Getting Out...it's harder than getting in!

Exiting from the UAE, I have found, is not for the faint-hearted.  

Like most processes one has to undertake in this country, it can either run smoothly, or it can be a bloody nightmare.  There seems to be no room in between these two states.  I, of course, always seem to be firmly placed in the latter state; and exiting over the last two months has simply proven this truth again.

When we finally decided it was time to leave and return to New Zealand, we knew that the exit process may well be as hard as the entry process was 2 ½ years ago.  Little did we think at the time though, that to exit may well be even more difficult than it is to enter.  Despite all attempts to manage the process early and swiftly, this was simply not going to be easy for me.  For those of you still to brave this, I wish you all the best.  I wish you a 'speedy' end to it all.

Below is a blow-by-blow account of my exit process.  Well, the ADEC stuff anyway.  No doubt when those of you here in the UAE decide it is time to go back to your respective homes, the whole process will be different. True to form, nothing stays the same here, no-one’s experience is ever the same, and most systems will have changed...even if you started tomorrow.

The First Step:

To be honest, there is no first step.  The trouble with giving advice in steps, is that you’ll find this process is not linear.  In order to complete one step in the process you have to jump three steps to get something so you can complete the first step.  I’ll endeavour to keep it as simple as possible.

For want of a better phrase, the first step is to log onto the ADEC site, go to your ERP and enter your details into the ‘resignation’ section.  You will receive an email (hopefully within a day) that will inform you the resignation has been accepted by ‘team lead 1’ who is your principal.  That was the smoothest part for me!

After submitting it, your resignation is supposed to be passed on to a number of people in order for the resignation to be accepted.  Two problems occurred for me; the first that a number of resignations were ‘backed up’ at one person’s desk.  He had to be reminded by EMT support to clear them. 

The second problem occurred when I heard nothing for weeks about the status of my resignation.  EMT support helped here, but even they had to chase up where in the system my resignation was.  Eventually I spoke with Jehan in Payroll, who managed to chase up the problem.  Of course I had put the wrong date on the last day of work (by two days) and so that threw the system into chaos.  She managed to hand-write on the form and get me to sign the changes. 

This was supposed to activate my resignation letter...

The hassle had therefore only just begun. In order to hand in my family’s visas I had to provide evidence of my ‘resignation letter’ – which I did not have, nor had it been emailed to me.  At that stage I contacted Jane McLeod who tried to chase it all up for me.  However, nothing got resolved from her efforts either.  I was told to re-input my resignation and put the correct last-day date (even after Jehan had made changes) – but of course when I tried this the system would not let me do it.  I’m still waiting for Jane’s reply to my email about this and I'm well out of the country!

Jehan to the rescue again, back to her and she printed me off a resignation letter...which took two days to find someone to sign it.  But I had it.  Family visas could be cancelled.  But I'm getting ahead of myself, I was still only supposed to be up to step 2.

Step 2: Signatures

Following the ERP registration, I decided to get things rolling early.  I printed off the checklist form from the "Getting Out" fb site for teachers.  I took this to my Principal who signed.  I then made my way to the Zone and got a signature from the IT department.  This was not a simple job.  I was directed to three different floors to find the IT office.  When I finally stumbled upon a man in the Zone halls who asked me where I wanted to go, he revealed quite simply that he was the man to sign it.  Wow, that easy...not.  He signed and then directed me to the ADEC ID man.  When I handed over my form to this gentleman he shook his head and told me I was using the wrong form.  I was apparently using the old form (from July) and the form had subsequently been changed.

So in a mild panic, I was directed once again...to Jehan.  She printed off the correct form (with one small change to the July form) and went back to the IT man who was not in his office (but someone else decided they could sign it instead) and then back to the ID office.  Two signatures.  Back to my Principal for her to resign the new form.

I felt successful.  Three signatures.  I was making progress.

With the students gone from Al Jahili, I was then able to find time to do some of the other steps.  I prayed they would be a little more straightforward.


