United Arab Emirates
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you contact the UAE Embassy in the UK.
COVID-19 rules
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering UAE.
Passport validity requirements
To enter the UAE, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive in the UAE.
If you have a residence permit, your passport’s expiry date must be at least 3 months after the date you arrive in the UAE.
If you’re travelling through the UAE and not passing through immigration, your passport must have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you will transit.
Visa requirements
You can get a visitor or tourist visa issued free of charge when you arrive in the UAE. You do not need to apply in advance of travel. Your passport will be stamped with the visa as you go through immigration. It will be valid for up to 40 days.
You can be fined for overstaying your visa. If you want to extend your stay, contact:
- for Dubai: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs
- for the rest of the UAE: Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
Living and working in the UAE
If you have entered Dubai on a visit visa and want to start working, you must get a probationary work permit valid for up to 3 months from the Ministry of Labour. If you are caught working on a visit visa, you could get a fine or a prison sentence, and you risk deportation.
You risk arrest if you have lived or worked in the UAE and return when:
- your previous visa is not in order - for example if you did not cancel your work visa
- you have outstanding debts
- you have an unresolved legal issue
If you have any doubt about your status before returning to the UAE seek advice from a local lawyer.
If you have any questions on the validity or expiry of your visa, or on how to work or stay in the UAE, contact UAE Immigration directly:
- for Dubai: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs
- for the rest of the UAE: Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
- from the UK: UAE Embassy in the UK
Residence visas
If you apply for a residence visa, you will have to take a blood test. If you test positive for any communicable diseases like HIV, hepatitis or tuberculosis, you may be detained and then deported, without appeal. Check the health and fitness requirements on the United Arab Emirates’ government portal.
When applying for a UAE residence visa, it is common practice for your sponsor’s representative to give their details as the contact information on your application. When your residence visa is issued, update these details using ICP Smart System services. These details are used by the local authorities when they contact you.
Previous travel to Israel
UAE immigration authorities have advised that British nationals with valid or expired Israeli visas or stamps in their passports should not face any difficulties entering the UAE as long as they do not intend to work. If you do intend to work, further checks may be required and there is a risk that entry may be refused.
If you are a British-Israeli dual national and have any concerns about entering the UAE, contact the UAE Embassy in the UK.
Leaving the UAE
If you are subject to a travel ban, involved in legal proceedings, have unpaid debt or are a child subject to a custody dispute, you may be prevented from leaving the UAE.
Vaccine requirements
For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s UAE guide.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of UAE. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
It is illegal to bring pork products or pornography into the UAE. Videos, books, and magazines may be subject to scrutiny and may be censored.
Medication
There are strict rules about what medications can be brought into the UAE. You will need approval from the UAE authorities to bring in medication that the UAE classes as narcotic, psychotropic, controlled or semi-controlled.
You must request approval in advance to bring in medication. Apply online using the electronic application form on the UAE Ministry of Health website. The UAE authorities advise that applications are normally processed within 5 working days.
If you arrive in the UAE without evidence of prior approval, the medication will not be allowed into the UAE and you may be prosecuted. For information on controlled medicines or the process for obtaining permission, contact the UAE Ministry of Health on info@moh.gov.ae or call +971 800 11111.
In all cases, there are limits on the amount of medication that can be brought into the UAE legally. The Ministry of Health advise you can bring up to 3 months’ supply of medication as a visitor, reduced to one month’s supply if the medication is included in the list requiring approval.
You do not need to complete this approval process if you are only transiting airside through a UAE airport and will not pass through UAE immigration to enter the UAE.