Customs Information
United Arab Emirates - Diplomat
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS 
- CUSTOMER MUST BE PRESENT FOR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
- All shipments subject to inspection. Extensive physical inspection might incur additional charges at destination.
- All used household goods and personal effects are duty-free for foreigners coming for the first time as a resident into the country.
- All new household goods dutiable, value determined by customs official.
- Failure to provide all above documentation might result in Customs Officials applying duty to a shipment.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- Passport copy (picture and personal details page)
- Customs forms
- Diplomatic identification
- Letter in Arabic from the respective Embassy/Consulate requesting duty-free import
- Residence Visa copy
- Entry stamp (first entry in Dubai upon initiation of Residence Visa process)
MOTOR VEHICLES
- Can only be registered with a valid United Arab Emirates Residence Visa
- Only one car is allowed per adult person. A family importing two cars must have each vehicle registered under a different family member. Customs will not allow two cars in the same container so each car must be shipped in a separate container. Documents need to be consigned in each name, and each must have a valid Residence Visa for the U.A.E Import of vehicles is tracked by customs and one is only allowed to import a car once.
- Each customer is allowed one car an one motorbike. Same rules apply for motorcycles as for cars and the documentation required is also the same (see below, very important requirements)
- Cars with tinted glass are not allowed to be imported. The owner will be fined and asked to have all tinted windows replaced.
- Duty is applicable on all used motor vehicles at 5% of the customs assessed value, even for diplomatic shipments.
- Documents required:
- Registration documents from origin / Certificate of Origin (Title or Deed) or Copy of Purchase Invoice or proof of ownership.
- One of these documents must show: chassis number, engine number, make, model, year and color.
- Copy of Passport (picture and personal details page(s))
- UAE Residence Permit/Visa
- Estimate of depreciated value of the car at the time of import
PETS
- Dogs and cats import permitted with the following documentation:
- U.A.E.Import Certificate to enter the country
- Valid rabies vaccine record showing:
- valid rabies vaccine given within one year
- If only one vaccine has been given this should be done more than 30 days prior to arrival
- As first rabies vaccines are given at 3 months of age, animals must be a least 4 months old when traveling to the U.A.E.
- Microchip identification
- Cargo entry (excess or accompanied baggage not allowed)
- Health certificate issued by the exporting country within 10 days of travel
- Breeds barred entry to the UAE include: Pit Bull (Includes American Pit Bull Terrier), American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog and crosses between them, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tosa, Akita, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero, crosses of all above mentioned breeds.
- NOTE: Animals leaving without proper paperwork are confiscated and kept at the airport or other secure facility until paperwork is obtained. This is at the owner's expense.
DUTIABLE/RESTRICTED ITEMS
- New items
- Plants and plant material require a Health Certificate
- Medication and foodstuff (subject to special approval and inspection by Ministry of Health), must be packed separately. Please note some medicines allowed in Western countries are prohibited in the UAE and are best avoided completely.
- All political and religious literature needs prior approval from the Ministry.
- Flammable or corrosive items
- Exposed film or other valuables, stamp or coin collections of high value
PROHIBITED ITEMS
- Alcoholic beverages are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. All shipping containers are scanned and items appearing as bottles are screened. Please ensure absolutely no alcohol is included in the shipment. Fines and heavy duty are applied on shipments found to contain alcohol and the consignee is liable to potential deportation.
- All items manufactured by Israeli blacklist and Israeli origin
- Firearms, weapons and ammunition (even decorative items of this nature and toy guns are subject to confiscation)
- Erotic statues/figurines, idols, made of any metal/clay/glass, etc., defined offensive to Islamic teachings and principles
- Narcotics and drugs (including seemingly innocent dried poppy flower arrangements) can lead to very severe legal action and even long prison terms. (Prescribed drugs allowed in reasonable quantities, but subject to analysis).
- Articles dealing with endangered animals and any items made out of ivory
- Wireless transmitters and communications equipment
- False and counterfeit money
- Pornographic, nude drawings, political and religious material which might be deemed offensive to the United Arab Emirates government or the Islamic faith.
- Pork meat
- Prohibited articles detained by the Customs authorities may be destroyed without consignee's consent
- *ALL PRINTED MATTER, BOOKS, PICTURES, RECORDS, FILMS, TAPES, SLIDES, MOVIES, VIDEOS, COMPACT DISCS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE, ETC. ARE SUBJECT TO CENSORSHIP AND CONFISCATION (MUST BE PACKED SEPARATELY FOR EASY ACCESS AND CLEARLY MARKED ON THE INVENTORY)
- Gambling items