r/DubaiCentral

I used to scroll past posts like this thinking, “Man, imagine being lonely enough to find friends on Reddit.”

Well, the universe has a sense of humor. Here I am.

South asian, Dubai born and raised, did a stint abroad for half a decade and , moved back to dubai a year ago and somehow lost my entire social life in the process. M25, looking for people to grab drinks and chicken wings or play some billiards after work a couple times a week. No creepy agenda. 🙏🙏

Hoping to connect with some functional adult with nobody to eat overpriced wings with. We can be lonely together.

I have Sore throat that literally feels like a blade.

Anyone else any other symptoms

Hey guys! As you all know, Global Village had finally opened . I want to know what is the status there as I am planning to go tomorrow! Is tomorrow still ladies/family day? Please let me know your experience and hidden gems you can share around! Thanks!

Is it true that they only give you up to a month’s worth of the meds?

I’m on Stratox 25mg and Concerta 18mg.

My doc says they can only give me a months worth of the meds as that’s the rule!

So I’m supposed to pay 700bucks per month as opposed to 200 at most????

This is nuts!

Someone with info pls reach out.

BTC is not performing well for couple of months now. is it wise to sell and bear some loss or hold and take chances.

Hello everyone! I would like to find out if any one who is black and African has travelled to Georgia lately? I have read so many horror stories about people being held at the airport and being sent back to Dubai for no reason.

I’m thinking of visiting soon but I wouldn’t want to go through any horrible experiences at their airport.

My other option is Bali. I’m unsure if I should even be travelling actually but I’d like to hear from others and their experiences.

Thank you!

How many hours you guys work?

I work 8 to 5:30 and Saturday till 2clk only Sunday is off wbu

Hey everyone,

I’m considering a free zone business setup Dubai and wanted quick feedback from those who’ve done it recently. Was the process actually smooth or were there delays?

Also, any hidden costs or common mistakes I should watch out for especially with licensing, visa, or bank account?

Nike ,adidas,puma looking for branded shoes but i came to mall but its look like bit expensive thn online

Recently moved to marina and for the life of me cant find a decent bookstore round here.

Anyone know a good spot?

Hi everyone, I trust your doing well .....I’m in a very difficult situation and I’m asking for help.

I’m a mother of three living in the UAE. I lost my job recently, and after a series of challenges this past month, I’ve fallen behind on my rent. My payment was due on the 6th, and I currently owe 1,500 aed. My husband is late as a result of some illness years back am left alone to provide for my children.

I’ve tried my best to manage, but I’ve run out of time as today was the last day they gave me ,all options prove abortive and the owner is asking me to pack out with my kids but that will end us on the street. Please Even your small contribution would truly help me avoid losing my home while I keep searching for work.

If you’re able to support, I would be deeply grateful. I’m also willing to stay in contact and repay when I get back on my feet.

Thank you for reading and for any kindness. Whatsapp line +971503670232 call/whatsapp

Hi guys, does anyone know the monthly cost for GymNation or maybe a 3-month plan? I’ve checked the website but it doesn’t have any info, and I don’t wanna put my contact details in there yet and get pressured haha

I’ve seen pretty mixed reviews, but I’m mainly considering it for convenience. I already have access to a free (and honestly really good) gym in my community that I use during the day. But I’m starting an internship soon that’s about 40 mins away, and realistically I won’t make it back in time to train earlier.

If I go in the evening, my current gym gets insanely crowded, and I take my training pretty seriously, so that’s not ideal for me.

Would appreciate any insight on pricing + whether it’s actually worth it 🙏

Moving to Dubai in a few weeks, and just hoping things calm down now.

There’s been plenty of damage to the city, and its people.

What are your thoughts/predictions?

Hey everyone,

I’m currently looking for reliable financing solutions for my scrap trading business and would really appreciate any recommendations.

We operate on a back-to-back trading model (hand-to-hand, port-to-port deals) — with suppliers in the USA, UK, and Europe, and buyers in India. Since we pay suppliers upfront and extend credit to buyers until the cargo reaches destination, there’s a working capital gap during the voyage period.

• Annual turnover: ~AED 25 million
• Trade model: International scrap trading (no local yard/storage in the UAE)
• Requirement: Invoice discounting / trade finance for transit period

I’ve explored options with banks, but most have currently paused invoice financing for this segment. Third-party financiers are available, but the rates being quoted are quite high.

If anyone has experience with:

• Trade finance providers
• Invoice discounting firms
• Commodity-backed financing
• Or alternative structured solutions

I’d really value your suggestions or introductions.

Thanks in advance!

I need some advice because I am honestly at the end of my patience with this process.

I lost my job and my last working day was 22 March 2026. I submitted my ILOE claim on time and thought this would be relatively straightforward. Instead, it has turned into a complete mess.

Every few days, they came back asking for another document. Not all at once. Not a clear final list. Just a rolling stream of new requests, one after another.

Here is the situation.

I have two separate matters with my former employer.

The first is a court case relating to a bonus dispute only. That matter is already before the court, and all the relevant documents for that have already been shared.

The second is completely separate and relates to my final salary, accrued annual leave, and EOSB. That matter is not in court yet. It is currently still at the DDA mediation stage, and I have already shared the DDA complaint/mediation documentation.

Despite that, ILOE rejected my claim.

Their rejection says I failed to provide the required documents. Specifically, they said I needed proof of receipt of end of service benefits or cancellation of the work card, and they also wanted evidence that the complaint had been referred to MOHRE.

This is where it gets absurd.

I cannot provide proof of EOSB because the company has not paid it.

I cannot provide proof of cancellation of the work permit/work card because the company is refusing to cancel it. Their position is that they will not process cancellation until the labour court passes judgment.

And I cannot provide proof that the salary/leave/EOSB matter was referred to MOHRE because it has not reached that stage. It is still in DDA mediation.

So they have effectively rejected my claim for not providing documents that either do not exist yet or are completely outside my control.

Meanwhile, I have had no income for a while, I am paying legal fees, and I am dealing with a former employer that is withholding my final salary, annual leave, and EOSB. I took out and paid into unemployment insurance for exactly this kind of situation, and now when I need it, the process feels designed to block payment rather than help.

What makes this more frustrating is that they seem to have conflated the two disputes. The bonus case is separate. The salary, leave, and EOSB matter is separate. I explained this and shared documents for both tracks.

Still rejected.

At this point I am escalating formally, but I want to know whether anyone in the UAE has dealt with something similar.

Has anyone had an ILOE claim rejected because the employer refused to cancel the work permit?

Has anyone dealt with ILOE demanding MOHRE documents when the employment dispute was going through DDA instead?

Has anyone successfully appealed a rejection like this?

And beyond appealing directly to ILOE, should I be escalating to Dubai Insurance, Sanadak, DDA, or someone else?

I am not looking for generic advice like “submit the documents” because that is the whole issue. The documents they want either have not come into existence yet or can only be produced by an employer that is refusing to cooperate.

Any practical advice from people who have actually dealt with ILOE, DDA employment disputes, work permit cancellation issues, or insurance escalation in the UAE would be useful.

Been looking into Dubai real estate recently and honestly getting mixed info everywhere.

Some people say you need like 1M+ AED to even think about buying, but then I keep seeing stuff about payment plans and off-plan where you can get into property in Dubai with way less upfront.

While searching, I came across a few real estate company Dubai websites like Danube Properties, Emaar, and DAMAC just to see what’s out there, and now I’m even more confused tbh. On paper, some of it looks pretty doable, but I feel like there are extra costs or catches that aren’t obvious at first.

I’m just trying to understand what the real entry point looks like. Like what people are actually paying upfront vs what’s being advertised.

Also if anyone here has actually invested in property in Dubai, how’s it been? Worth it so far or not really?

I’m not based in the UAE btw, so not sure if that makes things more complicated.

Hello friends,

I’m looking for shared accommodation with someone who has a studio or a private room. If anyone has this option available, please message me.