Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks do not work in the UAE, and Mir cards are not accepted either, so tourists with these cards mostly pay in cash. The usual choices are dirhams or US dollars, which are easy to change because the dirham is fixed to the dollar. UnionPay is reported to work in most large malls. This guide sets out what each card does, where cash is needed, how much to carry and who to ask before you fly.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
While you are in Dubai: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
Do Russian Visa and Mastercard cards work in Dubai?
No. The Bank of Russia said on 9 March that cards of the two systems issued by Russian banks would stop working abroad and in foreign online shops, and we found no report of a change. A Visa or Mastercard issued by a bank outside Russia works like any foreign card.
This guide also answers:
- Does UnionPay work in Dubai?
- Can I pay in US dollars or rubles in Dubai?
- How much cash can I bring into the UAE?
Five ways tourists pay when cards from Russia do not work
#1
Dirham cash
Dirhams are accepted everywhere and need no terminal, no phone signal and no bank. Carry small and medium notes for taxis, stalls, tips and the Creek abra, which takes AED 1 in cash. A taxi driver or a stall may not be able to break an AED 500 or AED 1,000 note.
#2
US dollar cash
The dirham is fixed at 3.6725 to the dollar, so dollars are the easiest foreign cash to change and the rate is simple to check. Compare exchange houses with airport kiosks and hotel desks, bring your passport, ask about commission and keep the receipt.
#3
UnionPay in malls
A Russian bank told RIA Novosti on 4 March 2026 that almost all large UAE malls accept UnionPay, and TASS reported earlier that Dubai Duty Free takes it. If no sign is shown, show the card at the till and ask. Small places may have no UnionPay terminal.
#4
Rubles at the airport
Kommersant reported that Dubai Duty Free began to take rubles from 1 August, in cash and on some cards, but that a payment could be declined. That report is more than two years old and we could not confirm it today, so check at the till and keep dirham or dollar cash as the plan.
#5
Pay on the day for tours
Our full-day desert safari and Abu Dhabi city tour need no prepayment: you agree the date with us on WhatsApp and pay on the day. Other tours are paid in advance, so ask us which payment methods apply to the tour you want before you book.
Russian bank cards in Dubai: the short answer
Visa and Mastercard cards issued by banks in Russia do not work in Dubai. The Bank of Russia said on 9 March that cards of the two systems issued by Russian banks would stop working abroad and in foreign online shops. We found no report that this has changed. Mir cards are not accepted in Dubai either, according to Kommersant. UnionPay cards issued in Russia are the one card type that is reported to work, mostly in large malls. For everything else, tourists use cash.
This page describes how tourists pay. It does not give advice on sanctions, banking or payment schemes, and it is general information, not financial advice. Only your own bank can tell you what your card does abroad, so ask it before you fly.
What each card does in the UAE
The table gives the reported status of each card type and where the report comes from. Reports are dated, so read the source column as well as the status.
| Card | Reported status in Dubai | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visa or Mastercard issued by a Russian bank | Does not work abroad or in foreign online shops | Bank of Russia statement of 9 March |
| Mir | Not accepted in Dubai | Kommersant, in an August report that is now more than two years old |
| UnionPay issued by a Russian bank | Reported accepted in almost all large malls and at Dubai Duty Free; depends on the issuing bank | RIA Novosti, 4 March 2026, quoting Rosselkhozbank; TASS |
| A card issued by a bank outside Russia | Treated like any foreign card; Visa and Mastercard work almost everywhere | Our money guide |
Rules and acceptance can change. Ask your bank which cards it has switched on for use abroad.
Mir was accepted at a few UAE merchants for a short time in a pilot run by the acquirer Network International. Khaleej Times reported that the pilot started with Dubai Duty Free in Concourse B of DXB. Later, TASS and Kommersant both wrote that Mir cards do not work in the duty-free shops or in Dubai. We found no later report of Mir acceptance in the UAE.
