You rarely file UAE paperwork yourself. Instead you visit a service centre — Tasheel handles labour and MOHRE transactions, Amer handles immigration and residency (GDRFA) — where staff type up and submit your applications for a fee. The word tasheel means 'making easy', which is the whole pitch.

The system is why 'go to a typing centre' is standard advice for everything from a visa to a labour complaint. Bring every document, and a spare copy.