Prescription medicines into Dubai
Thread Starter
Prescription medicines into Dubai
A question for those living in the UAE. My wife and daughter are travelling to Europe next week and due to her medical condition will be breaking their journey both ways in Dubai for a couple of days to rest and recover as to do it in one hop is too arduous for her. They are booked on Emirates. Since booking months ago we have stumbled upon websites that advise us that certain medications ( controlled drugs )are banned in the UAE . Even Codeine is banned can you believe it. A couple of these "prescribed controlled drugs" are in her medications.
Question....how serious are they in the UAE about enforcing this? How do locals get by as these medications are common in western countries, or are they very old laws that are not enforced any more?
Unfortunately her travel agent never told her about any of this at the time of booking and if they had she would have traveled via Singapore instead and given Emirates a miss.
Any info would be appreciated.
Question....how serious are they in the UAE about enforcing this? How do locals get by as these medications are common in western countries, or are they very old laws that are not enforced any more?
Unfortunately her travel agent never told her about any of this at the time of booking and if they had she would have traveled via Singapore instead and given Emirates a miss.
Any info would be appreciated.
short flights long nights
They are very serious. Very serious.
Get a letter frm the doctor stating the name/s of the medication and the reason (type of illness).
Check with Emirates locally with the letter from the doctor and get a response from them in black and white. They should be able to help.
Another option is to ask if they have an airside/transit hotel so that you can break the journey there.
Finally declare meds on arrival Dubai and be prepared to source locally if the meds get conficated. Medical insurance to cover this.
Good luck.
Check with Emirates locally with the letter from the doctor and get a response from them in black and white. They should be able to help.
Another option is to ask if they have an airside/transit hotel so that you can break the journey there.
Finally declare meds on arrival Dubai and be prepared to source locally if the meds get conficated. Medical insurance to cover this.
Good luck.
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Finally declare meds on arrival Dubai and be prepared to source locally if the meds get conficated. Medical insurance to cover this.
they are transiting...if at all possible travel without the meds...as mentioned abov very serious and more than one news story has emerged when the traveller thought they had all the proper documentation and had done everything right only to find out the hard way they had not...
they are transiting...if at all possible travel without the meds...as mentioned abov very serious and more than one news story has emerged when the traveller thought they had all the proper documentation and had done everything right only to find out the hard way they had not...
A stay airside at the airport hotel might indeed be your safest bet. Not the best place in town but you won't be walking out for fresh air anywhere in Dubai mid July...
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Have a look at this website:
UAE MOH - Issuing permission to import medicines for personal use
You can submit a request online to carry controlled drugs into the UAE for personal use. Providing the Ministry of Health approves your request, you simply take this approval with you when you travel. This is not mandatory but the other option is declaring what you have with customs when you arrive, which could be far more time consuming and perhaps problematic.
UAE MOH - Issuing permission to import medicines for personal use
You can submit a request online to carry controlled drugs into the UAE for personal use. Providing the Ministry of Health approves your request, you simply take this approval with you when you travel. This is not mandatory but the other option is declaring what you have with customs when you arrive, which could be far more time consuming and perhaps problematic.
Thread Starter
Firstly thank you all that took the time to help with advise. As a return courtesy I thought I would let you know what we are going to do about it all. Pretty much what Anilv suggested. That is she has been to her Doctor and who has written a letter stating all her Medications and what they are for with his contact details included. A couple of the opioid based drugs she takes as needed will be left home and sourced in Ireland if required. The others she has to take so will take a double dose before landing then declare them on entry and if they are are confiscated well bad luck and again will purchase more on arrival in Ireland. She has a letter to explain that to a local GP too. We are hoping they may get held in storage then given back to her on departing Dubai but don't know if that is possible as they are expensive.
The form suggested by Emma R we were aware of thanks anyway but no use to us as it takes up to 5 days for a reply and they leave tomorrow.
So that is it, we will see how they go.
As a future reference would anyone know if the same restrictions to medical drugs apply in Qatar? As flying with them is a option next time we go to Europe or would we be better to route via Singapore,Bangkok or Hong Kong?
Thanks again
Mostlytossas
The form suggested by Emma R we were aware of thanks anyway but no use to us as it takes up to 5 days for a reply and they leave tomorrow.
So that is it, we will see how they go.
As a future reference would anyone know if the same restrictions to medical drugs apply in Qatar? As flying with them is a option next time we go to Europe or would we be better to route via Singapore,Bangkok or Hong Kong?
Thanks again
Mostlytossas
Be careful with the double dosing approach, if it’s in your bloodstream it still qualifies as possession if they want to throw the book at you
i’m not certain of the rules in Qatar but I would imagine they would be similar
as an aside Japan is also pretty strict especially on codeine so it’s not limited to the middle east
i’m not certain of the rules in Qatar but I would imagine they would be similar
as an aside Japan is also pretty strict especially on codeine so it’s not limited to the middle east
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