Layover guideDubai · DXB · DWC

Local laws that catch crew out in Dubai

Drinking in public, kissing in public and swearing are all criminal offences, including online.

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It is illegal to drink alcohol or be under the influence of alcohol in any public place anywhere in the UAE. The drinking age is 21 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and alcohol is prohibited entirely in Sharjah.

Swearing and rude gestures are criminal offences, and that explicitly includes online. People have been jailed or deported for it.

Zero tolerance on drugs. Possession of even a trace amount, cannabis included, carries a minimum three-month prison term, and airport baggage scanning is thorough. Some CBD products are illegal here despite being sold openly at home.

Bring documentation for prescription medication. Check the UAE Ministry of Health rules on permitted quantities and permits before you fly, not after you land.

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice: United Arab Emirates · checked 2026-08-17

The rest of Dubai

The whole guide

Getting out of the airportMetered RTA taxis from the rank, or the Metro Red Line straight out of Terminals 1 and 3.Ride-hailingCareem and Uber both operate legally.Staying connectedA visitor SIM is registered against your passport and capped at two per network, and an unregistered line is cut off rather than warned.WeatherThe number that matters is the overnight low: about 29.7C in summer, so the night never cools down.Eating near the crew hotelsAlcohol is legal in licensed venues and illegal everywhere else, and in Ramadan the daytime rules extend to your car.What to buyVAT is 5% and refundable over AED 250, and the authority's own refund terms are better than the government portal still says.TippingNo authority publishes a tipping norm for Dubai, and the percentages already on your bill are not tips.