What was meant to be an exciting getaway to Dubai turned into a distressing ordeal for a UK man, who was unexpectedly denied entry at the airport—an outcome he attributes entirely to his face tattoos.
Despite passing through passport control without issue, Jordan Howman was detained for hours before being sent back to the UK, leaving him feeling deeply unfairly treated and discriminated against because of his appearance.
In recent times, British travelers have encountered a variety of challenges abroad, often involving legal troubles. For example, two young women are currently serving lengthy prison sentences after being caught with illicit substances at foreign airports.
Another case involves a British mother stranded in Turkey after accidentally damaging a hotel shower during a celebration; she is now trying to raise funds to return home to her child.
However, 34-year-old Jordan, a plasterer by trade, maintains that he committed no wrongdoing and believes his face tattoos were the sole reason for his refusal of entry into the UAE earlier this month—a decision that has left him feeling “massively discriminated against.”
Jordan was traveling with his fiancée, Theresa, 38, and his 16-year-old daughter, Kaic, eager to visit what he calls his favorite country. But his trip came to a halt when officials detained him for six hours, confiscated his passport, and ultimately ordered his return to Manchester.
Sporting prominent tattoos on his face—including the phrases “blessed” and “crazy life”—Jordan felt anything but fortunate after his travel dreams were abruptly dashed.
“My missus has been crying non-stop. It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “I feel massively discriminated against.”
“There’s no law against face tattoos anywhere,” he added. “I’m a friendly person who gets along with everyone, yet I was turned away just because of how I look. It’s absolutely crushed me.”
“Dubai was my favorite place to visit, but this experience has completely ruined it for me. I won’t be going back. I lost all my money over a tattoo.”
Jordan described the unsettling moment when, after passing through passport control using electronic gates, an official stopped him, questioned whether his passport had been stamped, and abruptly snatched it from his hands. “There was nowhere to stamp it because of the electronic gates—it felt like they were just looking for an excuse,” he recalled.
While Theresa and Kaic continued on to their luxury hotel, Jordan was confined to a waiting area for several hours before being escorted to immigration.
He remembered, “A woman took me upstairs and told me I wasn’t allowed to enter because of my face tattoos—basically, because of how I look.”
“One of the immigration officers said a senior official had decided I must leave Dubai immediately.”
Jordan only received his passport back after returning to Manchester, while his family enjoyed the rest of their stay without any issues.
Dubai, a city celebrated for its opulence and safety, also enforces strict rules that can catch visitors unprepared. Yet, no official legislation currently bans face tattoos in the UAE.
Jordan Howman’s experience sheds light on the difficulties some travelers face due to prejudgments based on appearance, even in widely visited and seemingly welcoming destinations like Dubai. While the UAE is known for its luxury and stringent regulations, this incident raises important questions about discrimination and fairness, especially in the absence of any explicit laws prohibiting face tattoos.
It serves as a stark reminder that personal expression can sometimes collide with cultural and administrative norms, profoundly affecting travel experiences and plans.