Shipping to UAE (United Arab Emirates) from Portugal

UAE applies a 5% import duty on most goods, calculated on the CIF value (cost + insurance + freight). Exceptions: medicines and medical equipment (0%), basic food staples (0%), alcohol for licensed importers (50%), tobacco (100%). UAE VAT at 5% applies to all taxable imports in addition to customs duty. There is no EU-UAE FTA, so EU goods face the standard 5% GCC common external tariff.

DHL Express: 1–2 business days to Dubai. FedEx International Priority: 1–3 days. UPS Worldwide Express: 2–3 days. The UAE is one of the fastest non-EU destinations from Portugal — Dubai has direct daily flight connections from Lisbon, enabling next-day express delivery in some cases.

Commercial wine and alcohol can only be imported into the UAE by holders of a UAE liquor import licence — these are typically hotels, restaurants and licensed alcohol retailers. Personal import of alcohol is prohibited. If your B2B Dubai customer holds a valid liquor import licence, commercial wine exports from Portugal are feasible — always verify the licence and obtain it in writing before shipping.

UAE VAT is 5% on all taxable goods and services — introduced in January 2018. On imports, UAE VAT is paid by the UAE importer to Federal Tax Authority (FTA) via their VAT return. B2B importers registered for UAE VAT reclaim it as input tax. UAE businesses with taxable supplies above AED 375,000/year must register for VAT. Unlike EU's IOSS, there is no UAE equivalent for overseas B2C sellers — customs collects VAT on each import.

Yes — Dubai is one of the world's top logistics hubs, positioned as the gateway to the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The GCC customs union allows goods cleared in UAE to be re-distributed across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman without additional customs duties. Dubai's excellent air connectivity (Emirates, flydubai, cargo airlines) and port infrastructure (Jebel Ali Port) make it the natural first entry point for European goods serving the wider MENA region.

DHL Express and FedEx accept parcels up to 70 kg per piece to UAE. UPS accepts up to 70 kg. Maximum dimensions: 274 cm on the longest side and 330 cm girth for DHL Express. UAE has no special parcel size restrictions — Dubai's logistics infrastructure (DHL hub at DWC, FedEx at DXB) handles high volumes efficiently. For freight over 70 kg or oversize cargo, use UAE-specific freight forwarding services.

UAE address format: Recipient Name / Building Name or Number + Street/Road Name / Area/District / City + Emirate / PO Box (if applicable) / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Example: Ahmed Al-Rashid / Office 402, Al Habtoor Business Tower / Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Media City / Dubai / UAE. Key points: UAE street addressing has historically been area/landmark-based — many addresses reference building names and local landmarks rather than street numbers. PO Boxes are widely used in UAE for business addresses. Always include the emirate (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain) and the recipient's UAE mobile number.

UAE Federal Customs Authority (FCA) and Dubai Customs use an advanced risk-based screening system — well-documented B2B express shipments usually clear same-day or next-day at DWC or DXB. If held: the UAE importer or their clearing agent receives notification. Common reasons: missing or incomplete commercial invoice, goods in restricted categories (medicines without MOHAP approval, food without MOCCAE certificate, alcohol without import licence), suspected under-declaration of value. Resolution: provide the requested documentation promptly. UAE customs holds typically resolve within 2–5 business days. DHL Express Dubai has a dedicated customs affairs team.

UAE has strict prohibitions reflecting Islamic law and national security: pork and pork products are prohibited for general sale (only in licensed venues); all explicit or pornographic materials are prohibited; any goods bearing Israeli origin labelling or originating from Israel may face restrictions under UAE trade policy (though UAE-Israel normalisation in 2020 has eased some restrictions); VoIP-based communication devices may face restrictions; gambling-related items are prohibited. Prescription medicines for personal use require documentation — bring a doctor's prescription and do not exceed a 3-month supply without MOHAP pre-approval.

Add declared value insurance at checkout on Cargosender for all UAE-bound shipments over €200. DHL Express Dubai is one of the world's most reliable delivery operations — transit loss risk is very low. However, UAE customs occasionally holds and inspects shipments, during which incidental damage risk increases. Standard IATA carrier liability (approximately €22/kg) is the baseline. For high-value goods — jewellery, electronics, luxury fashion, precision equipment — always insure at full declared value. UAE recipients expect premium handling of high-value goods.

DHL Express provides best-in-class tracking for UAE — the Dubai DWC hub is a major global DHL operation with real-time customs status visible in tracking. FedEx and UPS similarly provide strong tracking. UAE recipients can use DHL MyDelivery or FedEx Delivery Manager for delivery time preferences. UAE business recipients typically have strong tracking expectations — include mobile number when booking for WhatsApp/SMS alerts. DHL Express often delivers to UAE business addresses same-day after customs clearance.

Returns from UAE to Portugal require UAE export customs declarations and EU import re-clearance at Portugal. UAE export: the sender (UAE recipient returning goods) files a customs export declaration via Dubai Customs e-services. EU reimport: goods of EU/Portuguese origin returning to Portugal may qualify for EU reimport duty relief (no EU import duty, provided goods are correctly documented as previously exported EU goods). Express return from UAE to Portugal costs approximately €80–€250+ per parcel. DHL Express is the most reliable for UAE-to-Portugal returns with direct daily air connections.

UAE's parcel infrastructure is primarily direct-to-address — home and office delivery is the dominant model for international express. Aramex (a UAE-based global courier) and DHL Express have service centres across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for parcel pickup if delivery fails. Some shopping malls (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall) have Amazon lockers and retail parcel pickup options. For B2C e-commerce to UAE, direct delivery to address with prior call from courier is the expected experience — always include the recipient's UAE mobile number (+971 5x xxxx xxxx format).

Yes — UAE businesses with taxable supplies above AED 375,000 per year must register for UAE VAT (Federal Tax Authority — FTA). Overseas online sellers shipping goods to UAE consumers are not currently required to register for UAE VAT (unlike the EU's OSS model) — UAE customs collects the 5% VAT on each import parcel above the AED 1,000 de minimis. However, as UAE e-commerce regulation evolves, this may change. If your UAE B2B customer is VAT-registered, they can reclaim the 5% import VAT as input tax — encourage them to use their UAE VAT registration number on commercial invoices.

UAE has minimal remote area surcharges — the country is small and well-connected. Dubai and Abu Dhabi city addresses: no surcharges. Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah: typically no surcharges via DHL Express. Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain (more remote eastern and northern emirates): minor surcharges may apply (€5–€10). Dubai's Free Zone addresses (Jebel Ali, DIFC, Dubai Airport Free Zone) are fully served without surcharges. The main additional costs are fuel surcharges (all carriers, higher on long-haul routes) which are included in Cargosender quoted prices.