Help! Travelling through Dubai with medication?

Question

My doctor has recently prescribed me fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression and anxiety. I have plans to travel to New Zealand over Christmas to visit family, and as I am flying Emirates it means a short stopover (10 hours) in Dubai. I think rather than being in transit, we are actually given the option to leave the airport and stay in a hotel.

But I've heard about UAE's mega strict laws on controlled substances and I have just discovered that Prozac is on the "controlled" list. Now I'm really worried that I could get arrested for carrying my medicine with me. I've heard about people getting arrested even when they had the prescription or a doctor's letter with them.

What should I do? Should I contact the UAE embassy here in the UK?
Should I decline the free hotel and stay in transit in the airport, so my bags don't have to get checked in and out?

I almost feel like tapering the medication off now so that by the time Christmas comes I will no longer "need" it. Anyone who knows about antidepressants will know that stopping suddenly is not an option. But of course if I wean myself off it, my mental health could suffer. However, this trip to NZ is so important to me, I would do anything not to jeopardise it. Plus, the tickets were insanely expensive...

I just don't know what to do. I wish I wasn't travelling via Dubai, but I wouldn't have been able to afford the trip otherwise.

Please - travel/customs/Dubai experts - anyone - please help me!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Thanks "tin m". To make a long story short. The procedure to bring in "banned" drugs into Dubai are as follows:
Get a detailed medical report, have it translated into Arabic and send the same for attestion/approval to the UAE Embassy. If approved, you are allowed to take medication needed for the time of your stay into the country.

It sounds complicated, but it's easy to do by Fax. The attestation from the Embassy is necessary, because Dubai customs don't know your doc's stamp nor his/her signature.

Don't worry and enjoy your trip.

Source(s):

me, Abu Dhabi

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Thank you very much H. Also thanks to tin m - both your answers were very helpful.

Feeling less stressed about it! Bit worried about the potential cost of getting a report translated into Arabic, but if it has to be done, it has to be done. Will be phoning the Embassy forthwith.
Thanks again.

Answer 2

I think Prozac is no longer allowed in UAE , it was allowed a few years before. However if your doctor could provide you with a letter addressed to Dubai Customs along with prescription copy , and you get these attested by UAE embassy in your country (i.e. stamped). Then probably they will allow it.
You can e-mail Dubai Customs and ask them directly / check list of prohibited items here:
http://www.dubaicustoms.ae/Content/Proce…

The following is stated in the FAQ section on their website:

qoute :

• Passenger cannot carry medicines even if it is for personal use in bulk quantity. It may be impounded and can be a criminal case.
• Prescription from the doctor to bring the drugs with you only for the period you are going to stay at Dubai.
• It may required a special permission from the Ministry of health to carry more than convincible quantity of medicines.
• As per customs rule all type of medicines subject to approve by Ministry of Health and Medical Services, for this reason if any medicines are hand carried customs refer to Ministry of Health if ministry disapprove then such medicines are detained. For all detained items customs issue detain slips. You can also take approval from Ministry of Health with doctors prescription and take stamp of ministry on the detain slip.

end of quote.

You may want to ask your doctor if instead you can take an alternative medication that is not banned in UAE.
Better wait for H to read this question as she is more familiar with this subject , and what to do in this case.