ENTERING UAE
Visitors to the United Arab Emirates must obtain a visa prior to travel unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or one of the countries whose citizens are eligible for visa on arrival- as listed below.
Nationals of the following 46 countries and territories who are holders of normal passports are eligible to obtain a UAE visa on arrival valid for 30 days. Extension is possible for an additional fee. All EU citizens, Hong Kong, Norway, Andorra, Japan, San Marino, Australia, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, South Korea, Monaco, Switzerland, Canada, Vatican, New Zealand, United States.
Nationals of the following countries may enter the UAE without a visa.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia

DUTY FREE ALLOWANCES

• Two litres of spirits (non- Muslim adults only)
• Two litres of wines (non- Muslim adults only)
• 10 cartons of cigarettes
• 100 cigars
• A reasonable amount of perfume

CURRENCY
The UAE currency is known as the Arab Emirate Dirham denoted by AED or more commonly Dhs. One dirham is divided into 100 fils. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar at a mid-rate of approximately US$1=Dhs3.679

HOTELS
Accommodation options vary from luxurious five-star hotels to budget friendly hotel apartments. Conference, convention, meeting and banqueting facilities are available in most hotels.

LANGUAGE
Arabic is the official language of the UAE. English is widely spoken and understood

MEDICAL SERVICES
Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulates all medical services in the emirate. Rashid, Latifa and Dubai Hospitals are operated by DHA itself and all emergency services here are free for both residents and visitors. There are many private hospitals in the city and fees vary.

NEWS PAPERS
English : Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Gulf Today and The National
Arabic : Al- Bayan, Al- Ittihad, Al- Khaleej and Emarat Al-Youm

POPULATION
2.36 million

BANKS
All major international bankd have branches in the city. Working hours are 8am to 2pm Saturday to Thursday. ATMs are widely available.

BUSINESS HOURS
Most businesses are open from 8am -6pm Satuday to Thursday. Embassies, consulates and government offices operate from 7.30am - 2.20pm Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Satuday are official holidays for all government departments as per the Islamic weekend.

CREDIT CARDS
Major credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in most hotels and shopping malls

CLIMATE
A subtropical, arid climate ensures clear blue skies almost throughout the year. Winter may see a few infrequent rain showers. Temperatures vary from season to season: January can fall to a low of 15 degree celsius, while July can rise to a high of 48 degree celsius.

RAMADAN
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the noble Qu'ran to the holy Prophet Muhammad. Most of the restuarants and coffee shops are closed during day time. Eating, drinking and smoking in public is strictly prohibited and punishable by UAE law. However, many restaurants may have takeaway facilities and should anyone want to eat or drink or smoke, he or she is free to do the same, but in private, without offending others in this Holy Month. Also please make a note that entertainment programmes are strictly banned during the month of Ramadan. No loud music, no belly dance or any kind of entertainments is allowed.

ALCOHOL
Alcohol is available in licensed hotels and restaurants. During the month of Ramadan, alcohol will not be served until 8pm and no music or entertainments at the bars are allowed.

RELIGION
Islam is the official religion of the UAE. The UAE, and especiall the emirate of Dubai, offers great tolerance for all other faiths.

SHOPPING
Malls: 10am - midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 10am -1am Thursday, Friday and Saturday Independent retail outlets: 10am -1pm and 4pm to 10pm Saturday to Wednesday, 4pm-midnight Friday

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telecom services are provided by Etisalat and Du. Direct dialing is available to most countries. Calls made from one fixed lint to another within Dubai are free. The country code is +971 and the area code is 04

TIPPING
This is not essential but a tip of 10 percent is appreciated.

UTILITIES
Electricity: The electricity supply in the UAE is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles. US-made appliances may require a transformer.
Water: Bottled mineral water is served in hotels and restaurants. However tap water is not recommended for drinking.

DRESS CODE
As a sign of respect for local customs and traditons, a modest dress code is strongly advised. Wearing revealing clothing in public places should be avoided at all times. Swimwear is acceptable only at hotel pools, resorts and beaches. Before leaving those areas, change into casual wear

GREETING
The acceptable male greeting on meeting a Gulf Arab is to stand up and shake hands. However, for a man to shake the hand of a Muslim woman (and vice versa) is, in most circumstances, considered unacceptable. Local women will usually not offer their hand to a man and will nod and smile instead and some local men prefer not to shake hands with women. If in doubt, wait until a hand is offered when meeting someone for the first time.

PERSONAL CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE
Rude and arrogant behaviour is unacceptable. Public displays of affection between a man and woman are considered disrespectful. There is zero tolerance for drunken driving and inappropriate behaviour while under the influence of alcohol. Swearing is consdered very offensive. During the holy month of Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public are strictly prohibited.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Avoid taking photographs of women as it is considered intrusive and rude. Photographing military installations, government buildings and private premises is strictly prohibited.

Please let us know if we missed anything important or if you need more details on any topic, please feel free to contact us