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Prepare for United Arab Emirates

Destination guide

Last updated: August 30, 2026

On a Portuguese passport you enter the UAE without a visa, for up to 90 days in any 180. The country is organised and hosts millions of visitors, but it runs on laws that are not European: what is ordinary in Lisbon can be an offence in Dubai. This page is verified against the official UAE portal and the Portuguese consular advisory, with dates shown.

Travel essentials

Verified on 30 August 2026 against the official UAE government portal (u.ae) and the Portuguese consular portal. No visa for Portuguese passports: the stamp is issued on arrival. Always confirm at the official source before travelling: rules change without notice.

PassportEntry rule
Portugal and the rest of the European UnionVisa-free: the u.ae portal grants visa-free entry to ordinary EU passports, and the Portuguese consular portal independently confirms the 90 days in any 180-day period
📄 Passport validityAt least 6 months of validity on entry, required by both sources
🎒 What you may be asked for on arrivalA return or onward ticket and accommodation details, per the Portuguese consular advisory

⚠️ Border rules change without notice. Always confirm with the official source (consulate, immigration, travel.state.gov, gov.uk, Portal das Comunidades) before travelling.

Health

Portugal and the UAE have no bilateral health agreement: the consular advisory treats comprehensive travel insurance as essential, and private hospitals handle most cases, with public referral units for complex emergencies (Rashid Hospital in Dubai, Sheikh Khalifa in Abu Dhabi). Take MEDICATION seriously: substances legal in Portugal, including some anxiolytics and antidepressants, are controlled in the UAE and may require authenticated medical documentation. Check the legality of your medication before boarding.

Passport

A minimum of 6 months validity on entry. Among the most literally enforced rules: airlines deny boarding below it.

To confirm (not published as fact):

  • Visa rules for non-EU passports: the UAE runs different regimes by nationality (visa on arrival, eVisa, sponsorship). Confirm case by case at the official source.
  • Current rules on alcohol purchase and consumption by tourists, which changed in recent years and vary by emirate: to confirm before publishing operational advice.
  • Next year's Ramadan dates and what changes in practice for visitors: to publish with due notice.

Arrival & Safety

Airport

Dubai International (DXB) is the main gateway, with Abu Dhabi (AUH) the other major entry. The entry stamp is issued at border control: with a Portuguese passport there is no prior form. Note the 21/07/2026 consular advisory below about layovers in the region.

Getting in

In Dubai the metro links the airport to the centre and taxis are RTA-regulated with meters: use the official ranks. In Abu Dhabi regulated taxis are equally the safe route. Driving is on the right; limits are 60 km/h in towns and 120 km/h on motorways, fines far exceed Portuguese ones, and unpaid fines block exit from the country. Since November 2019 a Portuguese licence exchanges for a local one without retesting, under a memorandum between the two countries.

Safety

Stable and secure, with regional volatility

The Portuguese consular portal (updated 21 July 2026) describes the domestic situation as stable and secure but, given the unpredictability and volatility of Middle East security conditions, was at that date recommending avoiding layovers at Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports. We do not issue safety verdicts: this is the official advisory and the date it was written; check the current text before booking.

⚠️ Border rules change without notice. Always confirm with the official source (consulate, immigration, travel.state.gov, gov.uk, Portal das Comunidades) before travelling.

Money

The currency is the dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar rather than the euro, so the EUR-AED rate moves with the dollar. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in the cities. A 5% VAT applies to many goods and services.

Connectivity

Two licensed mobile operators: e& (formerly Etisalat) and du. Both have counters at the international airports.

A tourist SIM is available on arrival, with your passport. We do not publish prices: they change faster than we can verify. Note that internet voice calls (WhatsApp and similar) face restrictions in the UAE; not everything you use in Portugal works the same.

Urban coverage is excellent. In the desert and on inter-emirate roads, prepare offline maps as a precaution.

If something goes wrong

Emergencies in United Arab Emirates

We issue no safety verdicts; we give the right numbers and the first steps, verified and dated. Save this section before you need it.

999Police998Ambulance997Fire (Civil Defence)112From any mobile
My documents were stolen or lost
  1. Go to the nearest police station and ask for the police report. Without it there is no replacement and no insurance claim.
  2. Contact your consulate or embassy (contacts below) and ask for an emergency travel document.
  3. If you have photos or copies of your documents on your phone or email, show them: they speed everything up.
  4. Keep the report on paper and as a photo. You will need it at the airport and for insurance.
Medical emergency
  1. Call the ambulance number above now. Say your location first, then the problem.
  2. In a hotel or restaurant, ask reception for help: they know the nearest hospital and can call in the local language.
  3. Take your passport (or a photo of it) to the hospital, and your travel insurance card if you have one.
  4. Contact your travel insurer as early as possible: many require notice within 24 hours.
Cards or money stolen
  1. Block your cards first, in the banking app or via the bank's international line. Everything else comes after.
  2. File a police report: the bank and the insurer will require it.
  3. To receive emergency money, international transfer services work with a code and your passport.
Phone stolen
  1. From another device, mark the phone as lost and wipe it remotely (Find My / Find Hub).
  2. Block the SIM with your carrier to stop calls and verification texts.
  3. Change your email password first: it is the key to every other account.
  4. File a police report with the IMEI if you have it (on the box or the invoice).
I was robbed or assaulted
  1. Get somewhere busy and safe first. Belongings can be replaced.
  2. If you are hurt, call the ambulance number above before anything else.
  3. Call the police or go to a station; where tourist police exist, start there (number above).
  4. Contact your consulate if you lost documents or need support: that is what it is for.
Cyclone, flood or other natural disaster
  1. Follow local authorities: radio, TV and official alerts are worth more than social media.
  2. Tell someone you trust where you are and keep the phone charged; save battery.
  3. Never cross moving water, by car or on foot.
  4. Your consulate wants to hear from you in a disaster: a short text or email is enough.
Trouble with the police, or detained
  1. Stay calm and sign nothing you do not understand.
  2. Ask to contact your consulate: it is a right under the Vienna Convention, in any country.
  3. Note names, badge numbers and the station. Facts help more than arguments.

Portuguese citizens (other nationalities: contact your own mission)

  • Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi: Marina Park Office, Villa A42; abudhabi@mne.pt.
  • MNE consular emergency line, Portuguese citizens only: +351 217 929 714.
  • Other nationalities: contact your country's mission; your hotel reception can find it.

Verified on 2026-08-30. Sources: Ministério do Interior dos EAU, números de emergência · Portal oficial u.ae, emergências · Embaixada de Portugal em Abu Dhabi. Numbers verified on 2026-08-30 against official UAE sources. Note from the Portuguese advisory: some medicines legal in Portugal are controlled in the UAE; in a medical emergency, always say what medication you take.

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