ABOUT DUBAI

Renowned among the world’s leading places to visit or live, Dubai is a true gem of the Middle East and a prominent city of the UAE state situated southwest of the Arabian Gulf. Interesting Facts about Dubai Dubai is the biggest and most populated city in the United Arabs Emirates state, with about 2,780,000 people from over 200 different nationalities, excluding the multitudinous traders and tourists that flock to the city every day. Ranked top among the leading business cities in the world, Dubai has maintained its business reputation featuring top-notch infrastructure and technology, coupled with tax-free living and its strategic location that makes trading convenient. Dubai is underpinned by a rich Arabic culture, sophisticated history, state-of-the-art luxury hotels and malls, unparalleled beautiful coastlines, phenomenal deserts, and exceptional cityscapes.

Working week in Dubai is Sunday to Thursday (Friday and Saturday no collections/deliveries) IMPORTANT Ideally you should be in the UAE before your shipment arrives as you may be required to produce a copy of the entry stamp in your passport as part of the clearance process. You must provide the passport details of the person receiving the shipment, whether that is you or a third party. This is required for customs clearance so a photo / scan of the passport details page must be uploaded to your customer portal. If that is not a UAE passport then you will also need to upload a copy of a UAE Residence Permit or Employment Visa, (an employment letter is also acceptable, but Residence Permit is preferred). Your shipment should ideally arrive in the UAE within one month of your arrival. CUSTOMS INFORMATION All shipments of personal effects (items you’ve owned for more than 6 months) must be accompanied by a detailed inventory list. This must be a detailed, itemised list. UAE customs authorities will not accept general terms on inventory such as ‘household effects’ or ‘kitchen items’. All items need to be itemised in a comprehensive list so it is clear exactly what is being shipped. Taxes and duties are charged at the discretion of UAE customs. For non-residents, shipments of personal effects over the value of 1000 AED (£175 / 200€/ $250 USD) are likely to incur customs charges. For any shipment valued over 1000, you will need to supply a copy of the receiver’s Residence or Employment Visa to gain any relief from duty and taxes. The UAE charges VAT, which is payable on delivery, and shipments of personal effects may also incur a clearance fee of 70-100 AED, also payable upon delivery. All new items will incur customs charges equal to approx. 5% of value of the item(s). Customs charges, duties and taxes are NOT included in any price / estimate at the time of booking or invoicing. PROHIBITED ITEMS – UAE We supply a general list of Prohibited and Restricted items as standard, but there are specific rules and restrictions when sending items to the UAE, which it’s important to be aware of. The UAE is a very conservative country with strict laws and codes of conduct. Alcohol is strictly prohibited with all courier, road, sea and air freight carriers. We also strongly advise against packing any medication. Items related to gambling are also prohibited, including playing cards. Books, DVDs, magazines and other similar media are restricted, which means they will be inspected and released if they are considered appropriate. This can delay the clearance process and incur storage fees so we advise against sending such items. We also advise against sending any religious artefacts, symbols and items. Please make sure you review the prohibited items document here Restricted Items. You will be required to digitally sign this list within the customer portal to confirm you understand what not to ship. Useful Links: www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en/eServices/ServicesForIndividuals/Pages/ClearanceOfPersonalEffects.aspx