United Arab Emirates - Customs
Current UAE regulations allow foreign flagged vessels a period of 21 days to sail in territorial waters. After this time, the vessel needs to have a UAE Navigation Permit, which lasts one year and must be renewed each year. It is also expected that the vessel will have a marina address.
Boats being imported into the UAE must pay import duty on the vessel at 5%. Note – duty at 5% now applies on all sailing equipment bought for boats in the country, whether they are locally registered or foreign registered.
Firearms must be declared and may be held in custody until departure.
A doctor’s prescription should be carried along with any medication that is brought into the country.
Some drugs and medications that may be purchased over-the-counter in other countries are classified as controlled substances in the UAE and are illegal to possess. A person may be arrested and prosecuted if in possession of prescribed or over-the-counter medicines containing, for example, codeine or similar narcotic-like ingredients. See this website for the full list of banned drugs.
Importing pork products and pornography into the UAE is illegal. Videos, books, and magazines may be subject to scrutiny and may be censored.
Electronic cigarettes are illegal in the UAE and are likely to be confiscated.
Equipment like satellite phones, listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras or binoculars, may require a licence for use in the UAE.
Last updated: July 2018
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My husband and I are based in UAE and keep our yacht here. We sailed the boat over from Singapore in January 2015 clearing into Abu Dhabi. Customs and immigration clearance was quite straightforward, however, ensure there are no Iranian stamps on the passport and no weapons, drugs etc on the boat.
As a foreign flag vessel, current UAE regulations allow a period of 21 days grace and sailing in territorial waters. Then the vessel needs to have a UAE Navigation Permit, which lasts one year and must be renewed each year. Boats being imported into the UAE must pay import duty on the vessel at 5%. Note – duty at 5% now applies to all sailing equipment bought for boats in the country, whether they are locally registered or foreign registered.
The arrangements for sailing from one emirate to another differ slightly. In Dubai for example, you need an approval to sail to other Emirates, but not from Abu Dhabi. The actual sailing bit is very safe. Beware of sailing too close to Iranian waters and straying into their territory as this will result in being arrested. (Andrea December 2016)