Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi,
We are looking to move over to accept a job early next year. I have concerns for the following:

1. I am pregnant and can't decide whether to stay and have the baby in Europe or UK (we are currently in Germany). Is the medical system well-setablished? If we are covered by the company medically, is having a baby free?

2. What area is good to live in if I am looking for other Canadians/british to meet?

3. I have a toddler, is it possible to have a house/villa with a garden or is this practically non-existent in Dubai? I would rather not live in an apartment if we have a choice.

4. Lastly, is Dubai a difficult place to live in? I have read all the reports about how happy people are living there but on one salary and with children, is it a family friendly environment and will I find enough to do with children?

Thanks very much for your comments.....

Europeansweetheart wrote:Hi,
We are looking to move over to accept a job early next year. I have concerns for the following:

1. I am pregnant and can't decide whether to stay and have the baby in Europe or UK (we are currently in Germany). Is the medical system well-setablished? If we are covered by the company medically, is having a baby free?

medical system is good, dubai has many professionally managed hospitals. as for the insurance, you will need to check with the company whether they would cover you as a pre-existent condition. some policies have a clause wherein there needs to be a wait-time of something like 9-10 months between the time the coverage starts and the actual delivery. this would be negotiated by the company while signing up for the group medical policy. check with them and make sure.

the rest of your questions have been answered numerous times in different contexts on this forum. browse around and you'll learn a lot more than you expected.

1. I am pregnant and can't decide whether to stay and have the baby in Europe or UK (we are currently in Germany). Is the medical system well-setablished? If we are covered by the company medically, is having a baby free?

I just had a baby 5 months ago, I arrived to live in Dubai while 4 month pregnant.

Be careful about your insurance. Most insurance companies won't cover maternity if you are already pregnant, some even excluding any pregnancies with CONCEPTION dates (not actually delivery date)falling within the first year of the policy. I've only heard of one person who arrived pregnant and her insurance covered it, but I can't remember her insurance company. Paying for childbirth it's expensive, but the medical quality is ok.

Childbirth is not free for expats. Even in public hospitals you have to pay. Of course it;s a lot less than in private ones, but it's up to you to decide whether it's woth paying a little bit more and get all the perks or not.

Another thing to consider, bureaucracy is a NIGHTMARE here, to register the child's birth it's quite a process. Besides, you have a 3 month period to get the baby's visa, otherwise you get fined. Believe me, going through all the paperwork, getting your baby's passport, sorting out visa etc in 3 months' time is quite stressing.

Probably the most important thing that I wished anyone had mentioned to me before coming here, was how being born here will affect your child's nationality rights. We are British and it means that my daughter is considered second generation, so she won't be automatically able to transfer Britsih citizenship to her children, except if they are born in the UK. So something to think about.

In my case it could have been even worse, as my husband wasn't born in the UK, so we were first told that my daughter couldn't get British citizenship and that we had to apply directly to the Home Office. I don't want to bore you with all the details, but at the end we didn't have to. However if we did it would have taken months and months to sort out, so th fine would have been quite high. So the morale of the story, find out all the legal matters according to your natioanlity and your circumstances.

About hospitals and doctors, if you want I could PM some more information, about my experience and that of so many othermums I've met.

To be honest, I am happy that I had my bay here. I also have a toddler and being pregnant, tired, lonely and dealing with a 2 year-old in Europe was not an option for me. Nevertheless, sometimes I do wish I had had my baby in the UK and then move here, but it was not possible. If you could delay your trip for after the baby is born, go ahead. If you'd have to stay on your own in Germany, it depends on you and how much help and support you could get there. Otherwise, if you deide to have the baby here, be reassured that hospitals are nice, and after you'll sort out passports and visas, you'll be ok.




2. What area is good to live in if I am looking for other Canadians/british to meet?

There are many playgroups to go. Expat mums organise some at the Country Club and another one in cafes. Visit www.expatwoman.com for more info, You'll meet plenty of Brits and Canadians. Most of them live around Emiartes Hills (Green,s Lakes, Meadow and Springs), Arabian Ranches, JUmeirah and Uum Suqeim.



3. I have a toddler, is it possible to have a house/villa with a garden or is this practically non-existent in Dubai? I would rather not live in an apartment if we have a choice.

Plenaty of villas with gardens. Don't worry about. And some buildings are quite family oriented and have nice playgrounds, pools and barbeque areas (like the Greens)


4. Lastly, is Dubai a difficult place to live in? I have read all the reports about how happy people are living there but on one salary and with children, is it a family friendly environment and will I find enough to do with children?

Yes, it's a nice place to bring children up. It's vey safe, beaches are lovely, schools are good (if pricey), there are many activities. Summer can be tough, as it's extremely hot and everything has to be done indoor. I am not sure if teenagers have that much to do though, I don't have any so I don't really know first hand, but I've heard they can get a bit bored. But having a toddler and a bump this should not be your most immediate concern.

If you have any more queries, let me know.

Good luck

J

Good reply Julieta, thanks for the effort.