@Brokenby2703 I was more into using the freelance route (
https://gofreelance.ae/freelance-activities.html ), which should be cheaper, although I still don't understand if I need to own a property or rent a property to be considered resident in the UAE or if having the emirates ID and the Residency visa is enough, in case a property is needed I would probably do as you did, buy and rent.
I don't have a
second passport but I have absolutely no ties with Italy ( no house, no wife, no kids, no car ) and I've been resident outside Italy since 2013, so I understand the risk, but should be on the safe side.
If you are planning to buy house, your resident VISA will come along with it. You have to apply but it is included normally
If you don't plan to buy house but to move there then you need to have a resident working visa.
So either you get employed or you setup your company.
Forget RAK consider DUBAI FREE ZONE as someone else suggest today which I agree although I don't have experience.
When you have got your VISA and so the EMIRATES ID then you are considered a local.
By law you don't have to rent anything to get your VISA neither to have your EMIRATES ID.
Why ? Because of your apply for Investor Visa, for example in RAK, you must enter in UAE at least for 24 hours once every 2 years. In Dubai it's 6 months. So government know that you can't rent anything for just 24 hours in 6 months.
You will be staying in Hotel.
Having EMIRATES ID is enough to be considered a local.
Which means that
UAE BANK won't report you for
CRS as they consider your
DUBAI company local and you as local.
But remember.... if you wanna open
bank account in UAE, I suggest you to rent a flat for 1 or 2 months (there some service like this), get contract stamped (contract of renting for let's say 36 months but you can cancel any time with 1 month advise).
You bring along with whatever documents the bank required.
Once the account is open and you get the token ID or whatever things by mail (if any), then you can cancel.
Then eventually you can setup a
mail forwarding service (around 100/150AED per month) which they receive mail in your name and eventually forward to you overseas (charhes apply).
If you plan to open an overseas bank account, then you can use the same contract, VISA in your passport etc.
The bank will consider you as UAE resident and eventually will report to UAE which you don't have to care at all as UAE doesn't tax for oversea profit.
My suggestion ?
Pen & paper.... do the calculation.
All the costs now, and within 3 years.
E v e r y t h i n g
Including flights to UAE, hotels, expenses, etc etc etc....
Believe me it will go up faster out of initial estimation.
Then you decide whether it's worth it or not.....
In my case I prefer to play safe and transparently.
I own a house in UAE which is something they can check inspect...existing.
It's an
investment (personal not for earning in reselling) which may provide me additional income.
Good luck