The order things actually need to happen in, from the paperwork you start before you fly to the piece of paperwork that finally unlocks everything else. Four sections pulled straight from the paid checklists.
Most of the paperwork problem starts long before the flight, not after it lands. This section lists exactly what to track down while you're still at home, so nothing stalls your file later.
Documents
Passport with 18+ months validity remaining (less than that gets flagged at visa stage, see Documents to Prepare Before You Move)
4 to 6 passport photocopies, plus 2 to 3 digital scans saved somewhere other than your phone
Degree certificate attested (home country, then UAE embassy, then MOFA), required for most employment visas and all Golden Visa skilled-professional routes
Marriage certificate attested, if sponsoring a spouse
Children's birth certificates attested, if sponsoring children
Police clearance certificate from your home country (some employers and all Golden Visa applications require it)
Driving licence, original plus an International Driving Permit if your home country requires one for the conversion process
UAE-spec passport photos: white background, 4.3cm x 5.5cm, taken within the last 6 months (a home-country photo booth print rarely passes)
Medical and vaccination records, especially anything ongoing (a UAE doctor will ask, and translated records save a repeat consultation)
3+ months' supply of any prescription medication, checked against the MOHAP controlled-drugs list first, some common prescriptions (including certain ADHD and anxiety medications) need a doctor's letter and pre-clearance to bring in legally
The order things happen in during week one isn't the order that feels natural, and most people find that out the hard way. This section covers what to sort first once you're actually on the ground.
Get Connected
Buy a prepaid SIM at the airport or any du/etisalat by e& store, Emirates ID isn't issued yet so you'll register on your passport and visa entry stamp
Download the essentials before you need them mid-crisis: Careem or Uber, a banking app once you have an account, WhatsApp (it's the default communication layer here, not a backup), and the Dubai Now or UAE Pass app once your Emirates ID application is in motion, see The Apps You Actually Need in Dubai (And
Get a Nol card for public transport if you'll be using the Metro or buses before a car is sorted
Nothing about your medical test or your biometrics appointment happens automatically the moment you land, whatever your employer implied before you signed. This section explains who actually has to chase what.
Start the Paperwork Clock
Confirm your medical fitness test and biometrics appointment date with your employer's PRO, this doesn't happen automatically the day you land
Attend the medical fitness screening: blood test and chest X-ray for communicable diseases, roughly 40 minutes at a screening centre, see The Medical Test and the Card That Runs
Submit Emirates ID biometrics once the SMS appointment comes through: fingerprints, facial capture, signature, about ten minutes
Ask your PRO directly which stage you're at rather than assuming "it's being processed" means what you think it means
One piece of paperwork quietly gates almost everything that comes after it: your utilities, your address on file, eventually a mortgage if you ever want one. This section covers what that piece actually is.
Housing
Sign your tenancy contract and register it on Ejari, an unregistered tenancy can't be used for Emirates ID address updates, DEWA, or a mortgage later, see How Renting in Dubai Actually Works
Connect DEWA (Dubai's electricity and water utility) with your Ejari certificate and Emirates ID, refundable deposit required (roughly AED 2,000 for an apartment, AED 4,000 for a villa)
Set up home internet, du and etisalat both require the Ejari certificate to activate a fixed-line plan