With Dubai International Airport (DXB) expecting more than 3 million passengers in the first two weeks of July alone, Dubai Customs has released a detailed advisory outlining what travellers can – and cannot – carry when entering the emirate. The guidance, published on 12 July, reminds passengers that gifts valued up to Dh3,000 are duty-free provided goods are for personal use and not in commercial quantities. Key allowances reiterated include a limit of 400 cigarettes, 4 litres of alcohol or two cartons of beer, and cash or travellers’ cheques below Dh60,000 for passengers aged over 18.
![Dubai Customs publishes summer ‘know-before-you-fly’ guide as 3 million passengers surge through DXB]()
For travellers finalising their summer itineraries, VisaHQ can streamline the otherwise time-consuming visa process by letting applicants complete and track UAE visa requests entirely online. The portal’s step-by-step guidance and document-check service at means most visitors receive approval before they ever reach the airport, leaving them free to focus on the new customs limits rather than paperwork queues.
The authority also itemised an extensive list of prohibited items – from narcotics and counterfeit currency to three-layer fishing nets – and highlighted stricter enforcement of power-bank carriage rules after a spate of battery fires worldwide. Customs officials said the advisory is part of a broader summer-readiness plan activated by DXB and its oneDXB partners to manage daily departure peaks of more than 225,000 travellers. Passengers are urged to arrive no earlier than three hours before departure, use online check-in, and ensure spare batteries remain in hand luggage. Families with children over 12 can expedite passport control using smart gates, while People of Determination have access to a dedicated assisted-travel lounge in Terminal 2. For corporates relocating staff or organising group movements through Dubai this summer, the rules carry practical consequences. Travel coordinators should verify that client gifts or promotional materials do not exceed duty-free thresholds, remind assignees about alcohol limits during business-class transfers, and ensure high-value equipment is listed on temporary import carnets when necessary. Failure to declare excess items can lead to detention, fines and potential auction of seized goods if duties remain unpaid after 30 days. Dubai Customs added that the advisory booklet – available in multiple languages – will be distributed on inbound flights and via airline apps, aiming to cut clearance times and keep DXB’s peak-season passenger satisfaction above its 90 per cent target.
For travellers finalising their summer itineraries, VisaHQ can streamline the otherwise time-consuming visa process by letting applicants complete and track UAE visa requests entirely online. The portal’s step-by-step guidance and document-check service at means most visitors receive approval before they ever reach the airport, leaving them free to focus on the new customs limits rather than paperwork queues.
The authority also itemised an extensive list of prohibited items – from narcotics and counterfeit currency to three-layer fishing nets – and highlighted stricter enforcement of power-bank carriage rules after a spate of battery fires worldwide. Customs officials said the advisory is part of a broader summer-readiness plan activated by DXB and its oneDXB partners to manage daily departure peaks of more than 225,000 travellers. Passengers are urged to arrive no earlier than three hours before departure, use online check-in, and ensure spare batteries remain in hand luggage. Families with children over 12 can expedite passport control using smart gates, while People of Determination have access to a dedicated assisted-travel lounge in Terminal 2. For corporates relocating staff or organising group movements through Dubai this summer, the rules carry practical consequences. Travel coordinators should verify that client gifts or promotional materials do not exceed duty-free thresholds, remind assignees about alcohol limits during business-class transfers, and ensure high-value equipment is listed on temporary import carnets when necessary. Failure to declare excess items can lead to detention, fines and potential auction of seized goods if duties remain unpaid after 30 days. Dubai Customs added that the advisory booklet – available in multiple languages – will be distributed on inbound flights and via airline apps, aiming to cut clearance times and keep DXB’s peak-season passenger satisfaction above its 90 per cent target.
