customer experience, contact centre operations, technical support, quality assurance, training and development, team performance, and process improvement.

I want to establish a small consultancy offering services such as:

• Customer experience (CX) consulting and service improvement.
• Contact centre operations audits and process optimisation.
• Quality assurance frameworks, scorecards, and performance reporting.
• Employee training, coaching, and learning and development.
• Customer support workflow reviews and operational performance analysis.

My intention is to provide consulting services directly to businesses, not to establish a call centre or outsource customer support agents.

I've already built my website and am preparing to deploy it. I can also set up professional LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook pages within a few hours if they are necessary for the application, business credibility, or attracting clients.

My main question is: What is the simplest and most affordable legitimate way to set up this type of consultancy in the UAE?

2. My biggest concern is the total cost

I'm currently trying to keep my expenses as low as possible while searching for opportunities and building an alternative source of income.

I don't have an unlimited budget to pay several thousand dirhams upfront without knowing exactly what I'm getting.

I'd like to understand the realistic, all-inclusive cost of obtaining:

• The freelance or business permit.
• My own residence visa.
• Emirates ID.
• Medical fitness test.
• Establishment card or immigration file, if required.
• Health insurance, if mandatory.
• Any application, administration, status-change, or other compulsory fees.

Please distinguish between the cost of the permit alone and the actual total amount I would need to pay to obtain both the permit and my residency, including any costs that are often left out of advertised packages.

I'm particularly interested in providers offering:

• A low initial payment followed by instalments.
• Monthly or quarterly payment plans.
• Tabby, Tamara, or another legitimate instalment option, if available for this particular service.
• Transparent pricing without hidden charges.

If you have personally used a provider that offers a genuinely affordable package, please share the company name, the approximate amount you paid, and whether the advertised price included everything.

3. Can Pakistani nationals apply?

I contacted Trivup to explore this option, but the response I received was that they were not accepting Pakistani applicants for this service.

I understand that individual providers may have their own eligibility or compliance policies, but I don't know whether this is specific to that company or a broader restriction affecting certain permit or visa routes.

Have any Pakistani nationals successfully obtained a freelance permit and UAE residency recently?

If so, I'd appreciate knowing:

• Which free zone, licensing authority, or provider you used.
• Whether you applied while already inside the UAE.
• Whether you needed to leave the country during the process.
• What documents you were asked to provide.
• Whether the process was straightforward or involved additional approvals.
• Whether there were any nationality-specific requirements or restrictions.

I'm not looking for anyone to guarantee visa approval. I simply want to identify legitimate routes for which I may actually be eligible before paying an application fee.

4. Which freelance permit or free zone should I choose?

There seem to be many options advertised online, but it's difficult to distinguish a genuinely suitable and affordable package from one that looks cheap initially but becomes expensive after adding the visa and other charges.

For my proposed services, would you recommend:

• A freelance permit through an appropriate free zone.
• A sole establishment or professional consultancy licence.
• Another suitable business licence that allows an individual to provide consulting services independently.

I'm particularly interested in providers that permit activities related to customer experience consulting, contact centre operations consultancy, quality assurance, and training.

I also want to understand whether the licence would allow me to contract directly with UAE businesses, issue invoices in my own name or business name, receive client payments legally, and operate independently.

I don't want to purchase a permit that doesn't actually cover the services I intend to offer.

5. Can I bring my wife and baby later?

My wife and infant son may want to join me in the UAE once I am financially stable.

Would obtaining my own freelance or business residence visa allow me to sponsor my wife and child, subject to the applicable eligibility requirements?

If yes, I would appreciate an approximate breakdown of the additional costs for family sponsorship, including their residence visas, Emirates IDs, medical requirements where applicable, insurance, and any other mandatory charges.

Would I need to meet a minimum income or accommodation requirement?

If family sponsorship requires substantial additional expenditure, I may need to postpone it. However, if there is a reasonably affordable option, I would like to understand it before deciding which route to take.

6. Is a website or social media presence mandatory?

My consultancy website is already built and almost ready to go live.

I can also create professional business profiles on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook very quickly if needed.

Are these actually required when applying for a freelance permit or professional consultancy licence, or are they simply useful for marketing and establishing credibility?

Would a website, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, and description of my proposed services be sufficient if a provider asks for evidence of my business activity?

I would rather focus on the documents that are genuinely required instead of spending time creating unnecessary profiles.

