Local Laws

Criminal Penalties:  While you are traveling in the UAE, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. 

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law.  For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website.

As each Emirate has its own independent judicial system, legal procedures and penalties vary throughout the country.  Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.  Persons violating Emirati laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, imprisoned, or prevented from traveling and their passports held by local authorities for extended periods of time. 

• U.S. citizens have been arrested in the past for obscene hand gestures, using inappropriate (foul) language with a police official, and for public displays of affection, such as kissing. 
• Penalties for any possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the United Arab Emirates are severe.  Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences, heavy fines, and deportation.  It is possible to be convicted for drug possession based on the result of a drug test even if no other evidence exists, regardless of when or where the consumption originally occurred.

Alcohol and drugs:  Consuming or possessing alcohol without a Ministry of Interior liquor permit is illegal and could result in arrest and/or fines and imprisonment.  Alcohol is served at bars in most major hotels but is intended for guests of the hotel.  Persons who are not guests of the hotel, and who consume alcohol in the restaurants and bars, technically are required to have their own personal liquor licenses.  Liquor licenses are issued only to non-Muslim persons who possess UAE residency permits.  Public drunkenness (no matter where the drinking occurs) and driving under the influence, regardless of one’s blood alcohol content level, are considered very serious offenses.  Persons arrested on alcohol-related offenses are regularly detained for many days as they await a court hearing.  Penalties may include hefty jail sentences, substantial fines and, for Muslims (even those holding U.S. citizenship), lashings.

Note:  Alcohol is permitted in six of the seven emirates, but is prohibited in the emirate of Sharjah.

Legislation enacted in January 1996 imposes the death sentence for convicted drug traffickers.  Since January 2006, possession of even trace amounts of illegal drugs has resulted in lengthy prison sentences for foreign citizens transiting the UAE.

Possession or consumption of marijuana is illegal in the UAE, even if a doctor’s medical card is presented.  More information about medications can be found on the website of the UAE Ministry of Health.  Most medications available in the United States are also available by doctors’ prescription through hospitals and pharmacies in the UAE.  However, travelers are advised to check whether any required medications are available on the local market. 

The UAE's tough anti-narcotics program also includes poppy seeds, widely used in other cultures, including the United States, for culinary purposes, on its list of controlled substances.  The importation and possession of poppy seeds in any and all forms, including as dried decorative plants, are strictly prohibited.  Persons found to possess even very small quantities of controlled substances listed by the UAE are subject to prosecution by the authorities and may be given lengthy prison terms of up to 15 years.  Persons may be charged and convicted even if the controlled substances were ingested outside of the UAE as long as traces are still present in the bloodstream upon arrival in the UAE.

Travelers with questions regarding the items on the list of controlled substances should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai.  If suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, individuals may be required to submit to blood and/or urine tests and may be subject to prosecution.

Fraud:  Crimes of fraud, including passing bad checks and non-payment of bills (including hotel bills), are regarded seriously in the UAE and can often result in imprisonment and/or fines.  A personal check written as a guarantee for the payment of a personal or business debt may be submitted to a local bank for collection at any time for the full amount of the check.  If the account holder does not have sufficient funds, he/she may be charged with passing a bad check.  Bail generally is not available to non-residents of the UAE who are arrested for crimes involving fraud.  Debtors can be held in prison until their debts are paid or until an agreement is reached between the parties.  Passports may be seized by the UAE government to guarantee that debtors settle their cases.  Financial cases may be further complicated by debtors being unable to work in the UAE without passports while still being held responsible for their debts.

Scams: U.S. citizens have also been the victims of email scams seemingly originating from the UAE.  Con artists contact Americans through the internet, including dating web sites.  These con artists usually pose as American citizens who have unexpectedly experienced a medical, legal, financial or other type of emergency in the UAE that requires immediate financial assistance.  Co-conspirators may pose as UAE based lawyers or medical professionals to verify the story and the supposed urgent need for cash.  Some victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars from such scams.  Email scams have become increasingly sophisticated using fake websites and we have even heard of individuals taking American citizens’ email addresses in order to pose as legitimate American businesses. Recipients of such emails alleging a U.S. citizen is experiencing a medical, legal, financial, or other type of emergency in the UAE should ask the sender to contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance as soon as possible.  The suggestion to contact the embassy or consulate may deter further pleas if they are not genuine.  For information on protecting yourself from scam artists, visit our International Financial Scams website, and FBI pages.

