In this guide 8 sections
- Check the UAE cash declaration threshold
- Identify the cash and instruments you’re carrying
- Prepare documents for your relocation funds
- Check the online declaration service before you travel
- Check the whole journey before a Dubai move
- Keep a record of the declaration
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
Check the UAE cash declaration threshold
The UAE Government’s customs guidance says passengers must disclose covered items worth more than AED 60,000 or the equivalent in other currencies. The wording is more than AED 60,000. If you’re near that figure, check the total after accounting for the covered items and the valuation method the authority uses. A currency estimate or the face amount of one instrument may leave you with an incomplete total. UAE Government customs guidance
If you’re travelling with children, check the calculation with the UAE authority before you travel. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, known as ICP, says amounts held by passengers under 18 are added to those held by the accompanying adult family member. Ask who should make the declaration if the group’s circumstances make that unclear. ICP cash disclosure guidance
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The threshold and direction of travel | The UAE guidance applies to both arrivals and departures. Check the rules for each leg separately. |
| The covered items | The service lists currencies, negotiable bearer financial instruments, precious metals and precious stones. |
| The amount in AED | Ask the authority which exchange rate or valuation method to use if the answer affects whether you need to declare. |
| Children travelling with you | Ask how amounts held by under-18 passengers are counted and which adult should declare where required. |
| The port and available declaration route | Check what is available where you arrive and how to get help if you cannot use the online service. |
The threshold concerns a border declaration. Ask separately about any rules affecting whether an item can be carried and how you can use or deposit it after arrival. Keep those questions distinct from the declaration itself. If your move includes shipped belongings, see the guide to preparing household goods for UAE customs for that separate task.
Identify the cash and instruments you’re carrying
Make a private list of the cash and any items you think may count. For cash, record the amount in each currency. For a financial instrument, record its type and details from the document and ask the authority if the item is covered. Ask separately how any precious metals or stones you plan to carry would be treated and valued. Use the authority’s classification when you decide which amounts to include.
The term negotiable bearer financial instrument is the service’s wording. If you’re carrying something with a face value and you’re unsure whether it falls into that category, describe the instrument to the relevant authority through an official channel. Ask which features determine how it is treated. Avoid sending a copy or personal financial information until you’ve confirmed who needs it and how it should be supplied.
Suppose your cash in one currency looks below the threshold when you convert it, but you’re also carrying another currency and an instrument you’re unsure about. List each item and get the classification and conversion answers before you draw a conclusion. Check again if you change what you will carry. Keep your own estimate separate from the figure the authority tells you to use.
Make your list easy to check at the border. Label each amount with its currency and keep the calculation you used to estimate the total. If an item falls into an uncertain category, write down the question and the authority’s reply. Check the list against what you intend to take before you leave home.
If you have a valuation document, check what date and currency it uses and what item it describes. Ask the authority if it can use that document or needs a different basis for the declaration. Where you’re relying on an answer about the exchange rate, note the date of the answer and ask how close to departure you should check again. This matters when a small change in value could put the total above the threshold.
Prepare documents for your relocation funds
Ask the authority what information and documents it expects for your items, route and point of entry. Where it asks for evidence, find out whether it wants an original, a copy or a particular format. The public declaration page identifies the types of items the service covers. Use the authority’s instructions for the current requirements in your case.
Organise the records you already have. An inventory can help you explain what you’re carrying and in which currency. A recent withdrawal record, receipt or related paperwork may help you explain an amount if asked. Keep any correspondence about classification or valuation with those records. Treat them as preparation for questions and check what the authority actually requires.
| Record to organise | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Private inventory and currency notes | Which items to include and the relevant rate or valuation basis |
| Travel and identification details | What the official route asks you to provide and in what format |
| Records explaining the funds or items | Which records are needed for your circumstances, if any |
| Written reply from the authority | That it applies to your port, travel date and items |
| Declaration confirmation, if issued | How to retrieve it and whether you need to present it on arrival |
Check that any document you might need is accessible during travel. If you’re keeping electronic copies, make sure you can open them without depending on your usual mobile connection. Protect the files and share them only through a verified channel. The guide to digital access before relocating to the UAE can help you organise access to important accounts and records before your trip.
Check the online declaration service before you travel
Use the link from the UAE Government customs guidance to find the current online customs declaration service. The public page describes a declaration for currencies, negotiable bearer financial instruments, precious metals and precious stones. It offers sign-in, inquiry and verification options. ICP refers to its electronic disclosure system as Afseh. Use the authority’s current instructions for your trip.