UnionPay in Dubai: what the reports say
RIA Novosti reported on 4 March 2026 that Rosselkhozbank, a Russian bank, said almost all large shopping centres in the UAE accept UnionPay. If the payment sign is missing at the entrance, the bank advises showing the card at the till and asking, because a terminal may support the card even when it is not advertised. The bank also named local partners for cash withdrawals, among them Network International and Mashreq, and said the UAE was one of the top three destinations for Russian tourists' UnionPay spending abroad.
Read this with three cautions:
- It is one bank's statement about its own customers. Whether your card works depends on the bank that issued it.
- Small cafes, stalls and independent shops may have no UnionPay terminal, so carry cash as well.
- Ask your bank for its daily limits and its fees for cash withdrawals abroad.
Cash: dirhams and dollars
The UAE dirham (AED) is fixed to the US dollar at 3.6725, so $1 is AED 3.67 and AED 100 is about $27. Because the rate never moves, dollars are the easiest foreign cash to change, and an exchange house shows its rate on a board. Money in Dubai explains how exchange houses compare with airport kiosks and why to change only a small amount on arrival.
Bring your passport to change money and keep the receipt. Carry small and medium notes too, because a taxi driver or a stall may not be able to break a large note. Tips are simplest in small bills; tipping in Dubai gives the usual amounts.
How much cash may you carry? The u.ae portal says to declare cash above AED 60,000, about $16,300, or the equivalent in other currency, cheques, precious metals or stones, when you enter or leave the UAE. You declare through the official website or the Afseh app. Some outlets write AED 60,000 or more, so declare if you are at the line. Our customs guide lists the other limits.
Rubles in Dubai
Kommersant reported in an August piece, now more than two years old, that Dubai Duty Free shops at the airport had started to accept rubles from 1 August, in cash and on some ruble cards, and that a payment could be declined, so it had to be tested at the till. TASS gave the same start date and said some shops in Terminal 2 did not yet take rubles.
We could not confirm that this is still the case. We also could not confirm that exchange houses in the city change rubles, or at what rate. Treat rubles as something to check on the spot, and make dollars or dirhams your plan.
Where you need cash, and where you do not
Dubai is a card city, but a lot of everyday life still runs on cash and on one transport card. This table shows where you stand without a working card.
| Where | How you pay | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Street taxis and rank taxis | Cash or card in the car | Keep small notes; see our taxi guide |
| Careem and Uber | Card in the app | Without a card, use a street taxi paid in cash |
| Metro, tram and bus | Nol card only; no cash on board | Buy the card at a station ticket office or machine and check which payments the machine takes |
| Creek abra | AED 1 in cash | A few minutes across the water |
| Souks and small stalls | Cash | Haggling goes with notes in your hand |
| Malls, restaurants and cafes | Card is the norm | Many places take cash too; ask before you order |
| Hotels | Usually a card hold at check-in | Ask your hotel before you fly what it accepts for the deposit |
Shawarma counters and the smallest cafes often prefer cash.
The taxi and Careem guide explains street taxis and apps, and the Nol card guide covers the card that pays for the Metro, tram and buses. Souk prices are negotiated: haggling in Dubai souks shows how much off is normal.
A week of cash: how much to bring
These bands come from our budget guide. They are planning bands, not quotes, for one person in the November to March season, and they leave out the hotel and tours.
| Per person | AED | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Food and drink per day | 60-100 | $16-27 |
| Getting around by Metro per day | 15-30 | $4-8 |
| Tickets and attractions per day | 20-60 | $5-16 |
| Total per day | 95-190 | $26-52 |
| Seven days | 665-1,330 | $181-362 |
Converted at AED 3.6725 per dollar.
Dubai on a budget adds the hotel, meals and sights line by line. Costs you pay online in advance, such as some tickets and prepaid tours, are separate: ask the seller which payment methods it accepts before you book.
