smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
United Arab Emirates
| United Arab Emirates overall | This Advice is current for Wednesday, 07 January 2009. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and Security: Terrorism (update). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of the high threat of terrorist attack.
Information suggests that terrorists may be planning attacks against a range of targets, possibly on the Arabian Peninsula and in Jordan. Establishments frequented by foreigners remain attractive targets. Countries on the Arabian Peninsula include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Statements by international terrorist groups have called for attacks against Western interests in the Gulf region. These include references to residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against Western interests in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The terrorist organisation al–Qa'ida continues to publicly threaten to attack Westerners in the Arabian Peninsula. Terrorists have attacked Westerners in this region. Further attacks against targets in the Arabian Peninsula, including the UAE, cannot be ruled out.
In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include key transport installations including air and sea ports, buildings associated with foreign companies and governments (including embassies and military sites), residential compounds, oil interests, hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events, tourist areas and historic sites. Domestic government and military sites are also possible targets.
The UAE has a low incidence of crime. Petty crime, including pick-pocketing and bag snatching, is rare.
Road travel can be dangerous due to unsafe driving practices (particularly speeding, poor lane discipline and reckless overtaking). Roaming animals, careless pedestrians and drifting sands are occasional road hazards. Off road driving can also be hazardous. You should ensure vehicles are well equipped, properly maintained and are carrying sufficient water.
Tourist visa holders who want to drive in the UAE must get an international drivers permit before leaving Australia.
Women should take particular care when travelling alone, particularly at night.
The safety standards you might expect of transport and tour operators, including adventure activities, are not always met. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.
Travellers entering the Gulf area by sea should be aware that many areas are sensitive in relation to security and territory. In particular, maritime boundaries and the islands of Abu Musa and the Tunbs in the southern Gulf are sensitive. There are reports of detentions and inspections of vessels and arrest. For more information, you should also read our travel advice for Australians travelling by sea.
The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
The UAE often experiences extremely high temperatures. During the hottest months of the year, the temperature can exceed 50˚C.
Sand storms and dust storms occur regularly.
Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
Foreign employees may be asked to leave their passports with employers as a condition of employment in the UAE. While this practice is not unusual, it is against the law.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or child care facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or child care facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select child care providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Childwise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in the UAE be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail. Custodial sentences would be served in local jails.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
The UAE is a Muslim country and its local laws reflect the fact that Islamic practices and beliefs are closely applied. Legal and administrative processes may be substantially different from those in Australia. If you are arrested, you may face a significant period of detention before your case comes to trial. You should familiarise yourself with local laws before you travel.
There is a zero tolerance policy towards drugs and penalties for drug trafficking include the death penalty or life in jail. Penalties for possession or use of illegal drugs include imprisonment and heavy fines. The UAE has issued a warning to visitors to be aware of its strict laws against illegal drug possession. The presence of illegal drugs detected in blood or urine tests is considered possession. You may also be charged with possessing drugs if trace amounts are found on your body, clothing or luggage. Amounts of 0.05 grams or less can lead to guilty verdicts.
Medication: Medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia may be illegal or considered a controlled substance in the UAE. Any such medication is not allowed into the country without prior permission from the UAE Ministry of Health. If a person arrives with certain medication and without prior approval and the required documentation, they will not be allowed into the country and may be prosecuted. The UAE Ministry of Health regularly updates a list of illegal medication on its website. Medication on the website is listed by its generic name, which may not be the name by which it is known in Australia, and you should check your medication's generic names. If your medication is not listed, it may still be illegal or considered a controlled substance.
You should carry a copy of your prescription, a letter from your doctor and carry all medication in its original packaging. This applies while you are taking medication and is detectable in your system. Transit passengers should also contact the UAE Ministry of Health to check whether their medication is illegal or on the controlled list. The Ministry of Health can be contacted by emailing essaj@moh.gov.uae or faxing 0011 971 2 631 3742.
Serious crimes, such as murder, treason and rape, may attract the death penalty.
