Information last checked: November 2026. Rules, forms and portals change, so please confirm current details with the hospital, your insurer or the relevant authority before acting.
In short
- Check the rules for your medicines before you travel: some medicines are controlled and need a permit, and some are not registered in the UAE at all.
- Carry a records pack and a medication list that uses generic names.
- Ask your insurer in writing about pre-existing conditions and waiting periods before you rely on the cover.
- Register with a family doctor early, and line up specialists for any ongoing condition in your first weeks.
The UAE has an excellent range of doctors and hospitals. The wrinkle for new arrivals isn’t quality, it’s continuity: your records are somewhere else, your medication may not be sold under the same name, your insurance has rules you haven’t read yet, and you don’t yet know which clinic to call at 8 p.m. on a Thursday. Work through this in order and most of it is a matter of paperwork.
Before you move
- See your current doctors one last time. Ask for a summary letter with your diagnosis, treatment, current medication and what to watch for, in English.
- Ask how much medication to bring, and ask for prescriptions that name the generic (active) ingredient, not just a brand.
- Ask for your records and images now, while the people who know you are still a phone call away.
- Tell the people who matter. If you are on long-term treatment, agree with your current team how follow-up will work once you have moved.
Bringing medication into the UAE
This is the one to get right, because mistakes can mean confiscation or worse. The details are set by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) and customs, and they change, so confirm with the official sources before you travel. As a broad guide, from the sources we reviewed:
- Ordinary prescription medicines are generally allowed for personal use if you carry them in their original packaging with your prescription, in a reasonable quantity.
- Controlled, narcotic and psychotropic medicines need prior approval. MOHAP runs a permit service for importing medicines for personal use. If you arrive without approval, you may be required to declare them with the prescription and a medical report, and some medicines can be refused. Medicines in categories that are commonly controlled (certain strong painkillers, some sleep and anxiety medicines and some ADHD treatments, for example) are the ones people most often get caught out by.
- Medicines not registered in the UAE can be prohibited under federal law, even if they are legal in your home country.
- Quantity limits are described differently in different sources (for example a one-month or a three-month supply), so check the current MOHAP guidance and ask your doctor what they will write.
If you take anything in the controlled categories, apply for the permit well before you travel, and check the official MOHAP list for your exact medicine, not a generic website. Gulf News and the UAE Embassy in your country both publish helpful overviews, but neither replaces the official service.
Records to carry
Pack a folder (paper and digital) for each family member with an ongoing condition:
- A current medication list with generic names and doses
- The latest specialist letter or discharge summary, in English
- Recent test results and imaging reports (and the images)
- Vaccination records, translated if they are not in English or Arabic
- Details of allergies and past operations
- Your insurer’s and your current doctor’s contact details
Our guide to organising medical records shows how to keep them tidy, and your medical records in the UAE explains how information is held and shared here once you start using local providers.
Insurance: ask the awkward questions
Health insurance is mandatory for residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and it is usually arranged by your employer. The plan matters more than the fact of having one. Before you rely on it, ask your employer or insurer, in writing:
Before you move, ask
- Is my existing condition covered, and is there a waiting period?
- Which hospitals, clinics and doctors are in my network, and where are the specialists I will need?
- Do I need a referral or pre-approval for specialists, tests, procedures and therapy?
- Is my regular medication covered, and under what limits and co-payments?
- Are my dependants covered, and on what terms?
Rules on who must cover dependants vary by emirate, salary level and employer, and sources disagree, so don’t assume. If you hit a problem later, see what to do if a claim or approval is rejected. For the bigger picture, read the UAE healthcare system explained.
Finding your doctors
- Start with a family doctor. Choose a clinic near home that is in your network, and register before you need it.
- Ask for specialist introductions. For an ongoing condition, ask your new family doctor or your previous specialist for a recommendation, and book the first appointment early.
- Check licences. Doctors are licensed by the DHA in Dubai and the DoH in Abu Dhabi; use the authority’s own lookup.
- Take your records and your medication list to the first visit, and ask the new doctor to confirm the plan in writing.
- Identify the nearest emergency department and save 998 on every phone in the family.
Settling in, with a lot to organise?
We help newcomers organise records, find providers and arrange first appointments. The first conversation is free and takes 15–30 minutes.
Your first month
A checklist
- Insurance card, policy schedule and network list received
- Family doctor chosen and registered
- Records, images and medication list shared with the new doctor
- Specialist appointments booked for any ongoing condition
- Prescriptions confirmed with a local pharmacy, including generic names and availability
- Pre-approvals identified for therapy, tests or regular treatment
- One folder, paper and digital, with IDs, insurance, records and contacts
Children, older relatives and mental health
Children with ongoing conditions need a paediatric specialist and their school informed; ask the school about medication storage and emergency plans. Older relatives joining you may need a family doctor, a pharmacy and home support arranged before they arrive; our guide to choosing home care for an elderly parent and supporting a parent from abroad cover that. And remember that moving is hard on mental health too. If you or a family member was seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, ask them for a handover letter and look for a local provider early, rather than waiting for a crisis.
When to get help
Most people manage this with a good checklist and a bit of patience. It gets harder when several family members have conditions, when you’re moving alone, or when you also need to coordinate a relative’s care back home. AA Health Central (AAHC) offers independent, non-clinical navigation for people new to UAE healthcare and complex care coordination. We don’t give medical advice, and we’d rather help you set things up before you need them. See how our patient support programme works and what it costs.
Common questions
Can I bring my regular medication to the UAE?
Often yes, if it is an ordinary prescription medicine in its original packaging with your prescription. Controlled and psychotropic medicines need a permit, and some medicines aren’t registered here at all. Check the official MOHAP guidance for your exact medicine before you fly.
Will my existing condition be covered?
That depends on the plan. Ask your insurer in writing about pre-existing conditions and any waiting period before you move.
Are my home-country prescriptions valid in the UAE?
Usually a UAE doctor must prescribe local supplies. Take your records and medication list to a UAE doctor early so they can continue your treatment.
Sources and further reading
- Gulf News: how to bring prescription or controlled medicines into the UAE legally
- UAE Embassy: permitted prescription drugs when entering the UAE
- UAE Government portal
- Dubai Health Authority
- Department of Health, Abu Dhabi
This article offers general, non-clinical information only. It is not medical, legal or insurance advice. Always speak to your doctor or healthcare provider about clinical questions. In a medical emergency, call 998.