Step 3: Visa Cancellation

So with the resignation planted firmly in my folder, I went to the Zone (again) to cancel our visas.  I handed over the 4 passports (the Emirati man kept saying 'only 4?' over and over again) and the 4 Emirates IDs.  It would take a day to get these back, but we had to wait over a weekend.  It is never comfortable handing your passports over to anyone.  Our country guards our passports passionately, but in this country you have to trust.  Thank goodness they were ready on the Sunday.  We had hole-punches through our heads on our Emirates IDs and the visas had been cancelled.  Thank goodness.  Another signature.

I then handed over the Medical Cards.  The man from the Daman office told me we were not covered medically once we handed these over.  With two weeks still left in the country that rested uneasily on my shoulders.  I asked to see someone higher.  He directed me downstairs to the man in General Services.  When I talked to this man he put the health cards in his top drawer and assured me he would discard them when we left the country on December 16.  He wrote nothing down.  No notes.  No reminder.  He assured me we would be covered with only our (unstamped) photocopies until then...

I'm glad we did not have to test those waters.

Step 4: Clearance Letters

I knew that I had to get an official ADEC letter from housing in order to get furniture out of the village.  So I headed to housing who sent me to the Al Ain Distribution Company.  Here I was supposed to pick up a clearance (without disconnection) letter.  I drove to the AADC but found them empty...they told me to go to the Khalifa Street Office.  No one at that office understood a thing I said, so they ushered me downstairs, where 50 million other people were waiting to be served.  I took a number and sat.  Thirty minutes later, the women who had been sitting beside me showed me their ticket number.  It was the very next number on the screen, but they had been waiting for at least 45 minutes before I had arrived.  While I sat there I watched a steady stream of Khandooras and Abayas make their way to the counters to interrupt, shout, and be served.  A few choice words to the security guard had me leave at this point and head to Al Ain Mall where I might have more luck.

Unfortunately the women at the Al Ain Mall office had no idea what I wanted and simply printed off my payment records and stamped it.  I'd had enough.  I headed back to school.  While there I decided to phone the AADC and request the clearance letter...in 3 minutes they had confirmed I would get a text.  Within 10 minutes I had received the text and told to pick up from Al Ain Mall.

Another success.  I should have just made that call in the first place.  But, I had the letter.

Step 5: The Villa

It is difficult waiting for the next step to happen.  And when this step happens, it seems that everything landslides so quickly.  You cannot ask EMT support (and housing) to book your hotel in advance.  You have to do it on the day you get all your paperwork completed.  That was always going to be stressful... and indeed it was.

We chose to ship some of our furniture home.  The rest was to be sold.  That was fine.  But, I would recommend that you do things in a slightly less stressful way to the way I did it.  

Etisilat - I organised this company ahead of time.  You have to go to the main office with the golf ball on top.  Seemed easy.  Go in, get a number for the cancellation section, be seen quickly, tell them the date you want to disconnect.  We had Elife, so the process was much easier.  Or so it seemed.  They told me how much I would have to pay (325AED) and to come back on the day we disconnected.

It wasn't supposed to be that easy.  On the day we disconnected I went to pay the bill and get the clearance letter.  I paid the outstanding amount, and then headed to the section to get the clearance letter.  First hurdle - I was asked to provide my passport photo and visa.  No one had prepared me for that.  I had to go home, get them and come back.  Note to self: always carry dozens of copies of every document you have...just in case.  I handed these over with my receipt and was told to come back the next day at 2pm.

When I came back I asked for the clearance letter only to be told I now owed another 370AED.  When I asked what for they had no answer.  I had to go back over to the payment counter (me and 40 million Indian men) to ask why I owed that new amount.  After more than an hour of waiting the assistant at the counter said she could not answer why I owed more.  She directed me to another counter in the building.  I looked at her.  I gave her my credit card.  I paid.

