Shipping from the USA to UAE

Almost all shipments to the United Arab Emirates are subject to a customs duty upon arrival. Any exceptions are stated specifically in the laws that pertain to import to the UAE. The basic duty fee is five percent of the shipment's value. Some goods, such as alcohol and cigarettes, have a much higher duty fee- as much as 50 to 100 percent.

To send goods to the UAE, proper documentation is required; this can include the original invoice about the shipment, a certificate of origin, the bill of entry, and a customs duty receipt or exemption certificate. While the United Arab Emirates is quite open to the movement of goods across the border, the country is still largely controlled by the central governing body, which is conservative in nature. Because of that, expect to experience scrutiny of any shipment that contains printed material or media.

Books, music and movies will probably be inspected, censored and possibly banned from importation if the government agency finds them to be against the values of the nation. On the other hand, things like loose diamonds may enter the country duty-free. Products like medications need to be approved by the Ministry of Health.