60-Day Dubai Relocation Kit for Indian Product Designers

Design leads heading to Dubai product pods juggle portfolio handoffs, visa runs, and housing hunts simultaneously. This outline keeps money friction low so you can pitch roadmaps instead of chasing cheques.

Signal: Designers routing ₹9–11 lakh via low-forex cards and structured deposits recover ~₹1.2 lakh in rewards and avoid 3%+ markup leaks.

Why This Matters

• Deposits (often 5–6 months) obliterate INR savings if you don’t plan card float.
• Residency medicals + Emirates ID appointments require precise scheduling and proof of funds.
• Employers love relocation plans that show you’ve already de-risked banking and telecom needs.

60-Day Timeline

Week	Focus	Money move
1–2	Visa + notarized docs	Pay VFS + attestation via Axis Atlas-credit-card/)-credit-card/)-credit-card/) for miles.
3–4	Temporary housing & flights	Redeem Edge Miles for BOM-DXB; block 30 nights via Airbnb gift cards.
5–6	Bank + telecom setup	Carry IDFC Wealth card for 1.5% markup when funding Mashreq Neo, Du eSIM.
7–8	Permanent lease + furniture	Split deposits across HDFC Infinia + employer advance; convert IKEA buys into 6-month EMI.

Financial Model Snapshot

Item	Budget (AED)	INR equivalent
Security deposit	18,000	₹4,00,000
Agency + Ejari	6,000	₹1,35,000
Setup costs (SIM, transport, insurance)	5,500	₹1,25,000
Buffer	4,000	₹90,000

Paper Trail Tracker

Document	Status	Notes
Offer letter + salary certificate	✅	Needed for Axis/HDFC limit bumps
Attested degree + PCC	In progress	Coordinate with VFS
NOC from current landlord for card MDR	Pending	Helps justify rent via card
Health insurance proof	✅	Upload to Notion + send to employer

Research TODOs

• Collect sample Ejari contracts + negotiate MDR-sharing with the brokerage.
• Confirm which Dubai banks allow credit-card funded initial deposits (Mashreq, Emirates NBD often do with 1% fee).
• List coworking spaces that grant temporary addresses for bank letters.

Ops Stack

• Relocation Notion board with columns: Documents, Banking, Housing, Logistics, Social.
• Cashflow monitor: track INR → AED conversions, card utilization, and reimbursement timelines.
• Vendor crib sheet: list movers, SIM providers, and furniture stores that accept Indian cards without MCC penalties.

Next Steps

1. Duplicate this outline into Notion and personalize amounts based on your salary letter.
2. Request credit limit increases today; banks take 10–12 working days to process.
3. Schedule a call with PerkPilot’s relocation pod so we can inspect your forex + insurance stack before flights.