Al Ain Distribution - I would highly recommend using the phone here as much as possible. Also, the Al Ain Mall office was easier than the main building in Al Ain.  I phoned through my disconnection request the day before we moved out.  Smoothly, the electricity went off the next morning.  No problem.  I was told the Distribution Company owed me 4 AED.  Bonus I thought!  They would give me back the 1000AED deposit and a little extra.  I then went to the Al Ain Mall office to get my clearance letter and was told I now owed 270AED and this was to be taken out of my deposit.  In one day I had incurred that extra payment...too late to argue a case.

The Village - The problem with vacating your villa is that everything has to be done on the same day.  I would certainly recommend you arrange to stay with friends rather than try to do it all on the same day.  To vacate the villa you are required to provide the Village management (across the road from Souk Zafaarina) with your Etisilat clearance and your AADC clearance.  With no power, internet or telephone on, this process can take longer than you think and you don't want to still be in the villa.  Don't leave the TMKN management building unless you have the clearance for the villa.  I made that mistake (had to pick up the kids) and they promised they would email the clearance to ADEC.  They did not.  Housing argued they would not give me a hotel.  I finally yelled.  They listened...finally.

TMKN checked out the villa.  We did all the right things, cleaned the villa and still they were picky about the remote for the AC in the maid's room not being there, and some double-sided sticker marks on the wall.  Compared to the way we found that Villa, we had left it in pristine condition.  They were not going to win that fight. Finally they agreed the place looked fine, so they signed.  I sped to ADEC at 2.30pm.  Plenty of time (I thought) to get the hotel organised.

Step 6: The Hotel

EMT support people said they would be in the office on December 4.  When I arrived a note on their door said they were in Abu Dhabi for the day.  Heart racing.  Housing did not get the TMKN clearance.  Told me to come back tomorrow, Insha'allah.  Heart racing, blood rising.  Finally, after a few choice words the lovely Mr Mahmood from housing sent notification to Nirvana to book the hotel.  "You will be phoned in one hour Insha'allah" he smiled.

We waited.

And waited.

And gave up waiting.

Thanks to friends we were able to prevent the children from sleeping under the stars that night.  Mr Mahmood phoned the next day to see how the hotel was.  He was furious we had not been contacted.  He printed us off the reservation from the day before, and off we went to the Rotana.

So, the hard part was done.  I had handed over all the documentation to the finance lady (Miss Mouza).  She informed me it would take two weeks to clear the money.  We would be exit-stage-right by then.  She gave me two phone numbers which came in handy.  Ali in payroll and Ali in finance.  They would prove helpful a few days later when I phoned Abu Dhabi to check on progress.  Both said the money had been paid into my account and would be cleared.

It only took 5 days for the money to appear in our account.  Masha'allah!


Step 7: The Flight

So I'm very pleased that I booked flights months ahead of our leaving date.  It saved us a tonne of money.  Be sure to have a credit card handy for flights etc.  We stumbled at this stage because the other bank would not give me a credit card due to my Emirates ID stating I was 'Australian'.  Apparently a mistake like this can prevent you from doing lots of things like getting a credit card!  I had used my Emirates ID for more than 2 years without an issue...and funny, but NBAD quite happily gave me a credit card before I even got an Emirates ID!  Things change...

To close your NBAD account you will need your passport or driver's licence.  Make sure you carry a number of these things when getting clearances.  To retrieve the grand total of 56.27 AED you really do need your passport or driver's licence.  Oh, and to sign your signature three times.

Finally, you're standing at the airport 'passport control' section waiting to exit the country forever.  The Emirati man at the counter asks for your clearance records.  You stare blankly.  Your pulse quickens. Your heart races.  Your hands get clammy.  Sweat beads appear once more.  Your mind is in a state of Armageddon.  Surely not?  Surely I'm going to get out of this place?  Surely I had done EVERYTHING I was supposed to do?

A flicker of memory appears.  You dig into the folder of stuff you decided to keep in your carry on for just-in-case situations.  You dig out 4 scrappy, folded pieces of paper written completely in Arabic from the man at the Visa cancellation place. At the time you had no idea what they were or why they were given to you.  You hand them over, praying that they were what was required.  The man punches stuff into his computer, stamps the passports, hands them back and you are free.


Khallas!