New Year, new UAE…

2024 has been a big year for legal reform and sweeping decrees, and some of them are due to come into force to the sound of fireworks and drone rotors at midnight between December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025. These are the big changes you need to be aware of going into the new year.

More plastics banned

Dubai is becoming greener and after successfully banning single-use plastic bags in June 2024, next on the list for a collective ecological khalas-ing from January 1 2025 are utensils such as plastic stirrers, styrofoam food containers, plastic straws and more. We love to see planet-friendly changes in the UAE.

Alcohol tax will return

Time at the bar! From January 1, 2025 the municipality fee will be reinstated for alcohol sold in the emirate. The 30 per cent tax was suspended at the end of 2022 and was initially due to be in place for one year as a trial period, from January 1 to December 31, 2023. It was then extended for an extra year in 2024. Dry January never looked so appealing.

Women on board of directors to increase

The Ministry of Economy announced that from January 2025, all UAE private joint-stock companies must have at least one woman on the board of directors once the current terms are over. This marks a huge step forward in representation of women in leadership roles in the UAE.

Visa Amnesty ends

The UAE’s overstay amnesty offered a goodwill lifeline for those residing in the UAE with an expired tourist or residency visa. It provided overstayers the chance to ‘regularise their status’ without penalty, either by leaving the country without fines or a prison sentence, or obtaining a new valid visa. It began on September 1, 2024 and was initially due to end on October 31. The deadline was then extended to December 31, 2024 – making today the last day for visa clemency.

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