Terrorist Organizations List:  On November 15, 2014 the UAE government announced a list of 85 groups it considers to be terrorist organizations.  Although many of these groups – including two U.S.-based organizations – are not included on the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Terrorist Organizations list, all travelers to the UAE are subject to UAE law within UAE territory.  Individuals who are associated with groups on the UAE list could be detained at UAE borders, have their assets frozen, and/or be prosecuted for membership in a terrorist organization. 

Religious proselytizing:  While individuals are free to worship as they choose, and facilities are available for that purpose, religious proselytizing is not permitted in the UAE.  Persons violating this law, even unknowingly, may be imprisoned or deported.

Consular notification:  To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

If arrested, U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General for assistance.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulate will provide information on the local judicial system and a list of local attorneys.

Codes of Behavior and Dress:  Codes of behavior and dress in the UAE reflect the country's Islamic traditions and are much more conservative than those of the United States.  Visitors to the UAE should be respectful of this conservative heritage, especially in the Emirate of Sharjah where rules of decency and public conduct are strictly enforced.  Public decency and morality laws throughout the UAE are much stricter than in the United States.  Penalties for public displays of affection or immodesty can be severe.  Travelers have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms for kissing in public.  Sexual relations outside marriage and adultery are illegal in the UAE and convicted individuals have been punished by lengthy jail sentences.  There have been well publicized cases of alleged rape, where the victim of the alleged rape was charged for sexual relations outside of marriage.  This is especially true where additional risk factors are present, such as drinking. 

Travelers should keep in mind the cultural differences among the many people who coexist in the UAE and should be cognizant that unwitting actions, including clothing choices, may invite unwanted attention.  

Employment in the UAE:  Although it is customary for a local sponsor to hold an employee's passport, it is illegal to do so under UAE law.  Many contractual/labor disputes can be avoided by clearly establishing all terms and conditions of employment or sponsorship in the labor contract at the beginning of any employment.  Should a dispute arise, the UAE Ministry of Labor has established a special department to review and arbitrate labor claims.  Please review your employment contract before coming to the UAE and make sure that you understand it.  Some employees are obligated to pay their employers if they wish to terminate their contracts early.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General do not intercede in employment disputes. 

U.S. citizens have at times become involved in disputes of a commercial or financial nature that have prompted local firms or courts to take possession of the U.S. citizen's passport, effectively preventing the individual from leaving the UAE until the dispute is resolved.  In addition, local firms have been known to leverage the UAE criminal justice system in an attempt to coerce and/or strengthen their negotiation stance during commercial disputes by filing criminal complaints, which may lead not only to travel restrictions but possible criminal penalties, including jail time.  A list of local attorneys capable of representing U.S. citizens in such matters is available from the Consular and Commercial sections of the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai.

Document Authentications:  U.S. citizens intending to reside and work in the UAE are generally required by the UAE government to present authenticated personal documents such as marriage and birth certificates, adoption and custody decrees, and educational documents to include diplomas and certificates.  The authentication of U.S. documents is done completely in the U.S. and can be a complex process involving local, state, and federal offices and requiring several weeks to complete.  For procedural information, the Office of Authentications may be contacted by telephone from within the United States at 800-688-9889 or 202-647-5002, by fax at 202-663-3636.  The websites of the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai also contain information about the authentication process.  Determining the exact requirements with one’s prospective employer is strongly recommended before arrival in the UAE.

In order to meet UAE government requirements for school registrations and residency sponsorship for family members, U.S. citizens intending to bring their families to reside with them in the UAE will need to have their marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, or custody/adoption decrees, if applicable, authenticated by the state in which the document was issued, by the Department of State in Washington, DC, and by the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC.  The U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate General cannot authenticate U.S. local- and state-issued personal, academic, or professional documents, even if those documents have already been authenticated by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications.  Additional information on authentication of documents can be found on the State Department’s website and on the Embassy or Consulate General websites.

Women Travelers: Please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

Students:  See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips.

LGBTI Rights:  Consensual same-sex sexual relations are criminalized in the UAE.  Penalties may include fines and imprisonment.  Under interpretations of sharia, the punishment could include the death penalty.  Although the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate General are not aware of any recent arrests or prosecutions for such activities, they remain illegal.  Cross-dressing is also a punishable offense and there have been reports that the government took action against cross-dressing individuals.  See our LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of our   Human Rights report for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: While in the UAE, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States.  Although the UAE has several modern cities, the level of service, especially outside of newly constructed areas is not comparable to the United States.  This includes the availability of public transportation attuned to the needs of those with disabilities, well-designed sidewalks and road crossings, and accessible businesses.