Arrive · people search “move to Dubai from USA”
From the US: visa-free to visit, not to work — and the IRS still writes
A US passport gets you in for about 90 days. The job still needs an employer visa. FATCA and worldwide tax do not stop at DXB.
- Entry
- Visa-free visit ~90 days in 180
- Work
- Employer files residence
- Tax
- US persons: IRS worldwide + FATCA
US passports sit on the 90-day visa-free visit list (ICP categories as compiled 27 June 2026). That is a look-around: interviews, a housing week, a school tour. It is not a work permit. The company files the residence visa; you do medical and Emirates ID. ESTA is a US product. This is a UAE stamp.
The IRS does not care that Dubai has no salary tax. US citizens and green-card holders still file. FATCA follows the bank account. Get a cross-border accountant before you sign the offer, not after the first WPS credit. State tax depends on whether you actually left the state.
RTA does not treat every US state licence the same. Check the live exchange list before you assume a Florida or New York card swaps. School fees will shock anyone used to public school. Full table: visa by nationality.
Practical notes, not official law. Confirm on ICP, MOHRE, RTA, KHDA and your employer before you act.