Travel Tips

ENTERING UAE

Visitors to the United Arab Emirates must obtain a visa prior to travel unless if you are a passport holder of the below country or territory, no advance visa arrangements are required to visit the UAE. Simply disembark your flight at Dubai International and proceed to immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30‑day visit visa free of charge.

Andorra, Austalia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macau China, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, San Marino, Singapore, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Vatican City.

If you are a passport holder of one of the below countries or territories, your passport will be stamped with a multiple entry 90‑day visit visa that's valid for 6 months from the date of issue, and for a stay of 90 days in total. Citizens of the below European countries are also entitled to apply for a pre‑arranged visit visa if their 90‑day visa on arrival has been fully utilized.

Argentina, Austria, Bahamas Islands, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia,Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kirbati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxebourg, Maldives, Malta, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Sain Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Servia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uguguay

If you hold a Mexican passport you’re eligible for a multiple entry 180‑day visit visa that's valid for 6 months from the date of issue, and for a stay of 180 days in total.

Important information

Before you travel to the UAE, please check your visa requirements and make sure you have a valid visa if needed, or if your passport needs to be valid for a minimum period. Holders of non‑standard passports and travel documents may also have different entry requirements: find out if you need to apply for a visa and other passport requirements.

As of 29 April 2016, GCC residence permit holders will need to apply for a UAE visa before arriving in Dubai.

As of 1 May 2017, Indian nationals holding a normal passport valid for a minimum of six months from the arrival date, and a visit visa or green card issued by the USA which is valid for a minimum of six months, or holding a UK or EU residence, can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 14 days for a charge of AED120 (subject to change). They can apply to extend their stay for an additional 14 days for AED250 (subject to change).

DUTY FREE ALLOWANCES

·       Two litres of spirits (non- Muslim adults only)

·       Two litres of wines (non- Muslim adults only)

·       10 cartons of cigarettes

·       100 cigars

·       A reasonable amount of perfume

CURRENCY

The UAE currency is known as the Arab Emirate Dirham denoted by AED or more commonly Dhs. One dirham is divided into 100 fils. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar at a mid-rate of approximately US$1=Dhs3.679

HOTELS

Accommodation options vary from luxurious five-star hotels to budget friendly hotel apartments. Conference, convention, meeting and banqueting facilities are available in most hotels.

LANGUAGE

Arabic is the official language of the UAE. English is widely spoken and understood

MEDICAL SERVICES

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulates all medical services in the emirate. Rashid, Latifa and Dubai Hospitals are operated by DHA itself and all emergency services here are free for both residents and visitors. There are many private hospitals in the city and fees vary.

NEWS PAPERS

English : Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Gulf Today and The National

Arabic : Al- Bayan, Al- Ittihad, Al- Khaleej and Emarat Al-Youm

POPULATION

3.33 million

BANKS

All major international bankd have branches in the city. Working hours are 8am to 2pm Saturday to Thursday. ATMs are widely available.

BUSINESS HOURS

Most businesses are open from 8am -6pm Monday to Thursday. 8 am -1 pm on Fridays. Embassies, consulates and government offices operate from 7.30am - 2.20pm Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are official holidays for all government departments. Its advisable to check the timings directly as it may vary for different offices.

CREDIT CARDS

Major credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in most hotels and shopping malls

CLIMATE

A subtropical, arid climate ensures clear blue skies almost throughout the year. Winter may see a few infrequent rain showers. Temperatures vary from season to season: January can fall to a low of 15 degree celsius, while July can rise to a high of 48 degree celsius.

RAMADAN

Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the noble Qu'ran to the holy Prophet Muhammad. Eating, drinking and smoking in public is strictly prohibited. However, many restaurants may have takeaway facilities and should anyone want to eat or drink or smoke, he or she is free to do the same, but in private, without offending others in this Holy Month. Also please make a note that entertainment programmes are strictly banned during the month of Ramadan. No loud music, no belly dance or any kind of entertainments is allowed.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol is available in licensed hotels and restaurants. During the month of Ramadan, alcohol will not be served until sunset time and no music or entertainments at the bars are allowed.

RELIGION

Islam is the official religion of the UAE. The UAE, and especiall the emirate of Dubai, offers great tolerance for all other faiths.

SHOPPING

Malls: 10am - midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 10am -1am Thursday, Friday and Saturday Independent retail outlets: 10am -1pm and 4pm to 10pm Saturday to Wednesday, 4pm-midnight Friday

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Telecom services are provided by Etisalat and Du. Direct dialing is available to most countries. Calls made from one fixed lint to another within Dubai are free. The country code is +971 and the area code is 04

TIPPING

This is not essential but a tip of 10 percent is appreciated.

UTILITIES

Electricity: The electricity supply in the UAE is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles. US-made appliances may require a transformer.

Water: Bottled mineral water is served in hotels and restaurants. However tap water is not recommended for drinking.

DRESS CODE

As a sign of respect for local customs and traditons, a modest dress code is strongly advised. Wearing revealing clothing in public places should be avoided at all times. Swimwear is acceptable only at hotel pools, resorts and beaches. Before leaving those areas, change into casual wear

GREETING

The acceptable male greeting on meeting a Gulf Arab is to stand up and shake hands. However, for a man to shake the hand of a Muslim woman (and vice versa) is, in most circumstances, considered unacceptable. Local women will usually not offer their hand to a man and will nod and smile instead and some local men prefer not to shake hands with women. If in doubt, wait until a hand is offered when meeting someone for the first time.

PERSONAL CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE

Rude and arrogant behaviour is unacceptable. Public displays of affection between a man and woman are considered disrespectful. There is zero tolerance for drunken driving and inappropriate behaviour while under the influence of alcohol. Swearing is consdered very offensive. During the holy month of Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public are strictly prohibited.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Avoid taking photographs of women as it is considered intrusive and rude. Photographing military installations, government buildings and private premises is strictly prohibited.

Please let us know if we missed anything important or if you need more details on any topic, please feel free to contact us