Pets
 

Is there somewhere in cargo village we can take the pets to get checked for the right size container?

We went to Dubai Kennel and cattery for our dog, they are taking care of everything inc measurement and making container for dog.. :-)

Bank Clearance letter if you've had any loans.
In the leaving checklist it says you need one but doesn't stipulate any terms.
If you go to your bank they will give you a " no liability " letter. But make sure it has your primary account number you have registered with EK in IBAN format in the body of the letter or They won't accept it back in ESC .
I found out the hard way !!

Is it possible to use the provident fund to cover any outstanding loan balance? As I read through this thread I get the impression you need a letter from the bank saying you're all clear before they will disburse your provident funds.

Can anyone pm me with the leaving checklist?

I am taking a guess that it would have to be on a case by case basis, I know that a few years ago, a pretty senior captain tried to avail his provident fund to help pay his dads medical expenses only to be told that the only way to get the fund was by resigning from the company, which he did...
Things may have changed now though.

springbok449

Things haven't changed. You can access all or part of your Provident C fund anytime but not the A & B. Otherwise, some might withdraw the funds and a year later, leave and request the EOSB as their depleted provident fund is of a lower value.

Harry

Whairdhugo

List sent, hope it's useful.

Many thanks Nat Track!! :ok:

I am hearing a few things from guys who have now left with reference to pets. I will be soon in this position shortly. For pet carriers, I have been advised to go to major pet stores. Look also on Dubizle as we found a pet carrier there for our dog for half the price. One pet store is up Hessa street at the top. A pain to get to, but they measure up for the pet too.

Here is the fun part, I have spoken to 3 guys who recently left and they all said the same. You will purchase your pet container and then measure and weigh the item. It will most likely go on volumetric weight. Having put the measurements and weight into the pet shipping section of staff travel, you receive a quote. Make a note of this with a screen shot. You will take the pet to cargo village to get a fit to travel from the vet section there, having already obtained a certificate from your personal vet too. That from what i understand is relatively pain free. This should be done a day or two prior to travel but no earlier as the certificate has a validity.

On the day of travel, when you are dropping your pet off, you go back into EK cargo. You will find the price will have doubled and no one really knows why. They have you against the ropes at this point as you want your pet to travel. All the guys I have spoken with, were quoted initially around 1500-1800 dhs. They ended up paying on the day of travel 4000 dhs plus. there is only one word for this....Shysters...

Here is the next part. When you go down to say goodbye to Rover, the vet on duty will tell you that the expensive water bottle you have bought isn't sufficient, so you need to purchase one of their water holders which they attach to your pooch's kennel. EK again ripping off their staff. Don't you just love them!

Pets
 

We have just booked our dog as excess baggage. Not all routes allow it but ours does. Much simpler and a flat rate, all done over the phone with Emirates once you have your repatriation ticket in hand. USD$650 for our dog and take him straight to the airport in his container.

https://www.emirates.com/english/help/faq/544304/what-are-the-rules-and-charges-for-travelling-with-animals

Villa walk-around
 

Here's one we weren't prepared for. As part of the leaving process you have two accommodation walkarounds; one for them to 'quote' you on work you need to get done, and another final right before you hand over your keys. At the first one they say you're welcome to get the work done yourself (which we were in the process of doing, painter was there). What they don't tell you is that their 'quote' is actually your retention money! So, despite the fact that by the second walk around our work will be completed they will still hold onto their 'quote' until 8 weeks after you leave. So a simple and fair 2000dh retention amount is suddenly 6000-7000dh. It's the lack of transparency that is frustrating. If this was clear to us we'd have made sure to get the villa painted before the first walk around.

Buford, how long have you been in EK? I ask as I believe every 5 years (it used to be 4) you are entitled to a repaint of the interior of the villa. So if you have been over 5 years and haven't had it repainted do they still charge you to do so when you leave?

They'll only repaint your walls if it's still the original color. Ours weren't. Another thing we didn't realize at the time otherwise we may have just left them as is.

Best place for cheap car rental?
 

Nearing the end and about to sell the 2nd car, where's the best place for cheap car rental?

Thrifty has pretty good rates for the EK Platinum card in my experience, especially if you rent "by the month" vs "daily".

I can second Thrifty as a good choice. Platinum card discount. Hassle free really, which is nice for a change

Pet relocation
 

We had an absolutely seamless and highly professional service provided by the British Veterinary hospital on Al Wasl Road. I think there was also a price reduction for EK staff. The chap's name is Pushkal.

If I resign giving the 3 months notice, will they take my assigned leave away? Prefer to enjoy my 30
days whilst doing the notice.

Thanks.

No they shouldn't do, they didn't with me...

I had 3 weeks during my notice period. Enjoyed them !
And so should you .

Once you resign will they issue your exit ticket to your country of origin or the country you are moving to?

