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Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: london553 on January 21, 2010, 03:25:29 pm

Title: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: london553 on January 21, 2010, 03:25:29 pm
Hi,

I have to go to Dubai on work and the flights have been booked today. I just wanted to ask if anyone has travelled to Dubai with their HIV meds? I know they are very strict on taking medication into the country but none of my meds are on their banned list.

Does anyone know what Dubai's stance is on letting in HIV individuals into the country on a tourist visa?

Any help would be great.

Cheers
London553
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: mecch on January 21, 2010, 03:32:12 pm
I dont know about bans on tourist. They will throw a foreign worker of any level of prestige out of the country if tested positive.
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: azprince on January 21, 2010, 04:24:35 pm
UAE  bans residency for anyone who tests HIV+ or Hep C positive ! saying that  I understand that you are planing to visit Dubai on a tourist visa, well if this is the case then I have to say that they usually dont care a lot about HIV Meds, and legally they have no official ban on tourists who are HIV+ , I dont think you will have any problem at all, but if for any other reason they investigated the Meds, since they usually about other recreational drugs and might ask you if they had doubts about your Meds, then saying clearly that you have a health condition that requires these Meds along with  a letter from your Doctor would do the purpose, enjoy the trip, Dubai is very exciting, and the geeneral idea is that they try to welcome tourists from EU countries so mostly you will feel too welcomed at the airport and everywhere else  ;)
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: veritas on January 21, 2010, 04:30:26 pm

london,

I can't answer your specific question, however, you might find this link informative ,if this is your first trip to UAE:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/United_Arab_Emirates/Dubai/Dubai-1857296/General_Tips-Dubai-BR-1.html

v
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: tednlou2 on January 21, 2010, 07:33:14 pm
After I saw how Dubai treated a teenage male who was raped by several men, I wouldn't want to go to Dubai.  They blamed the boy. 
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: tokyodecadence on January 21, 2010, 07:47:09 pm
http://www.hivtravel.org/


This site can show you which countries allow, disallow, or restrict in some way the immigration or travel of HIV positive people.
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: veritas on January 22, 2010, 06:17:52 am

Toyko,

Interesting link. It says no hiv meds even for personal use. That's pretty tough.

http://www.hivtravel.org/Default.aspx?PageId=143&Mode=list&StateId=2

v
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: azprince on January 22, 2010, 11:05:06 am
I think the link says no Meds could be imported! so he can bring his Meds but I agree that  in short UAE is a brutal country when it comes to the rights of HIV+ people, yet strangely all the American activists working in the Aids field decided to honor the generous invitation of the prince of the Dubai to attend a festival for Aids media recently, no one bothered to ask the prince of Dubai why do you hold this event when your country treats HIV+ this way...aweee,,,this HIV + world is frustrating when it comes to people using the advocacy to make money and other benefits .

Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: elf on May 19, 2010, 12:26:15 am
I would like to visit some Asian countries, but most travel agencies here have a plane change in Dubai.  ???
Do they search you at the immigration there even tho you only wait for an hour or two to catch the next plane? I really wouldn't like them to see  my HIV meds , as this would mean they would force me to take the next plane home instead of going to Thailand or Bali.  ???
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: azprince on May 19, 2010, 04:43:31 am
elf,
No , they dont , and as I said UAE and specifically Dubai are more relaxed with tourists from Europe and USA, they will not search your luggage, they might search the bag you carry with you and I doubt they will make a big deal about any Meds you carry with you , as I said the Middle East countries are very selective in when and how to apply their rules, they usually enforce them in harsh measures on labors coming from Asia and Africa to work in this region , but with other nationalities they usually seem welcoming and law biding, legally they have no ban on short term trips of HIV+,  there only requirement is when it comes to residency ; which strictly applies to everyone.
Good luck, enjoy your trip , Dubai Airport has one of the best duty free shops in the world and Asia is Asia , its very nice and welcoming  :D
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: lost_boy on November 17, 2011, 08:05:12 am
Just thought I would re-open this topic...

I'll be transitting through Dubai soon on the way to Asia. Did anybody encounter problems with the customs officials? I have sent my meds ahead of me so they should be waiting at my destination, but I'm going to bring a couple with me in my hand luggage. Maybe I should just keep them in my pocket as I travel...?
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: Ann on November 17, 2011, 10:00:30 am
Just thought I would re-open this topic...

I'll be transitting through Dubai soon on the way to Asia. Did anybody encounter problems with the customs officials? I have sent my meds ahead of me so they should be waiting at my destination, but I'm going to bring a couple with me in my hand luggage. Maybe I should just keep them in my pocket as I travel...?

My bf has had layovers in Dubai twice since being on meds and both times he had them in his carry-on and never had a problem. As you are only there on layover, there'd be no point in going through all the deportation paperwork as you are not stopping there to visit the country, you're just passing through and have the airline ticket to prove it.
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: lost_boy on November 19, 2011, 07:16:30 pm
My bf has had layovers in Dubai twice since being on meds and both times he had them in his carry-on and never had a problem. As you are only there on layover, there'd be no point in going through all the deportation paperwork as you are not stopping there to visit the country, you're just passing through and have the airline ticket to prove it.
Cool, thanks for the reassurance Ann :)
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: sam66 on November 20, 2011, 05:54:22 am

 been to Dubai few times with meds, been through Dubai many times with meds, no probs, but I did not
 declare anything
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: myself16 on December 17, 2013, 10:59:10 pm
Id like to know if you were able to go Dubai and pass through the immigration with your medication with you?

Im going to Dubai this January will be staying for 2 months and I am worried that immigration will find out im carrying arv good for 2 months.

Please help
John
Title: Re: Travelling to Dubai with HIV meds??
Post by: sevillano on December 25, 2013, 10:16:23 am
Hey,
i was quite worried about taking my hiv meds with me when going to Dubai in Octobre 2013, but everything was fine...i had them packed in Supradyn (Vitamin) box, carrying them in my hand luggage (they do not check it, even If I had heard that sometimes they do check ups)... but it is also true that I stayed just for a week, so I "just" had to carry 21 pills (I am on reyataz+norvir+truvada) + 1day stock for any case!

what about sending me to your adress before going there? I mean, 2 months means a ton of pills - at least in my case :D hahaha

tc