Long shot since I’m not sure if there are any Azizi residents here. I’m talking about the incident involving a guy for whom the police came. It was a bit terrifying.

I just sold my car and I need to make a 600,000 AED deposit into Wio Personal. Obviously they don't have any physical branches. How would I be able to do this?

I recently moved to Dubai and have a genuine, curious question about the Filipino community here. I'd love to hear from Filipinos or anyone who knows the culture well.

I've noticed that many Filipino women (and men too) seem to go for a similar, understated look: neutral outfits, natural-looking makeup, and hairstyles that are often similar in length and cut. I rarely see edgier or more niche styles like punk, boho, old-money, retro or futuristic, and visible tattoos or piercings seem uncommon. Even the photos people post tend to be edited in a similar way.

I work in a company with a department that's almost entirely Filipino, so I see this a lot day to day. Compared to some other communities here, the overall look seems more uniform and low-key.

To be clear, I'm not saying this negatively at all. I'm just curious where it comes from. Is standing out through style generally frowned upon, or are there unspoken norms around appearance, maybe related to workplace culture or to being an expat in the Gulf? Or is it simply a matter of personal preference?
Would love to hear your perspective, and please correct me if I'm completely off base. 🙂
(P.S. Used AI to polish this initially voice-dictated note.✌️)

I’m planning on going Dubai from Vancouver BC. How is the weather like in January in Dubai? Is there lots of rain storms or is the weather nice and warm?

Which bank currently offers highest interest rate for fixed deposits? Wio has very less interest without salary and 5k spending. I know Mashreq has 6.25%. Any other banks offering similar or more? Especially after recent fed hike?

Recently saw Street Fighter in Vox MOE. They had the hadouken popcorn bucket and an optional purchase and collectable item. It was my first time seeing such available here.

Question: Are they always available? And at which cinemas. Usually I go to Reel and don't find anything but I went to Vox this time and found it.

Any info is much appreciated. I've really gotten into cinema and movies, this year's been a damn good year for them and these collectibles are the icing on the cake.

Hi All,
I’m looking to hire a chauffeur service for myself. I don’t have my driver’s license yet but in the process of getting it done now, however until then, I’d like to explore how much it would cost to hire a chauffeur service? For context, I would need the car & driver for 2-3 days a week only and drive to AD from Dubai (to my office and back, I leave at 7am and finish work at 4.30pm)
I know there are carlift services available however I don’t want to opt for this as it’s not legal and I also do not have the option to spend extra time commuting due to other personal obligations. I also have a back-related issue which prevents me from sitting for long hours so carlift is not ideal.
Any recommendations on the company I can use or any contacts you may have would be extremely helpful.
Thank you!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to ask if anyone has experienced something similar.

I used to have a ecommerce trade license issued in Sharjah, but it has already expired, and I haven’t renewed or officially cancelled it yet.

I’m currently outside the UAE and planning to travel back for a visit. My concern is whether the expired license could cause any issues at immigration or if there’s a possibility of being stopped or held at the airport.

Has anyone experienced this with a Sharjah freelance trade license? Were you able to enter or leave the UAE without any issues?

Also, does anyone know if leaving an expired trade license uncancelled could result in fines, legal issues, or a travel ban?

I’d really appreciate any advice or firsthand experiences, especially from anyone who
has dealt with the same situation in Sharjah.
Thanks in advance!

​

Hi everyone,

I'm currently changing employers in Dubai and need some guidance regarding health insurance coverage for my child.

My previous employment visa has been cancelled, and my new employer has initiated the visa process. I've already signed my MOHRE employment contract, and my new residence visa and Emirates ID are expected within the next 5–7 days.

My current situation:

My child's residence visa is under my sponsorship and is currently on hold with Dubai immigration due to my employment change.

My child's previous health insurance has already been cancelled.

My new employer provides health insurance for employees and their dependents.

My new employment visa and medical insurance are still being processed.

Unfortunately, my child is currently sick and requires medical attention, making health insurance coverage an urgent concern.