You select this on your leavers form.

Thank you very much!

Thanks guys.

I feel like crying every day. It has been my worst decision of life. I gave up my left seat came here and now I count every single day. I am a slave in this golden cage all around me. I don't want to pay these habibis a single penny. That's why just waiting to finish my bond.

It's a very good thread with lot of information. Though I still have one year to complete my bond but I have already started planning my exit. Have closed my credit cards. Down to a single CC with bare minimum limit. Have disposed off my expensive car and have bought a small used car.

Counting each day. It feels like episode of "LOCKED UP ABROAD"

Good luck and congratulations to guys who are about to leave.

Freedom and happiness are more important in life

Make sure your money makes it out
 

Big tip: stay in Dubai a few days after you get your Provident fund check and make sure the whole of your account balance makes it out of the UAE. I'm currently dealing with a nightmare situation whereby we've repatriated and most of my money is stuck in my HSBC account in Dubai. My electronic banking fob died a few days after arriving so I have zero access to my account. Dealing with HSBC UAE is exactly what you can imagine it is - an utter disaster. Apparently they don't have the technology to update my new details in the system & Fedex me a new fob...I need to go to an HSBC branch in Dubai for that...surprise, surprise!

Sorry for your problems buford, but I would never, ever use one of the banks for transfers. Always used exchange houses which gave better rates/fees and results.

But you don't get your Provident money before you leave anyway. That comes later. Perhaps you are referring to your final pay? That is indeed a cheque. In my case I cashed it at Emirates NBD at EGHQ and took it directly to Rostamani and wired it to my offshore account.

Three weeks later my Provident fund arrived via wire transfer to the same account.

No issues.

Provident fund was all part of final check given by Emirates. Only money kept was retention money. Pretty sure everyone would be staying at EK if they were paid what I was handed my final day. Your circumstances were obviously different.

You're correct, my circumstances were different - by the time I received my final pay, I had closed any bank accounts in Dubai. So cashing my final pay and wiring it independently was the only option and it worked well. I wasn't worried about my Provident, and it showed up less than three weeks after my final day. The retention money came shortly thereafter.

And yes, HSBC is an utter, complete nightmare. Hope you get it sorted.

But I wouldn't have stayed at EK for any amount of money offered.

Nolimit,

Did you choose the option where your provident fund was wired to your home country directly by the company? Many of us can't use that option as we would be considered re-patriated and resident before the provident fund arrived making it subject to tax. What is the best way to get all money back to the home country (with perhaps the exception of the retention money) before you leave the UAE?

An electronic funds transfer done the day of receiving your money, which includes the provident fund in dhs., will arrive in your account the next business day. ( At least in my Country). Upon confirmation, jump on the next flight home, voila, no taxes!

JNPS after how many days will you receive the PF money?
I mean after how many days after your last day of duty.
I am trying to understand what is the best option to swnd back that money to europe

My main advice here, if you're sending it from Dubai, is to stick around an extra couple of days to make sure it reaches your home country...wherever that may be.

In some European countries you are not taxable on your Provident Fund (or ESB etc) if you return after the 185th day of the year.
Therefore, if you return say July 15th or later, there should be no problems.
I suggest, however, to get advice from a tax lawyer.

Ff,
If you choose to receive your Provident Fund in dirhams, it is given to you on your last day in office in the form of a cash cheque, by approx. 13:00hrs. This can be deposited immediately, with no hold on the funds and transferred out same day.

Am I right in thinking that for non US citizens with an offshore US$ account, the full declared value of the Prov Fund can be deposited in US$ into your personal offshore US$ account and you can then do what you wish with it from there?

Thanks for the info, that helps.

Make sure if you go via your bank that your transfer limit per day is at max allowable. Turns out that's 500k dh per day. Despite telling HSBC approx how much we were transferring, not one employee told us we had a max limit of 180k dh per day. We only discovered that once we left Dubai and, guess what? We tried increasing it online before our banking fob died but apparently that needs to be done in person...in Dubai!

had the same happening to me, had to transfer in little chunks and they always made money on every transaction

Buford,

Good info to know. I use HSBC too and find them to be challenging at the best of times. I have tried to make transfers with them in the past where I went into the branch to fill out the papers in person, gave them my bank details, passport to copy, sat with one of their reps-just did everything right. Then some days later when the money didn't arrive, I went into the bank again, spoke to a customer rep, spent a long time tracking it down only to find out that the transfer had been stopped at head office because they wanted to know what the reason for the transfer was even though that was written on the transfer order.:ugh: I suspect they actually lost the transfer order.

I would not use HSBC for just that reason. I think Al Rostamani has a better reputation and gives a better rate. Might be worth setting up an account with them and do a few trial transfers.

One last bit that crossed my mind was perhaps transferring all the "C" account out first, making the "A+B" amounts as small as possible.