The penalty for drunkenness and defamation may involve corporal punishment where the offenders are Muslims.
Common law relationships, homosexual acts and prostitution are illegal and subject to severe punishment. Adultery is also a crime.
Drinking or possession of alcohol without a UAE Ministry of Interior liquor permit is illegal and could result in arrest and imprisonment. Alcohol is served in some hotels and sold in a limited number of designated stores. Alcohol may be bought by people who hold a liquor licence. These licences are only available to UAE residents and only permit the holder to purchase or consume alcohol in the Emirate which issued the licence (for example, a permit issued in Abu Dhabi is not valid in Dubai). Drinking in public or being intoxicated in a public place is illegal. Offenders may be arrested.
It is illegal to have any alcohol in your blood when driving.
It is illegal to leave the scene of a traffic accident or move your vehicle before the police have arrived.
The penalty for preaching and distributing non-Islamic religious material to Muslims is imprisonment and deportation.
It is illegal to harass women. Harassment includes unwanted conversation, prolonged stares, touching any part of the body, glaring, shouting, stalking or any comments that may offend.
Taking photographs of local people, particularly women, without permission and where there has been no previous contact is illegal and can lead to arrest or fines.
You should obey signs that prohibit photography of government buildings and facilities.
Swearing and making rude gestures (including minor incidents of "road rage") are criminal acts in the UAE and may result in significant penalties.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
The UAE is a Muslim country with strict standards of dress and behaviour. You should familiarise yourself with local customs, culture and attitudes before you leave home, seek local advice on arrival and take care not to offend.
Men and women should dress modestly, particularly in Sharjah and Ajman where Islamic law is strictly enforced. Loose modest dress is recommended. Revealing clothing is likely to draw unwanted attention. If you are in doubt about appropriate dress, you should seek local advice. Beach goers should be aware there are strict local laws against dressing inappropriately. Topless sunbathing and nudity are prohibited.
During the holy month of Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset is forbidden for Muslims. Non-Muslims are also expected to refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in public in front of Muslims between sunrise and sunset. A small number of large establishments, such as five star hotels, will cater for non-Muslims during these times. You should check arrangements beforehand.
Public displays of affection between adults, such as holding hands, are socially unacceptable. There have been arrests for public displays of affection, including kissing.
The UAE does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/United Arab Emirates dual nationals who are arrested or detained.
Children of fathers with UAE citizenship automatically acquire UAE citizenship at birth. Child custody decisions are based on Islamic law. You should ensure that you consult a lawyer to resolve custody disputes and to determine whether children may be prevented from leaving the United Arab Emirates.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate-General of the United Arab Emirates for the most up-to-date information.
You may experience difficulties as you enter the UAE if your passport has evidence of travel to Israel, such as entry or exit stamps.
The importation of pornographic material is forbidden. Videos, books and magazines may be scrutinised and censored or confiscated.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
While public medical facilities in the major cities of the UAE are adequate, services may not be available in remote areas. A number of private facilities, especially in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai, meet international accreditation standards. For patients without travel health insurance, hospitals will require a guarantee of payment before commencing treatment. Costs can be very expensive depending on the level of health care required and length of stay.
Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are prevalent with more serious outbreak occurring from time to time. We encourage you to have vaccinations before travelling to the UAE. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water and avoid raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of regions throughout the world, including the Middle East. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
In the United Arab Emirates, you can obtain consular assistance from the:
Australian Embassy
14th Floor
Al Muhairy Centre
Sheikh Zayed the First Street
Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
Telephone: (971 2) 634 6100
Facsimile: (971 2) 639 3525
Website: www.uae.embassy.gov.au
or
Australian Consulate-General
25th Floor Burjuman Centre Office Tower
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road (Trade Centre Road)
Dubai United Arab Emirates
Telephone: (971 4) 508 7100
Facsimile: (971 4) 355 1547
The working week of the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate-General in Dubai is Sunday to Thursday in accordance with local practice.
If you are travelling to the UAE, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register on-line or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate.
The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