My main question:

Is it legally possible in Dubai for my new employer to activate medical insurance for my child while their residence visa is still on hold?

Or is it mandatory to wait until my new residence visa is issued and my child's visa hold is released?

Since my child is currently unwell, I'm particularly concerned about the gap in medical coverage and would like to know whether there is any way to arrange insurance immediately.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? I would especially appreciate advice from UAE HR professionals, insurance specialists, or anyone familiar with Dubai immigration and health insurance regulations.

Thank you in advance for your guidance and support.

Need urgent advice for a France Business Visa from the UAE. I am an Indian passport holder living in Dubai on a UAE work visa. My company is France-based and I have an official workshop to attend there on November 16, 2026. I completed my online application form, but on the VFS portal, the earliest available appointment slot at the Abu Dhabi center is for November 18, which is too late for my travel. Since I need to get my passport back before November 16, I am planning to go to VFS Abu Dhabi around November 1st or 2nd to try for a fast-track option. Does anyone know if VFS Abu Dhabi allows emergency walk-ins for Indian nationals with an official business invitation letter if I pay for the Super Premium Lounge on the spot? Please share your recent experiences with walk-ins there or how long the processing time is taking for Indian passport holders in the UAE

Thinking about taking learning Japanese seriously and was wondering if there are any study groups out there or classes that people can recommend? I have have been working through the genki 1 book but I know the only way to actually get anywhere is to have some kind of back and forth with people who are studying too.

i live in dubai and went to GITEX last october (the 2025 one at DWTC). kept noticing student groups with the same lanyards and from a couple of conversations a lot of them were from tetr - the business college whose students do a term in dubai.

they seemed to be everywhere, honestly. stalls, interviews, filming things. couldn't tell if they were attendees or exhibitors or both. younger than the usual gitex crowd and weirdly comfortable on camera.

hey all im not affiliated with the college or any student, just a local who goes to gitex every year.

what i'm curious about: GITEX 2026 moved to december (7-11) and to expo city this year. so are these student groups coming back? and bigger question - what's people's sense of these multi-country programs in dubai? do employers here actually know what they are?

also, what did everyone think of gitex moving to expo city? DWTC was convenient lol

Is this happening to anybody else? Only just noticed this very recently, I suspect it might be a troublesome neighbor but I wanted to check if it is a growing trend due to the rising fuel prices.
Also how can I take care of this issue through the authorities?

Hi everyone, I’m just posting this here to see if someone has recently gone through a similar situation.

I was born here, lived here my whole life (i know that is irrelevant) but that said, I have always been on my father’s sponsorship, visa was never an issue for me, but now my father is 62 and facing a visa renewal right at the moment I am about to start a new job at a Tier 1 MNC, the issue is, we’re not very hopeful my father’s renewal will go through even tho he was been with the same employer for 30+ years, it’s his age and he doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree.

Long story short, I have requested my new employer to apply for a non-sponsored work permit for me since my resident visa is valid until 2027, the issue is my father’s renewal is happening right at the same time,
A) will that affect my work permit issuance?
B) if my father’s visa renewal gets delayed will my work permit also get delayed? Which will impact my start date at the new company.
C) if i cancel my visa and take the company’s visa, what are the chances it will get rejected?

And I’m honestly so confused if i should just take the employer visa or stay and wait for my dad’s visa renewal.

Thank you.

Have you guys visited Global Village this season? Looking for some new places to try food at, what are your recommendations?

A dealership in Dubai called me and offered an AED 249 car inspection and maintenance package. After I arrived, I was told that the offer only covered an oil change, with no proper vehicle inspection.
I was then offered more expensive services and agreed to an underbody rust-proofing treatment.
The rust-proofing alone cost AED 999 + VAT, bringing my total bill to AED 1,347.15.
My car was returned after a little over two hours. When I checked the underside at home, I could still see rust on several metal components, and I couldn’t see an obvious difference.
I understand rust-proofing doesn’t necessarily remove existing rust, but I wasn’t given a clear explanation of the work performed.
Has anyone experienced something similar in Dubai? Is this price reasonable, and what would you do to resolve the issue?

