Will I be deported if I am convicted of a drug offence?
If you are a foreigner, very probably. Article 75(1) of the law says the court shall order the deportation of a foreigner convicted of any of the crimes stipulated in it.
The wording covers every offence in the law, including personal use and possession as well as trafficking. On the UAE Legislation portal the article is stated as an obligation on the court, not a discretion, subject to the exceptions below.
What are the exceptions?
Deportation does not apply in two cases listed in Article 75(2).
First, if the convicted person, at the time of the crime, was the spouse of, or a first-degree blood relative of, a UAE national. Second, if the convicted person is a member of a family residing in the UAE, the court determines that deportation would seriously harm the stability of the family or deprive a member of necessary care or support, and the court establishes that the family has the financial capacity to provide treatment for the convicted person. For this purpose "family" means the grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, children, brothers and sisters.
What should I prepare if I am a foreigner facing a drug charge?
Evidence for the exceptions, collected before trial, so your lawyer can put it in front of the court.
That means proof of any marriage or first-degree relationship to a UAE national, proof that family members reside in the UAE, evidence of the family's dependence on you and of its financial ability to provide treatment, and your own residence documents. Whether an exception can apply is a legal and factual question for your case.
What should I do first?
Tell your lawyer your family situation on day one
The exceptions turn on family facts.
Collect civil documents
Marriage certificate, birth certificates, family book and residence permits.
Document dependence
Medical, school or financial records showing who relies on you.
Do not leave without advice
Travel bans and warrants can exist without notice.
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Frequently asked questions
Is deportation automatic?
Under Article 75(1) the court must order it for a convicted foreigner unless one of the two exceptions in Article 75(2) applies.
Does it apply to personal use?
Article 75 refers to any of the crimes stipulated in the law, which includes the personal use offences.
Does being married to a UAE national protect me?
Article 75(2)(a) removes deportation where the convicted person was, at the time of the crime, the spouse of a UAE national or a first-degree blood relative of one.
Can I return to the UAE afterwards?
Article 75 does not itself answer that. Entry restrictions depend on the separate decisions made after the case, so ask a lawyer before planning travel.
Related guides
Drug Offences overview
The main points, the process and your first steps.
Read the overviewPersonal Use
What the law says about using drugs, or having them for personal use, the penalties for first and repeat offences, and when treatment can replace a sentence.
Read the guideTrafficking and Supply
How UAE law treats importing, producing, possessing and supplying controlled substances, and why quantity and intent shape the whole case.
Read the guideSources
Source: official English text on the UAE Legislation portal, checked 9 October 2026. The portal lists the law as active and last updated on 1 October 2025. The Arabic text prevails over translations.
This page is general information, not legal advice.