Destination guide
Travel vaccines for Dubai & the UAE
A city break, stopover or beach holiday in Dubai or Abu Dhabi — here's what UK travellers are usually advised before visiting the UAE, confirmed for you at a quick consultation.
Overview
What vaccinations do I need for Dubai?
Dubai is as often a stopover as a destination in its own right, and either way it's a genuinely low-risk place to visit — no malaria, no yellow fever risk, and modern healthcare on hand. For most travellers the main thing is simply making sure your routine UK vaccinations are up to date, including your combined Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio booster. Depending on your plans, some travellers also consider Hepatitis A (particularly for longer stays or more adventurous eating and travel), Hepatitis B (for longer stays, healthcare work or possible medical or dental treatment) and Rabies (for longer trips or activities with possible animal contact, including desert areas). Because the UAE is malaria-free with no yellow fever risk, neither antimalarial tablets nor the yellow fever vaccine are needed — a yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive from a risk country — so the practical things to plan for are the heat, the sun and staying hydrated rather than tropical disease.
These recommendations are a general guide based on UK travel health advice from TravelHealthPro (UKHSA/NaTHNaC). Whether you're planning a city break, stopover or beach holiday in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, we'll confirm exactly what you need at a short consultation.
Plan ahead
A quick check before you fly
Even a 48-hour stopover is worth a quick check that your routine boosters are current — and unlike higher-risk destinations, Dubai rarely needs a long lead time. If it's a stopover on the way somewhere higher-risk, we can advise on the whole trip in one appointment.
Recommended vaccinations
Vaccines commonly advised for the UAE
Grouped by how often they're recommended. Your personal list is confirmed at consultation. Vaccine guidance is based on public health information from TravelHealthPro (UKHSA/NaTHNaC).
Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio
Most travellers
Make sure your routine combined booster is up to date.
Hepatitis A
Some travellers
Worth considering, particularly for longer stays or more adventurous eating and travel.
Hepatitis B
Some travellers
Advised for longer stays, healthcare work, or possible medical/dental treatment.
Rabies
Some travellers
Considered for longer trips or activities with possible animal contact, including desert areas.
Typhoid
Some travellers
Considered for some travellers, especially longer stays or trips beyond the main cities where food and water hygiene varies.
Measles (MMR)
Some travellers
Make sure you have had two documented doses of MMR, as measles still circulates in many regions.
Entry rules — separate from your jabs
Yellow fever certificate: what United Arab Emirates requires
A yellow fever certificate requirement is a legal condition of entry — it is not the same thing as the vaccine being recommended for your health. The recommendation (when there is one) appears in the vaccine list above; the entry rule is below.
Flying direct from the UK? No yellow fever certificate needed for United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates only asks for a certificate (ICVP) from travellers aged 9 months+ who arrive from — or pass through — a country with yellow fever risk, and airport layovers over 12 hours in a risk country count. That catches out multi-country itineraries, so check your whole route, not just your destination.
There is no yellow fever transmission risk in United Arab Emirates itself — this rule exists purely to stop the virus being carried in from elsewhere.
Good to know
A low-risk destination
The UAE is malaria-free and there's no yellow fever risk, so neither antimalarial tablets nor the yellow fever vaccine are needed (a certificate is only required if you arrive from a risk country). The main things to plan for are heat, sun and staying hydrated — and making sure your routine UK vaccines are current.
- No malaria tablets and no yellow fever vaccine needed
- Make sure routine vaccines (incl. MMR and Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio) are up to date
- Plan for heat and sun protection, especially in summer
FAQ
Dubai & UAE travel vaccines — FAQs
Getting ready for Dubai or the UAE?
Book a quick consultation at our Timperley clinic near Manchester and we'll check your vaccinations and travel health advice for your trip.