Middle East and North Africa

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There are confirmed human cases of the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) in the UAE (source UAE Ministry of Health). You can check for updates on the number of cases and their location through the Ministry of Health website at: www.moh.gov.ae/en . Contrary to recent media reports the UAE Ministry of Health has not introduced a requirement for expats to provide medical reports when re-entering the country after the summer break. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk .
  
  
• Around 1.1 million British nationals visited the UAE in 2007. (Source: Abu Dhabi and Dubai Immigration Authorities).  Most visits are trouble-free.  462 British nationals required consular assistance in the UAE in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (77 cases); hospitalisations (31 cases); and dealing with arrests, for a variety of offences (294 cases) many from failing to observe the UAE's zero tolerance policy towards possession and use of illegal drugs.  Possession of even the smallest amount of illegal drugs can lead to a minimum four year jail sentence. Care should also be taken about the import of prescription drugs and some over-the-counter drugs.  See the Local Laws and Customs section of this advice for more details. During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (247 cases).
  
  
• There is a high threat from terrorism.  We believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE.  Attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.  You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places.
  
  
• Since 1 January 2009, the length of visit visas given on arrival has changed.  See the Entry Requirements section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.