Removals to Dubai and the UAE

• All kinds of narcotics 
• Offensive material that violates Islamic religion or public morals
• Equipment related to gambling
• Goods from boycotted countries
• Biohazardous Materials

Removal and shipping times tend to be similar no matter whether you’re moving to Dubai or elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates.

Typically though, we estimate around 5-7 weeks for a sole use or full container (FCL) and 7-10 weeks for a shared container (LCL). On arrival, your shipping container will need to be cleared by customs and how long this takes can vary depending on how busy the port is. For this reason, all shipping times are only estimates. It is important to mention that there is a good chance that a part load container, sometimes referred to as groupage or shared, will take longer to arrive than a full container load, FCL.

Unfortunately, the timescales for shipping to the UAE are not precise. We would love to be able to give our customers exact timings for international removals to the Emirates, but several factors come into play when shipping internationally, and some of them are beyond our control.

The cost of removals to Dubai and the UAE will depend on a number of factors, such as the volume of goods you are sending, what packing is required, and the distance you are from the port.

As a rough guide, expect to pay £1500 – £2800 for an apartment move and £3800 – £5200 for a full household removal to UAE.

Additional costs will also need to be considered, such as optional insurance/shipment protection and UAE customs inspection fees that need to be paid on arrival.

The best way to get a more accurate price or estimate is to call our team or request a removals quote online. They can also advise on the best way to reduce your removal costs to get the cheapest removals to the UAE.

NB: As prices are regularly changing, we highly recommend you contact us to get an estimate of current removal costs and book a free home or virtual survey so that we can give you a more accurate removals quote.

Additional fees not included in your removal costs quote include customs inspection fees, duties and port fees payable on arrival in Dubai, storage services and maritime insurance or shipment protection cover, which is recommended but not required.

When travelling or relocating to Dubai and the UAE, you should check out the list of restricted and prohibited items to ensure a smooth entry into the country. Familiarise yourself with these regulations to avoid any complications during your journey before deciding what to pack.

Prohibited Items:

1. Narcotics: Weeds, opium, heroin, morphine, cocaine, and all kinds of narcotics are strictly prohibited.
2. Offensive Material: Publications, pictures, paintings, sculptures, and cards that violate Islamic religion or public morals, or are intended as pornography, are not allowed.
3. Gambling Tools: Equipment related to gambling and machines used for gambling purposes are prohibited.
4. Goods from Boycotted Countries: Importing goods from boycotted countries is not allowed.
5. Hazardous Materials: Ozone layer depleting materials, radioactive-contaminated materials, asbestos boards and pipes, laser pens with red flashlight beams, hazardous waste, ben tree leaves, and used and renovated types are prohibited.

Restricted Items:

1. Agricultural Products: Importing seeds, tubers, outdoor seedlings, and honeybees into the UAE require a permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
2. Food: Specific limits apply to the importation of various food items.
3. Medicines and Drugs: Travelers are advised to carry prescriptions for their medications and ensure that the quantity is justified for personal use during their stay. Certain medicines containing banned substances may require prior permission from the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
4. Vehicles: Importing vehicles may require following specific procedures set by customs authorities.
5. Publications: Publications, including artwork, that contradict Islamic values are banned. Personal items may be scrutinized, and materials found to be in violation may be censored or confiscated.
6. Weapons: Importing weapons, ammunition, body protection, and related equipment requires permission from the Ministry of Interior.
7. Technical Equipment: Certain technical equipment such as satellite phones, listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras, or binoculars may require a license from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority.
8. Cash/Money: Travelers carrying cash or financial instruments exceeding AED 100,000 must declare it at customs.
9. Personal Goods: Personal belongings are exempt from customs fees if their value does not exceed AED 3,000 and if they are for personal use and not for commercial purposes.
10. Cigarettes and Alcohol: Importing cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are allowed within specified limits for personal use.

Please note that this is a general overview, and it’s important to consult the official UAE customs authorities for the most up-to-date and detailed information regarding restricted and prohibited items for import into the UAE.

Our international removals service is perfect for shipping your furniture to the United Arab Emirates from the UK.

For furniture removals, every item is carefully packed or ‘export wrapped’ using packing materials such as blanket wrap. All furniture pieces, including sofas, armchairs, beds, tables and cupboards, can be packed and shipped in a container.

As large items are bulky, you consider which are cost effective to send. For example, most houses and apartments in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have built-in wardrobes, so shipping these might not be worthwhile.

It is possible to ship your car or other vehicles in a 40 ft container alongside your house contents.

However, the UAE does have strict import criteria for cars and vehicles so speak to our team to ensure that importing your vehicle is feasible and cost effective.

Importation is allowed provided the vehicle meets UAE specifications of left-hand drive and other basics. Vehicles new or used are subject to 5% duties on CIF/FOB Discretion at Government Authorities. 5% VAT plus processing charges as per government regulation.

Some paperwork will be required, but we can help you ensure it is all completed correctly, and our agents will take care of customs clearance for you.

United International Removals take great care to ensure your belongings are well-packed and taken care of during their journey. We only use accredited shipping lines and partners to ensure the highest levels of service.

However, due to the nature of international shipping and removals, it is recommended that you take out your own maritime insurance policy or shipment protection cover for complete peace of mind. Just like when you mail a parcel overseas, the shipping company cannot cover the full value of your goods in the unlikely event of something going missing or being broken.

We can offer and recommend Shipment Protection Cover that is highly flexible and will offer you lots of advantages.

This cover is simple and easy to put in place. All that is required is the completion of a shipment protection valuation form detailing the items that need to be covered and their value.

The shipment protection costs are calculated on the value that you want to cover and are based on whether you have packed the items or they have been packed professionally.

Will you need storage in the UAE or the UK?

Moving from one location in the UK to another is rarely the smooth process that people hope for, so it goes without saying that when you move to another country, the entire process can become a little trickier.

Often people find that they have a period of time once they have sold their property and before they move when they need to place their belongings in storage, which we can help you with.

We have several storage solutions depending on your needs. We can arrange storage for your personal effects in the UK before they are shipped or in the UAE after they arrive – whichever suits your situation.

If the issue is that you do not have a fixed address in the UAE to ship your belongings to, then we can arrange for your household goods and personal effects to be placed in storage in the Emirates whilst you sort out accommodation. We will be able to help no matter whether you’re moving to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any of the other Emirates.

Once you have a property ready, our local movers can arrange delivery of your belongings from storage.

Many of our customers worry about customs clearance for all of their belongings when they arrive in Dubai and the UAE. This is something that we can help you with. However, you may find the following helpful information when planning your move.

Importation of removals goods is allowed for UAE citizens and those with a valid UAE residence visa provided the shipment consists of personal effects and used household goods only. All used personal effects and household goods are exempt from duty. Brand new items will attract Custom duty at 5% of the invoice value.

For your shipping container to be released, you will need to pay any customs duties, inspection fees, and also any other charges. These will be payable locally. Our agents in the UAE will be able to assist you with the customs clearance process.

The personal Move Coordinator who is assigned to you when you choose us to assist with your removal will be able to advise you with information regarding what you can and can’t take to the UAE and how you can prepare and clean your items for shipping. If you prefer, our expert packers can help you with this.

This information is essential as it can help minimise customs inspection and quarantine fees that the UAE Customs Service may change.