New to DubaiGlossary and acronyms: Dubai terms explained in plain English
New to Dubai is a guide to setting up your life here. This page explains the acronyms and local terms our guides use. Find the word that stopped you, read the short definition, then go back to the guide you were reading.
The terms are grouped by when you are likely to meet them: paperwork first, then renting, utilities, money, getting around and daily life. The guides are written by the NTD Team, the people behind this site. They come from personal experience, so always check the official source before you act.
Visas, ID and paperwork
You will hear these words in your first weeks. The order matters. You usually need a residence visa before you can get an Emirates ID, and a bank needs your Emirates ID before it will open an account.
- Residence visa: the permit that lets you live in the UAE, not just visit.
- Sponsor: the person or company responsible for your residence visa. This is usually your employer, a family member who already lives here, or the company that set up your business.
- Emirates ID: the ID card every resident gets. Banks and many other services ask for it. Always carry it.
- Biometrics: your fingerprints and photo, taken at an appointment for your Emirates ID. Use only real, unedited photos for any ID. An AI-enhanced photo can stop your face matching your biometrics at government offices, so do not let anyone talk you into using one.
- GDRFA Dubai: the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai. It handles entry permits and residence visas. Its official app, GDRFA DXB, lets residents apply for things such as visit visas for relatives.
- Amer centres: service centres where you can use GDRFA Dubai services in person.
- Typing centre: a shop that fills in and submits government forms for you, including visa applications.
- Customer Happiness Centre: the name many Dubai government bodies give their service counters.
- PRO: short for Public Relations Officer, the person at a company who deals with government paperwork. If you are employed, the PRO usually handles most of your visa steps. If you are self-employed, the company that set up your business usually does.
- HR team: the human resources department at your employer. They often work with the PRO on your visa and contract.
- VIP services: paid extras such as one-day processing or going to the front of the queue for your medical test. You do not need them, but they are there if you want things done faster.
- UAE Pass: the national digital identity app. You use it to log in to government services, and people here use it for almost everything.
- Digital ID: a version of your Emirates ID that you can show from the UAE Pass app or the official UAEICP app. Useful, but carry the physical card as well.
- Power of attorney: a legal document that lets someone else act for you, such as signing papers while you are away.
- Clearance certificate: a document confirming you have nothing outstanding. Which one you need depends on the situation, so check exactly what the office is asking for.
Renting and your home
Most rentals go through an agent, and the paperwork comes with its own words. For the full process, read our guide to registering your tenancy with Ejari.
- Agent: the person who lists properties, shows you round and arranges the deal with the landlord.
- Tenancy contract: the rental agreement between you and your landlord. Read it carefully before you sign, because promises left out of the contract are hard to enforce.
- Ejari: the official registration of your tenancy contract. The landlord is supposed to register it, but in practice you or the agent will probably do it. DEWA will ask for it.
- Dubai REST app: the Dubai Land Department app for property services. Once your Ejari is registered, your tenancy contract appears in it automatically.
- RERA: the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, part of the Dubai Land Department. It runs the licensing system for the property trade, which is how agents get licensed.
- Trakheesi: the Dubai Land Department system for property advert permits. A genuine listing should show its Trakheesi permit number.
- Cheques: how rent is usually paid here. Most offers ask for one cheque for the year. You can negotiate for four, and sometimes six or twelve, but expect to pay a little more overall.
- Security deposit: money the landlord holds against damage. You get it back when you leave if the place is in good order.
- Pantry: a small kitchen area, common in offices and some smaller apartments.
- P.O. Box: a box at Emirates Post where your mail is held. It is inconvenient, because you have to go to the post office to collect it. Dubai has no postcodes, so skip regular mail and use a courier such as Aramex, DHL or FedEx. Our guide to what to write on forms without a postcode explains more.
- Makani number: a 10-digit number from Dubai Municipality that pinpoints a building's location. Look for it on the plate at your building entrance and give it to couriers.
Utilities, phone and internet
These terms come up once you have the keys and want the lights, the AC and the Wi-Fi working.
- DEWA: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, which supplies your power and water. Connection usually takes one to three days after you apply.
