Is Benzodiazepines legal in United Arab Emirates?
- Legal status
- Controlled — MOHAP import permit required (e.g. alprazolam/Xanax, diazepam/Valium)
- Consequences if caught
- Non-permitted possession is treated as a controlled-substance offence. Zero-tolerance regime under Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021: possessing, importing, or transporting narcotics/psychotropics outside regulated medical use is criminalised, and 'I didn't know' is not a defense. First-time possession starts at 3 months' imprisonment plus a AED 20,000 fine, and can carry detention, deportation, and a travel ban.
- If prescribed or medical
- Importable only with a MOHAP permit obtained in advance, plus your prescription and an attested medical report.
- Documentation
- MOHAP import permit (apply ~2 weeks before travel) + the prescription + an attested medical report + original packaging; declare at customs. Without a permit but with a prescription and medical report you must still declare at customs — officers may allow entry or confiscate the medicine and detain you.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with United Arab Emirates’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →