United Arab Emirates

===Entry requirements=== ====Visa-free or visa on arrival==== Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) do not require a visa and may stay in the UAE indefinitely with no restrictions including on employment. They do not require a passport and may use their National ID Cards to enter the UAE.

The currency is the United Arab Emirates dirham denoted by the symbol " د.إ" or "dh" (ISO code: AED). It is pegged to the US dollar at 3.67 dirham for $1. Two sets of notes are in circulation in the United Arab Emirates, the paper and polymer series and are issued in denonimations of 5 (paper and polymer), 10 (paper and polymer), 20 (paper), 50 (paper and polymer), 100 (paper and polymer), 200 (paper), 500 (paper and polymer), and 1,000 (paper and polymer) dirhams. There are coins in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 fils and 1 dirham, although the former two denominations are rarely found in…

Distances in the UAE are relatively short. The country has an excellent network of highways and you can travel from any emirate to another in under two hours, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi about 140 km (90 min) apart. There are no domestic flights.

The official language is Arabic, although the majority of the population do not speak it. Expatriates from Iran, India, the Philippines and Western countries far outnumber Emirati citizens, particularly in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. English is the lingua franca, and the great majority of Emiratis know how to speak it. All traffic, shops, and destination signs are written in both Arabic and English, and most retail staff are Indians or Filipinos, not Emiratis. Speaking in English to anyone in…

The UAE is one of the safest countries in the world with regard to crime. However, there is a very high rate of automobile accidents, so you should take extra care when driving a vehicle or crossing the road. Also, the law enforcement is harsh, with severe punishments for what in most places would pass as just inappropriate behaviour or at most a misdemeanor.

General medical care in the Emirates is quite good, with clinics for general and specialized care widely available, including some which are now open 24 hours. Hospitals in the major centers are well-equipped to deal with any medical emergencies. There is an ambulance system in all major population centres; however, coverage can be patchy in the more remote areas. Ambulances are designed for transportation rather than providing care as first responders, so don't expect top-flight on-site care. Emirati citizens are provided with free healthcare under the welfare state, but this does not cover f…

There are two providers who have their own cellular network: e& (etisalat) and du. The coverage of both throughout the country is about the same. 4 GB for 28 days costs 49 dirham (Jan 2026) at both providers with the SIM card for free. The eSIM provider Airhub offers 1 GB for 1 week for US$1.89 (Jan 2026).

Emiratis share a common culture with the rest of the Arab world, so what would be good manners in other Arab countries would generally be good manners in the Emirates too. Emiratis are proud but welcoming people and, when not in their cars, are generally extremely civil and friendly. Their culture can be very conservative, but they are quite attuned to the ways, customs, events, media, and manners of the world.

The weekend in the UAE for most government and public services as well as businesses runs from Friday to Saturday; for many, Thursday may be a half day (although most often work all day on Saturdays). In nearly every city, commercial activity will be muted on Friday mornings, but after the noon services at the mosques most businesses open and Friday evenings can be crowded.