- District cooling: AC chilled at a central plant and piped to your building, often billed separately from DEWA. Before you sign, ask your agent what the bills look like in winter and in summer, so you know what you are in for.
- Breasy: an app for looking after your home AC. It books servicing and has a chat to help you sort out problems, and many landlords use it for major repairs.
- Coils: the metal tubes inside an AC unit that cool the air. Dust on them makes the unit work harder.
- Drain line: the pipe that carries water away from your AC. If it blocks, water drips inside.
- du: one of the three main mobile and internet providers. The others are e& and Virgin Mobile. You can usually keep your number when you switch to a resident line.
- Home internet: e& and du bundle TV and phone with their home packages. Virgin Mobile sells 5G (wireless) home internet on its own, which is a bit slower than a wired connection.
- SIM-free phone: a phone that is not tied to one network, so it works with any SIM card. A phone locked to a network back home may not work here.
- IP address: the number that identifies your internet connection online.
- PRO version: the paid subscription on most delivery apps. If you order often, it can pay for itself.
Money and banking
Opening an account can take longer than you expect. Have your Emirates ID ready, and be prepared to redo your signature more than once.
- IBAN: International Bank Account Number, the long account number used for salary payments and transfers.
- Wio: a digital bank you run from an app, with no branch to visit.
- Exchange rate: the rate at which one currency converts into another, such as your home currency into dirhams.
Getting around and driving
Expect to fail your first road test. It is a rite of passage here. Do not argue with the examiner, because raising your voice will not change the result. Just book another test.
- RTA: Roads and Transport Authority, which runs the metro, buses, taxis, driving licences and road rules in Dubai.
- Nol card: the smart card you tap to pay for the metro, buses and trams.
- Gold Class: the premium carriage on the Dubai Metro. Check that your Nol card covers it before you sit there.
- S'hail: the RTA journey planner app.
- Salik tolls: Dubai's road toll system. A tag on your windscreen is charged automatically when you drive under a toll gate.
- UAE licence: a driving licence issued here.
- Approved list: the countries whose licence holders can swap their licence for a UAE licence without lessons. Whether you can depends on where your licence comes from, so check the RTA's current list.
- Bilateral: an agreement between the UAE and another country, such as one allowing a direct licence exchange.
- Golden Chance: an RTA option that may let you take the road test sooner. Ask your driving school whether it applies to you.
- VIP packages: driving school bundles that group lessons together, often two at a time, to speed things up. Ask a school you trust about the quickest path.
- Black points: penalty points added to your licence for traffic offences. Collect too many and the penalties get more serious, so check the RTA app for the current rules.
- Agency repair: car insurance cover that pays for repairs at the brand's official dealer rather than an independent garage.
- Cabin filter: the car filter that cleans the air coming through the AC vents.
Faith, holidays and customs
Islam shapes the calendar here. Our guide to Ramadan in Dubai explains what changes and how to be respectful.
- Ramadan: the Islamic holy month, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
- Taraweeh: extra night prayers held in mosques during Ramadan.
- Eid al-Fitr: the festival that marks the end of Ramadan, with public holidays. The dates depend on the moon being sighted, so they are confirmed late.
- Sharia: Islamic law. You will see the word in legal documents and in news about UAE law.
Other emirates
Dubai is one of seven emirates, and some names and rules change when you cross into another. This matters most if you plan to live in Sharjah and work in Dubai. That drive is a frustrating commute, so think hard before you choose it.
- SEWA: Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, the Sharjah equivalent of DEWA.
- Dry emirate: an emirate where alcohol is not sold. Rules differ between emirates, so check the local rules before you move.
When rules change
Procedures here change often. News of a change usually comes in a circular: an official notice from a government body announcing a new rule or process.
Talk to people who have lived here and listen to what they say. Treat their advice as a starting point, not the final word, and always get a second opinion. This matters most when you change visas. Some people, your employer's PRO included, may tell you what you want to hear. Never overstay. Make calls, ask friends and check the official app or portal before you act.
Next step
Now that the words make sense, read things you need to know before living in Dubai.