Check when you’re expected to declare and whether the process can be completed before you arrive. Ask what you must do at your port of entry if you’ve already used the online service. If the page fails, the details change after you’ve submitted them or you cannot retrieve a confirmation, ask the authority what to do before you travel or speak to customs when you arrive. Keep the instructions with your itinerary.
Use a simple checklist before departure:
- Confirm the port, route and travel date.
- List the items and currencies you plan to carry.
- Check which items count and how to value them.
- Check whether the total is above the threshold.
- Confirm which declaration route to use and when.
- Keep the necessary information and any confirmation available.
If you’re travelling with another adult, check what each person needs to know about the declaration, particularly if one of you is arranging the travel for the group. Each traveller should be able to identify the records relevant to them and know where to ask for help at the border.
Use a direct route from an official page and check where it takes you before entering personal information. If someone sends a payment or document request by message, confirm it through the official service or the relevant authority before acting on it.
Check the whole journey before a Dubai move
For a move to Dubai, start with the UAE-wide rule and confirm the practical route for your port or airport. Tell the authority which port you’ll use and where your journey begins. If you will change airports, clear a border or have separate tickets during transit, check with the relevant authority in that country about what applies to that part of your trip.
If you’re leaving the UK, US, Australia or Canada, check the departure authority’s current rules separately. Ask what items its rules cover, how it values them and where it expects a declaration if one is required. Rules in a departure or transit country can use a different currency, definition or form from the UAE’s. Use each authority’s instructions for its own border.
Imagine your journey includes a stop between your departure airport and Dubai. First check the rules for the country you leave. Then check whether the transit authority’s rules apply to your particular connection. Finally, check the UAE arrival instructions. Put any required declaration and supporting evidence next to the relevant leg so you know which record to show if asked.
You might still be deciding how you will cover your first expenses after moving. Set out which payments are due, which funds need to be available on arrival and what arrangements you can confirm before travelling. If you’re comparing ways to access your money, ask the provider about timing, fees and identification requirements. Use the guide to planning a UAE move to bring the funds and travel checklist together with the rest of your preparations.
Keep a record of the declaration
If the official process gives you a reference or confirmation, save it and keep it available for the journey. Note which items and amounts it covers and keep the relevant supporting records with it. Ask the authority how to update a declaration if you change the items or the amount you’re carrying. Ask for guidance if you notice that a saved reference covers an earlier version of your plans.
When you arrive, follow the instructions for your port. If you’re unsure how to present the declaration, where to go or whether an item should be included, ask customs before proceeding. Have the itinerary and records to hand so you can explain the question. After the trip, keep the confirmation securely with your relocation records in case you need to refer to it later.
Ask separately what evidence a bank or other provider would need if you plan to deposit or use the funds after arrival. The border declaration serves a different purpose from a bank’s checks. Get the provider’s requirements directly and keep any provider correspondence in a separate folder. That makes it easier to distinguish a border record from a request about what you plan to do next.
If travel plans change, review the points in order. Confirm the new route, check whether the value or items have changed, and verify what the authorities need at each border. Ask about any uncertainty before the departure date. Save the updated answers with your travel documents so you can use them on the day.
Frequently asked questions
How much cash do I have to declare when moving to the UAE?
The UAE Government guidance requires a declaration above AED 60,000 or the equivalent. The check covers more than cash, so ask the authority how to include and value the other covered items you carry.
Do I need to count cash in several currencies together?
The UAE guidance sets an AED threshold or its equivalent in foreign currencies. List every currency you’re carrying and ask the authority which exchange rate or valuation basis to use if the answer affects whether you need to declare.
Does the cash a child carries count?
ICP says amounts held by passengers under 18 are added to the amount held by the accompanying adult family member. Ask ICP or customs how to apply this if you’re unsure who should declare in your group.
Can I use the online declaration service before I arrive in the UAE?
The UAE Government customs guidance links to an online declaration service, and ICP describes Afseh as an electronic disclosure route. Confirm when to use it for your trip, what records to keep and what you should do at the port after using it.
Does a UAE declaration cover my departure or transit country?
Check each country’s requirements separately. Use the authority for that part of the journey to confirm what applies to your route and how to declare where required.
Does making a declaration settle other rules about carrying or depositing the money?
A declaration records the covered items for customs. Ask the relevant authority about any separate rules for carrying them and ask your provider what it requires if you intend to deposit or use the funds.