Paying for our tours, and a checklist before you fly
The full-day desert safari, from $45, and the Abu Dhabi city tour, from $45 shared, need no prepayment: you agree the date with us on WhatsApp and pay on the day. The yacht tours, Burj Khalifa tickets and the Old Dubai walk are paid in advance, and the balloon takes a 30% deposit. Ask us on WhatsApp which payment methods apply to the tour you want before you book.
Before you fly:
- Ask your bank which cards work abroad, and what the limits and fees are.
- Decide how much cash to carry, and declare it if it is above AED 60,000.
- Split your cash between your bag, your pocket and the hotel safe.
- Take small notes for taxis, souks and tips.
- Keep your passport with you for exchange houses.
- Ask your hotel what it accepts for the check-in deposit.
FAQ
Do Russian Visa and Mastercard cards work in Dubai?
No. The Bank of Russia said on 9 March that cards of the two systems issued by Russian banks would stop working abroad and in foreign online shops, and we found no report of a change. A Visa or Mastercard issued by a bank outside Russia works like any foreign card.
Do Mir cards work in the UAE?
Not according to the latest reports we found. Kommersant wrote in an August piece, now more than two years old, that Mir cards do not work in Dubai, and TASS said the same about the airport duty-free shops. A short pilot in the past covered a few merchants. Ask your bank before you rely on it.
Does UnionPay work in Dubai?
Reportedly, in many places. RIA Novosti quoted Rosselkhozbank on 4 March 2026 as saying almost all large UAE malls accept UnionPay, and that cash can be withdrawn through local partner banks. Small places may not take it, and it depends on the bank that issued your card, so carry cash as well.
Can I pay in US dollars or rubles in Dubai?
Dollars are the easiest foreign cash to change, because the dirham is fixed at 3.6725 to the dollar. Some tourist shops take dollars at a rate that favours them, so dirhams are better. Rubles were reported accepted at Dubai Duty Free from 1 August, but that report is old, so check on the spot.
How much cash can I bring into the UAE?
Declare cash above AED 60,000, about $16,300, or the equivalent in other currency, cheques, precious metals or stones, when you enter or leave the UAE. You declare through the official website or the Afseh app. Some outlets write AED 60,000 or more, so declare if you are close to the figure.
Can I use cash in taxis and on the Metro?
Taxis take cash or card. The Metro, tram and buses take only a Nol card or ticket, and cash is not accepted on board, so buy a Nol card at a station. The traditional Creek abra costs AED 1 in cash.
Do I pay in advance for your tours?
Not for the desert safari or the Abu Dhabi city tour: you agree the date on WhatsApp and pay on the day. The yacht tours, Burj Khalifa tickets and Old Dubai walk are paid in advance, and the balloon takes a 30% deposit. Ask us which payment methods apply before you book.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai
It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Area
- Lahbab Desert, Dubai
- Format
- Full-day desert safari
- Best for
- families, couples and first-time desert visitors who want the full evening programme
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour
Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai
It is the classic capital day in one organised loop: the mosque before the midday heat and crowds, the newly opened BAPS Mandir, the skyline from the Corniche, Bedouin history at Heritage Village and a photo op at Ferrari World. Transport, a licensed guide, mosque registration assistance and bottled water are included; the $45 shared tour covers all free-entry sites, and a private VIP car for up to 7 people is $245.
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Area
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Format
- Full-day guided city tour (shared or private)
- Best for
- families, seniors and first-time visitors who want the capital's landmarks in one day
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour
Old Dubai Walking Tour
It is the Dubai that is walked rather than driven: the Creek where the city began as a trading port, the restored wind-tower quarter and the souks that still trade spices and gold. A local guide tells the story along the way. The $35 walk includes the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water; the $55 option adds street-food tastings.
- Duration
- 3-4 hours
- Area
- Old Dubai: Bur Dubai and Deira
- Format
- Shared group walk
- Best for
- first-time visitors, food lovers and anyone who wants the old trading side of Dubai on foot
From $35 per person Full prepayment
View tour📚 Keep reading
Photos: Dirham cash — Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, US dollar cash — Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, UnionPay in malls — Dakstor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).