Travel vaccinations for the United Arab Emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and stopovers

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) require no vaccinations if you travel directly from Germany. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A as a travel vaccination, along with up-to-date routine vaccinations. Hepatitis B and typhoid are only considered in particular circumstances. Neither the Foreign Office nor the WHO country list mentions a malaria risk. For a city break or beach holiday in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, preparation is therefore usually straightforward.

Entry rules: yellow fever only after a stay in a risk area

If you travel straight from Germany to the Emirates, the Foreign Office says no proof of vaccination is needed. The situation changes if you arrive from a yellow fever country or have spent more than twelve hours in transit there: the UAE then require yellow fever vaccination for everyone aged nine months and over.

This mainly affects tours that first pass through countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, for example in Africa or South America. Many travellers also use Dubai or Abu Dhabi as a hub. For a stopover, the rules of your final destination are usually what matters. If you fly on to the Maldives, for instance, check the advice for that country. Our overview of travel vaccinations summarises the most important vaccines.

Recommended vaccinations according to the Foreign Office

The table at the top of this page summarises the recommendations:

• All travellers: hepatitis A. According to the Foreign Office, hepatitis A and E can also affect travellers where drinking water and food hygiene are poor.
• Based on individual risk: hepatitis B, for example for longer stays or where contact with blood or body fluids is possible, such as through sexual contact, tattoos or medical treatment.
• Typhoid: only for very basic travel with close contact to the local population. The Foreign Office notes that typhoid is rare.
• Routine vaccinations: keep up to date with the STIKO schedule, the official German vaccination calendar, which includes tetanus, diphtheria, measles and others depending on age. Our guide to routine vaccinations for adults explains what adults need.

For a typical hotel or resort holiday, checking your vaccination record is often enough. If you stay longer, work in the Emirates or travel on afterwards, seek individual advice.

Malaria, mosquitoes and ticks

Neither the Foreign Office nor the WHO country list mentions a malaria risk for the UAE, so no malaria prevention is indicated for the Emirates. According to the Foreign Office, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever occurs rarely and is transmitted by ticks. Protect yourself against ticks when spending time in nature, for example on desert tours, and check your body carefully afterwards.

MERS, animals and snakes

According to current knowledge, MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) is transmitted via camels and the consumption of raw camel milk. Avoid close contact with camels, for example at camel markets, and do not drink raw camel milk. Venomous snakes are found in some regions. If you are bitten by a snake, seek medical treatment immediately; the Foreign Office notes that antivenoms are only available to a limited extent.

What depends on your type of trip

Heat, sun, air and hygiene

According to the Foreign Office, intense sunlight can cause short and long-term damage to the skin and eyes. Plan outdoor activities outside the midday heat where possible and drink enough. Considerable fine dust pollution can cause health problems in large cities; the Foreign Office points to air quality data such as the World Air Quality Index. Beaches contaminated with animal droppings carry a risk of parasitic skin infections.

Travellers’ diarrhoea is common in the Emirates too. Take care with drinking water, food and hand hygiene. Before a diving holiday, the Foreign Office recommends a diving medical consultation and examination.

Medication and medical care

According to the Foreign Office, medical care is broadly comparable to that in Germany. Even so, it recommends adequate travel health insurance that covers medical evacuation.

Medication needs particular care. The Foreign Office states that importing some common medicines or their active ingredients without a doctor’s prescription is prohibited. For medicines containing narcotics, psychotropic substances or other controlled ingredients, an import permit can be requested from the Emirati Ministry of Health. CBD oil and hemp-flavoured foods are treated as drugs. Bring any regular medication, ask your doctor for a certificate in English confirming that you need it and, if in doubt, check with the UAE embassy.

Timing: when to see a travel health specialist

For the Emirates, a short consultation to check your vaccination record is often enough. Following STIKO and DTG, travel vaccinations should be completed at least two weeks before departure. Advice is worthwhile even at short notice; see our guide to last-minute travel. The travel vaccine check gives you a first overview, and our directory of travel clinics helps you find a practice in Germany.