UAE travel: New policies, restrictions on carrying cash, jewelry

In recent years, UAE has become a hub for economic as well as leisure activities with airports of UAE recording high traffic of passengers. Unbeknownst to the stated rules many travelers are likely to possess restricted or banned items and may need approvals.

They are advised to strictly adhere to the customs regulation of the unified custom contained in the GCC unified Customs law and any other law that appertain to customs in order to avoid any form of risk that so much encompasses the journey in a bid to have a risk-free travel journey.

Passengers who have in excess of Dh 60,000 in cash or the like amount in other currencies, financial instruments, precious metals or valuable stones shall be required to declare to ICP and such amounts carrying on the person shall be retained by the Authority along with the articles as found in articles 7 and 8 above. I have also had to inform them that they can declare the money through the official website or Afseh app – Google Play and App Store.

Passengers below the age of 18 years: Any amount in their possession shall be added to the permitted limit of the passenger’s parent/guardian or other person whom the passenger is accompanying.

This shall be accompanied by imprisonment, a fine, or one of these penalties for anyone who deliberately omits information as they should, or even provides wrong information. Besides, the ownership and use of the seized assets may also be stopped and the funds recovered by the court may also be seized by the court.

The restricted good include Narcotics, gambling equipment & accessories, nylon fishing nets, live animals of Pig species, raw ivory, Laser pens with Red Light Package, counterfeit currencies, substances containing nuclear rays and dust, prohibited publications, pictorial and sculptural representations, which are religiously offensive or immoral and paan items including betel leaves.

Namely, upon the current UAE law, the amount of gifts and souvenirs that can be imported to the country should not exceed Dh3,000. The quantity of cigarettes should not be more than the permitted [200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 500 gm of minced or pressed for pipes or minced/pressed tobacco for smoking tumbâk, pure tumbâk or hookah molasses].

Alcoholic beverages may not be more than four litres, or two cartons of beer and these must not contain more than 24 cans per carton, and each can may contain not more than 355 millilitres. Also, the passengers below the age of 18 should not transport tobacco products and alcoholic drinks.

Items exempted from customs duties

As per ICP, travelers may carry in the following items without being mandatory to pay any taxes or duties:

• Telescopes
• Movie projection devices and relevant accessories
• Radio, CD players and CDs
• Video and digital cameras and their tapes for personal use
• Portable music instruments
• TV and receiver, one each
• Strollers
• Personal sports equipment
• Portable computers and printers
• Calculators
• Wheelchairs and vehicles of people of determination (people with special needs)
• Medication for personal use, that is in compliance with the applicable regulations
• Clothes, toiletries and luggage of personal nature
• Personal jewellery

Banned items

The UAE Government bans the entry of certain goods and confines some others. Banned/prohibited goods are those whose import and export is banned under the Common Customs Law of the GCC States, or any other law or regulation applicable in the UAE.

Banned items include, but are not limited to:

• Controlled/recreational drugs and narcotic substances
• Pirated content
• Counterfeit currency
• Items used in black magic, witchcraft or sorcery
• Publications and artwork that contradict or challenge Islamic teachings and values
• Gambling tools and machines.

Restricted items

Restricted goods are goods whose import and export are regulated under the same law above and applicable regulations, and they need prior authorization from the authorities concerned before import or export.

The following list outlines restricted goods along with their respective controlling authorities: