Korean passport holders enter the UAE visa-free. Present your passport at the immigration desk for tourism purposes and you get a 90-day tourist visa stamp automatically.
Entry procedure
- Confirm your passport has 6+ months validity (standard)
- No special pre-travel paperwork required
- At the immigration counter in the UAE:
- Present your passport
- Brief questions (often none, or "tourism? where are you staying?")
- Fingerprint + face scan (or automated e-gate)
- 90-day tourist visa stamp issued
Customs declaration
No declaration form required by default. But you must declare if you exceed any of the following limits:
| Item | Duty-free allowance |
|---|---|
| General goods | 3,000 AED (~820 USD) |
| Cigarettes | 400 sticks |
| Cigars | 50 |
| Loose tobacco | 500 g |
| Alcohol (adults, non-Muslim) | 4 liters or 2 boxes of beer (48 cans) |
Prohibited items (absolutely banned)
- Pork and pork-derived products (Islamic prohibition)
- Narcotic substances — even prescribed sleep/anxiety/painkillers from home can be flagged without prior approval
- Obscene materials (adult magazines, certain DVDs, etc.)
- Religious propaganda
- Counterfeit goods / IP-infringing items
Note on prescription medications
- Propofol, sleep aids, strong sedatives, some cough suppressants may be classified as controlled substances in the UAE.
- Even lawfully-prescribed Korean medications should travel with English prescription + physician's letter. Show customs on request.
- UAE Ministry of Health (MoHAP) pre-approval may be required for long-term medications. Check before departure.
Health / quarantine
- No additional vaccinations required.
- Any COVID-19 measures are largely lifted as of 2026, but verify on the official portal before travel.
Getting from the airport to the city
Dubai International Airport (DXB):
- Taxi: official rank outside each terminal's arrivals. Base fare 25 AED (airport surcharge included). City: 50–100 AED.
- Metro: Terminals 1 & 3 connect directly to the Red Line. Downtown in ~30 minutes.
- Uber / Careem: designated pickup zones per terminal. In-app fare estimate.
Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH):
- No metro. Taxi is standard. City: 60–80 AED.
- Airport bus to the city bus terminal.
- Etihad passengers may be eligible for the free shuttle (Abu Dhabi → Dubai 75 min, Abu Dhabi → Al Ain 90 min) with advance booking.
DXB is among the world's busiest airports. Weekends, public holidays, and the December–February tourism peak can mean extra-long lines — arrive 3 hours ahead.
Contacts
- UAE Immigration Office: 800-5111 / +971-4-313-9999
- Korean Embassy, Abu Dhabi: +971-2-441-1520 (main) / +971-50-133-7362 (emergency, 24 h)
- Korean Consulate, Dubai: +971-4-344-9200 (main) / +971-50-553-2816 (emergency, 24 h)
Converting to a resident visa
Within your 90-day tourist window, you need to transition to an employment visa → Emirates ID to become a formal resident. See /guides/visa/emirates-id. Overstaying triggers a daily fine — treat the 90-day window as a hard deadline.