The United Arab Emirates has enacted sweeping amendments to its Federal Decree-Law on Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances that introduce mandatory deportation for foreign nationals convicted of drug offences, alongside minimum five-year jail terms and fines of at least AED 50,000. President Sheikh Mohamed signed the changes on 11 December; they take immediate effect.
Previously, judges retained limited discretion to suspend deportation in minor possession cases. That safety valve has gone. Only in exceptional circumstances – for example where removal would ‘harm family stability’ – can courts now waive expulsion. The decree also tightens rules for doctors and pharmacists, who face identical jail terms if they issue prescriptions without strict medical justification.
Around 15,000 Australians live in the UAE and tens of thousands transit through Dubai and Abu Dhabi each month. Consular officials warn that even residual traces of prescription medication or the presence of vaping oils containing CBD can constitute possession. Employers with staff on fly-in-fly-out rotas to the Gulf’s energy projects are updating pre-departure drug-testing protocols and revisiting insurance coverage for detention and deportation costs.
![UAE narrows drug-law loopholes and makes deportation of foreign offenders automatic, raising stakes for Australian expats]()
Travellers looking to ensure they carry the correct paperwork—whether for prescription medicines, transit visas or onward travel through the Gulf—can streamline the process via VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/). The service provides up-to-date entry requirements, facilitates document attestation and offers door-to-door courier options, giving employers and employees alike an extra layer of assurance amid the UAE’s tightened compliance environment.
The law dovetails with a broader compliance push that has seen UAE authorities deport 6,000 over-stayers since an amnesty ended in February. Immigration lawyers highlight that drug-related deportations trigger automatic cancellation of work visas, end-of-service benefits and, in some cases, retroactive tax liabilities when expats exit mid-contract.
Travel risk advisers urge Australian executives to brief travellers on strict prescription-carry rules and the need to obtain attested doctors’ letters. Failure to comply could now see an employee barred from re-entering the Emirates for life, jeopardising regional project timelines.
Previously, judges retained limited discretion to suspend deportation in minor possession cases. That safety valve has gone. Only in exceptional circumstances – for example where removal would ‘harm family stability’ – can courts now waive expulsion. The decree also tightens rules for doctors and pharmacists, who face identical jail terms if they issue prescriptions without strict medical justification.
Around 15,000 Australians live in the UAE and tens of thousands transit through Dubai and Abu Dhabi each month. Consular officials warn that even residual traces of prescription medication or the presence of vaping oils containing CBD can constitute possession. Employers with staff on fly-in-fly-out rotas to the Gulf’s energy projects are updating pre-departure drug-testing protocols and revisiting insurance coverage for detention and deportation costs.
Travellers looking to ensure they carry the correct paperwork—whether for prescription medicines, transit visas or onward travel through the Gulf—can streamline the process via VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/). The service provides up-to-date entry requirements, facilitates document attestation and offers door-to-door courier options, giving employers and employees alike an extra layer of assurance amid the UAE’s tightened compliance environment.
The law dovetails with a broader compliance push that has seen UAE authorities deport 6,000 over-stayers since an amnesty ended in February. Immigration lawyers highlight that drug-related deportations trigger automatic cancellation of work visas, end-of-service benefits and, in some cases, retroactive tax liabilities when expats exit mid-contract.
Travel risk advisers urge Australian executives to brief travellers on strict prescription-carry rules and the need to obtain attested doctors’ letters. Failure to comply could now see an employee barred from re-entering the Emirates for life, jeopardising regional project timelines.
