Moving to Dubai from Romania

Romanian founders and IT professionals are a growing community in Dubai. Romania has a tax treaty with the UAE, so the key task is to show clearly that your residence has moved and to keep the documents that prove it.

At a glance

• Tax treaty: Romania and the UAE have a double tax agreement.
• Residence: Romania looks at your domicile, the centre of your vital interests and whether you spend more than 183 days in Romania in a 12-month period.
• Proof: a UAE tax residency certificate is the key document for claiming treaty protection.
• Romanian income: income from Romanian sources, such as property rented out in Romania, stays taxable there.

Leaving Romania

Inform the Romanian tax authority of your departure as required, move your home and family life, and keep records of your days. If your family, home or main business interests remain in Romania, you may still be treated as resident.

Your Romanian company

If you keep a Romanian company, decide who manages it after the move. Running it from Dubai while it remains a Romanian taxpayer is common, but the director arrangements and any payments to you should be reviewed.

How Imperial Group helps

• A review of your residence position before you move, so you know when your home-country tax exposure actually ends
• The right UAE structure for your business: free zone, mainland or a holding company, with real substance
• Company setup, visas, Emirates ID and bank account opening support
• UAE tax residency certificate, corporate tax and VAT registrations from day one
• Ongoing accounting, tax filings and a single point of contact for everything in the UAE

Sources

• UAE double tax agreement network overview
• ANAF, Romanian tax authority

This page gives general information as at the date shown and is not advice for your specific situation. Rules in other countries are summarised for orientation; your home-country position should be confirmed before you act.