Quick answer: +971 is the United Arab Emirates. Mobiles have 9 digits after +971 and start with 5; landlines have 8 digits. If the number you were given starts with 0, drop the 0. Example:
+971 50 123 4567.
How to dial the UAE
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +971 + 8 or 9 digits |
| US or Canada landline | 011 971 + 8 or 9 digits |
| UK, India, Pakistan or Philippines landline | 00 971 + 8 or 9 digits |
| Australia landline | 0011 971 + 8 or 9 digits |
Numbers in the UAE are written with a leading 0, like 050 123 4567 or 04 123 4567. That 0 is only for calls inside the UAE. From abroad, leave it out: 04 123 4567 becomes +971 4 123 4567.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles are 05 plus one more digit and a 7-digit number inside the UAE, written 050 123 4567. From abroad that is +971 50 123 4567.
Landlines are a 1-digit area code plus a 7-digit local number, so 8 digits after +971.
| City | Area code in the UAE | From abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | 02 | +971 2 xxx xxxx |
| Al Ain | 03 | +971 3 xxx xxxx |
| Dubai | 04 | +971 4 xxx xxxx |
| Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain | 06 | +971 6 xxx xxxx |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 07 | +971 7 xxx xxxx |
| Fujairah | 09 | +971 9 xxx xxxx |
Codes that get mixed up with +971
+972 is Israel, +973 is Bahrain and +974 is Qatar. Saudi Arabia is +966.
Time difference
The UAE is on GST (UTC+4) all year, with no daylight saving time. The gap changes when your own clocks change.
| Where you are | Your clocks on summer time | Your clocks on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast | The UAE is 8 hours ahead | The UAE is 9 hours ahead |
| US West Coast | The UAE is 11 hours ahead | The UAE is 12 hours ahead |
| UK | The UAE is 3 hours ahead | The UAE is 4 hours ahead |
| India | The UAE is 1h 30m behind all year | |
| Pakistan | The UAE is 1 hour behind all year | |
A 7 AM call from New York reaches Dubai at 3 PM in the US summer and 4 PM in the US winter.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
FAQ
Can I call a UAE 800 or 600 number from abroad?
Usually not. UAE 800 toll-free and 600 numbers are generally set up for callers inside the UAE, so from another country the call often won't connect. Look for the company's regular +971 number.
Why won't my call to +971 go through?
Check three things: you left out the leading 0, you have 9 digits after +971 for a mobile or 8 for a landline, and you dialed 971, not 972 or 974.