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Hi,
I will be travelling to Dubai for my honeymoon from the uk. I am on medication (amitriptyline) for chronic headaches, which i have seen is a banned substance in Dubai. My doctor has said he will provide a letter which states why i am on this, the amount i need for the trip. Is this sufficient, i have read and heard some horror stories about people not haveing the correct documentation/letter and being put in prison.
Basically if i provide a letter and show them the medication (i will carry in hand lugage) will i be ok. Also do i need to volunteer this to immigration upon landing or wait to be asked.
Sorry if this has been answered before, i hope im not overeacting.

Many thanks for your replies.

As long as you have a note from your doctor and the meds are labelled properly you will not have a problem. Put the meds and the letter in an envelope. They will inspect your hand luggage and may ask you about it. As long as you have the doctors note you will be OK. I generally carry medication (not that I carry alot!) in my suitcase and have never been questioned.

As much as I trust the advice of the people on this website, the penalty for making a mistake here is 4 years jail.

The list of banned stuff is here. But the way things work here, it could change day to day.

I would recommend getting some advice from the UAE government or embassy etc.

Well don't try to bring in Poppy seeds and get prescription for that. Now I don't know if this story is true or not. Here goes. Back where I come from, Poppy Seeds are an important ingredient in many of our local dishes. Here it's a banned drug. Apparently there was this dude who decided to bring in Poppy seeds and a prescription along with it. He probably thought he could trick the immigration authorities. Anywaz they caught the bluff and this guy ended up in prison.

The above story is often a talked about topic, when we have community meets over beer.

But this is true, there was another gentleman who brought in Poppy Seeds unknowingly, was caught and spent more than a year in jail.
He had a wife and kids. Really sad! (This happened abut 5 yrs back)

Whatever it is your getting, don't assume a prescription will bail you out. If in doubt, best confirm with the UAE embassy.
On the positive side, UAE is not Singapore!

Misery Called Life wrote:On the positive side, UAE is not Singapore!

Yeah, you can chew gum here during your 4 years in prison for dropping a poppy seed on your shirt.

Captain Australia wrote:

Misery Called Life wrote:On the positive side, UAE is not Singapore!

Yeah, you can chew gum here during your 4 years in prison for dropping a poppy seed on your shirt.

No dude I've seen cases where people have gotten off the hook.I would'nt like to elaborate further on a public forum.

In Singapore I hear once your in, your in big trouble.

I could be wrong. But the chances of you getting a pardon in the UAE, especially if ur a white is quite high.

Not too long ago a French capoeira instructor was arrested on dope charges. Spent some time( 2 months) in the lockup and was deported.

Misery Called Life wrote:

Captain Australia wrote:

Misery Called Life wrote:On the positive side, UAE is not Singapore!

Yeah, you can chew gum here during your 4 years in prison for dropping a poppy seed on your shirt.

No dude I've seen cases where people have gotten off the hook.I would'nt like to elaborate further on a public forum.

In Singapore I hear once your in, your in big trouble.

I could be wrong. But the chances of you getting a pardon in the UAE, especially if ur a white is quite high.

Not too long ago a French capoeira instructor was arrested on dope charges. Spent some time( 2 months) in the lockup and was deported.

OK, I get what you mean.

I know of a friend of a friend who got 4 years for trying to smuggle a few grams of coke in. He was white from the UK. Got pardoned during Ramadan after 12 months or so.

EDIT: How stupid would you have to been to try and deliberately smuggle drugs into the UAE? Man must have been almost brain dead.

edit

Captain Australia wrote:As much as I trust the advice of the people on this website, the penalty for making a mistake here is 4 years jail.

The list of banned stuff is here. But the way things work here, it could change day to day.

I would recommend getting some advice from the UAE government or embassy etc.

Good advice, you should go for it