I have received many cold calls to which I always pick up say “not interested” and cut the call.

It cuts to the chase, doesn’t waste my time or theirs.

Today I got a call from someone they started the regular saying “I received your inquiry..” I said sorry I’m not interested and cut the call.

She calls back few seconds later angry saying “you should not have cut the call” “how dare you cut it, that is disrespectful”

I got straight with her and simply said “cold calls are not legal either and I can fully report your number. Pls never contact me again”

To which she said “I have your inquiry right here” (I never sent one to them and that inquiry must have been months old to some random development just to see their brochure)
“Pls report my number”

I did report the number out of pure spite but I’m just wondering the audacity of this person. You’re the one calling me on a working day.

Hi folks,

I’m looking for some advice regarding a friend who is currently outside the UAE and needs to clarify an issue with one of his cars before planning to return to Dubai with his family.

His residency visa expired, and he was unable to obtain a new residency visa. He subsequently switched to a visit visa and left Dubai for his home country around three months ago, completing his exit properly and on time.

He has no known criminal record or history of any legal cases, accidents, or theft-related issues. However, due to his residency situation, he was unable to sell his two cars before leaving. Both vehicles have pending registration renewals and a couple of speeding fines, reportedly totalling around AED 1,000–1,500.

Yesterday, one of his cars was towed by the Dubai authorities from outside the building where he previously lived. According to the building security guard, the authorities mentioned that there was a case associated with the vehicle. However, no official documents or further details were provided, and my friend is currently outside the country.

We want to understand what actually happened and whether there is any legal or administrative issue associated with the vehicle or its owner. He is planning to return to Dubai with his family, so naturally, he wants to ensure there are no unexpected issues at the airport or upon his arrival.

Main questions are:

How can we verify why the vehicle was towed and whether there is an actual case associated with it?

Which Dubai authority should we contact to check the vehicle's status and any potential case or restriction linked to the owner?

Is there a way to verify his legal status or any travel restrictions while he is outside the UAE?

Since he is not currently in the country and we do not have any official paperwork, what would be the best way to investigate this matter ?

I’d really appreciate any guidance from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows the proper procedure. Thank you in advance.

Hi folks,

I’m looking for some advice regarding a friend who is currently outside the UAE and needs to clarify an issue with one of his cars before planning to return to Dubai with his family.

His residency visa expired, and he was unable to obtain a new residency visa. He subsequently switched to a visit visa and left Dubai for his home country around three months ago, completing his exit properly and on time.

He has no known criminal record or history of any legal cases, accidents, or theft-related issues. However, due to his residency situation, he was unable to sell his two cars before leaving. Both vehicles have pending registration renewals and a couple of speeding fines, reportedly totalling around AED 1,000–1,500.

Yesterday, one of his cars was towed by the Dubai authorities from outside the building where he previously lived. According to the building security guard, the authorities mentioned that there was a case associated with the vehicle. However, no official documents or further details were provided, and my friend is currently outside the country.

We want to understand what actually happened and whether there is any legal or administrative issue associated with the vehicle or its owner. He is planning to return to Dubai with his family, so naturally, he wants to ensure there are no unexpected issues at the airport or upon his arrival.

Main questions are:

• How can we verify why the vehicle was towed and whether there is an actual case associated with it?
• Which Dubai authority should we contact to check the vehicle's status and any potential case or restriction linked to the owner?
• Is there a way to verify his legal status or any travel restrictions while he is outside the UAE?

Since he is not currently in the country and we do not have any official paperwork, what would be the best way to investigate this matter?

I’d really appreciate any guidance from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows the proper procedure. Thank you in advance.

I had a wonderful stay at Pullman downtown last weekend and would love to find similar places within or around downtown for next time. I am looking for places with great views. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

How are they advertising this kidna stuff?

Can anyone suggest some good hotels with balcony in high rise, for good breeze and pleasant vibe