Question
Are there HIV positive restrictions on travel to Dubai, Malaysia or Hong Kong?
2 May 2009. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term.
I’m visiting Dubai, Malaysia and Hong Kong and I am wondering if it is safe to take my HIV medication with me?
I’m worried about being refused entry into one of these countries, should they find the pills in my suitcase.
Thanks
Answer
You can get an official answer on entry restrictions to any country by contacting the appropriate embassy or consulate, or visiting their web site. If you are calling by phone, it is best not to give your name or say you are HIV-positive.
In practice, most people travel with their meds, sometimes in vitamin jars, and hope everything will be ok.
It can sometimes help to travel with a letter from your doctor, saying you are receiving medical care in the UK (not mentioning HIV), but that you are fit to travel. This might help if you are unlucky and get stopped by a customs officer.
I’m sorry this answer isn’t ideal but this is going to be a personal choice.
Some people decide on principle never to visit any country that has unfair entry criteria (including the US when those restrictions were still in place). Others decide they won’t let HIV stop them from doing everything they want in life, and decide that the relatively low risk of being questioned about meds is an acceptable risk to see other parts of the world (including the US).
This community site about HIV and travel lists statutory entry requirements for for most countries, but only includes the strict legal situation. Also check the information is up-to-date before relying on it.
Things can change over time. For example this site did not encourage visiting China when this question was first posted but this has now changed. This is because the Chinese policy changed to drop the entry bar to HIV positive people.
Even before this though, in practice, many thousands of HIV positive people probably visited these countries each year as tourists, travelling with their meds, without any problems.
Am Destiny hiv postive and I want to travel and work in Dubai,Turkey or UK one of the countries .so can I go with my meds or it’s not possible?
Hi John,
As you can see from the post above, the UEA isn’t a country that welcomes people who are positive.
If you chose to travel, you need to be aware of the possible risks of being deported.
I will like to visit Dubai, this year on vacation but i am scared “in a nonjudgmental way will like to see a Doctor over there and do some test..
Hi John, thanks. It isn’t clear whether you are still in Dubai and are asking about leaving? Or are you now in another country and want to go back to Dubai? The most up-to-date information about HIV and travel restrictions is at this site: https://www.hivtravel.org
I found out I was HIV positive in 2020 in Dubai. I would like to go for vacation, is there a posibililty that I can’t enter the country?
Hi CM,
Travel rules for countries can be found here: https://www.hivtravel.org/
It’s up to an individual if they wish to risk traveling to a country where positive people aren’t welcome.
Are people who are HIV positive and just staying for a few days admitted or not?… There seems to be a lot of nuance here….
Hi Joseph,
Unfortunately i-Base does not provide advice or information about Faith with regard to HIV. But i-Base does provide evidence-based information on HIV treatment for everyone who is HIV positive, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class or age.
However, in the Koran the Prophet Muhammad says, “Let what good you give be for parents and kinsfolk, and the orphan, and the needy, and the son of the road.” It looks like nobody is excluded.
I am conflicted with the Emirate’s policy against entry by HIV/aids patients, and their Islamic Faith. Did Allah or Mohammed mention people with sickness?
Does Allah exclude anyone?
Hi Precious,
ARVs aren’t allowed to be taken into the UAE. Please see the above post for more info.