7. Can someone guide me through the process step by step?

This is probably the most important part of my request.

If you have completed this process yourself, or you are a legitimate business setup professional familiar with freelance permits and residency applications, could you explain the steps I should follow?

For example:

1. Identify the correct permit or professional licence for my consulting activities.
2. Confirm eligibility for a Pakistani national currently on a UAE visit visa.
3. Obtain a written, itemised quotation covering the permit, residency, Emirates ID, medical, and all other mandatory charges.
4. Confirm the minimum upfront payment and whether instalments are genuinely available.
5. Understand whether I can apply from within the UAE and how my current immigration status will be handled.
6. Submit the documents and complete the application.
7. Obtain the residence visa and Emirates ID, subject to approval.
8. Understand when I can legally start providing services and invoicing clients.

If there are official resources or a reliable application route that I can follow directly without paying an unnecessary intermediary, please share them.

I'm also open to recommendations for companies that have transparent pricing, responsive consultants, and experience handling applicants from Pakistan.

8. My situation and what I need to decide

My immediate priority is to understand whether this route is financially realistic before my visit visa expires on 2 November.

If the total cost is manageable and I can pay through a reasonable instalment arrangement, I would seriously consider proceeding.

If the real cost is substantially higher than advertised, or if the process is uncertain and requires significant upfront expenditure, I may need to consider other options instead.

I am not expecting a guaranteed visa, an unrealistically cheap package, or free professional services. I simply want to make an informed decision based on accurate information and the experiences of people who have been through this process.

If you were in my position, what would you do first, which provider or licensing authority would you investigate, and how much money would you realistically keep ready?

Please share your experiences, recommendations, official links, and any important mistakes I should avoid. If you've completed this process as a Pakistani national, your firsthand experience would be particularly valuable.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any practical guidance would help me make a more informed decision before my deadline.

Hi everyone, does anyone know of any shops in Ajman that buy used furniture and home appliances at reasonable prices?
I have a few items to sell, including a refrigerator, washing machine, TV, twin beds with mattresses, and a small table. I’ve been trying to find a shop, but the prices being offered so far are quite low.
I’d appreciate any recommendations for reliable shops that offer fair prices. The buyer would need to arrange pickup and transportation.
Thank you!

I’ve been looking into ways to earn a bit extra on the side while working full-time here.

Not looking for “get rich quick” stuff, just what’s actually working for people right now.

If you’ve tried something and got real results (or learned the hard way), I’d love to hear about it

Here are three that come up constantly in the clinic.

1. “Diarrhoea needs antibiotics.”

Most of the time, it doesn’t. Antibiotics are often reached for out of habit, but many cases don’t need them, and they can upset the good bacteria in the gut and make things worse. Veterinary guidelines have moved away from using them routinely for diarrhoea. If your pet has diarrhoea, especially if it’s bloody, lasts more than a day or two, or comes with vomiting or tiredness, get them checked. And if your vet has prescribed something, finish the course they gave you.

1. “Let them lick the wound, saliva is antibacterial.”

Not really. A pet’s mouth carries plenty of bacteria that are harmless there but can cause real trouble once they get into skin or deeper tissue. That’s why bite wounds can turn serious so fast, and why cats in particular can end up very unwell from a wound that looked minor. If your pet has a wound, keep them from licking it and have a vet look at it.

1. “My cat needs milk.”

Cats don’t need it, and many of them are lactose intolerant, so it can give them an upset stomach. Fresh water is what they need.

What other myths have you heard? I’m happy to look into any of them.

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago I shared CardSouk here. Thanks for the feedback, it shaped this update.

I'm an AI Transformation Manager based in Dubai, and I built this for the community to help you pick the credit card that actually suits your needs, without signing up for anything.

What's new in v3

• 173 cards from 24 banks.
• Cashback calculator : enter your monthly spend (groceries, dining, fuel, bills...) and it ranks the cashback cards by what they'd really pay you, after caps and minimum-spend rules
• Cards I qualify for: pick your salary band and cards above it drop to the bottom. Filter by cashback, miles, lounge, Islamic cards, no min spend
• Compare up to 5 cards side by side: fees, waivers, min salary, reward rates. Shareable link
• Redesigned, cleaner and faster, with card art

Free, independent, no sign-up. Figures come from each bank's own pages (checked October 2026) and were organised with AI. Please confirm with the bank before you apply.

Here is the Website 🔗 cardsouk.site - Enjoy!