‘Absolutely devastated': Man not allowed into Dubai over face tattoos
Jordan Howman, 34, said he had his passport confiscated and was held by airport workers for six hours before being given the boot – ruining his £3,000 ($A6300) holiday.
The plasterer, from Crewe, a town in Cheshire, England, covered his face in tattoos of geometric cubes and words including 'blessed' and 'crazy life' almost a decade ago.
Jordan said his ink addiction hadn't caused him any issues during his previous two trips to his 'favourite country in the world', the UAE.
'My missus has been crying her eyes out,' Howman told The Sun.
'It has absolutely devastated me. I feel like I've been massively discriminated against.
'There's no law against face tattoos – there's nothing like that.
'I'm a lovely lad, I get on with anyone. It's made me feel absolutely rubbish. I'm not allowed in a country because of the way I look. It's properly, massively affected me.
'It was my favourite country, but this has absolutely ruined it. Now I'll never go again. I've lost all of my money because of a pattern on my face.'
Jordan landed at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday for a dream week-long holiday with his fiancee Theresa, 38, and daughter Kaic, 16.
But he said as he ventured through passport control he was pulled to one side.
After taking Jordan aside, the worker asked if he'd had his passport stamped before taking it from him.
'Then he snatched my passport out of my hand,' Jordan said.
'There had been nowhere to stamp it – we'd used the electronic gates. It was just an excuse to get the passport out of my hand.'
After being held in a waiting room for more than four hours, Jordan was transferred to immigration at around midday, he said.
By this time, his family had reached their five-star Anantara hotel.
He called his partner and she got a taxi to the airport – but Jordan said airport staff refused to let her go to him and so she got a cab back, costing a total of £250 ($520).
Jordan said he was 'terrified' as he was not given his passport back for some time.
'A woman came and took me upstairs to immigration, where they said: 'He's not coming in because of his face tattoos – you're not coming in because of the way you look',' he claimed.
'One of the staff behind the desk said a more senior immigration officer made the decision, saying I was not to enter Dubai and that I must leave the country immediately.'
At 2.30pm – six hours after arriving – Jordan was put on another Emirates flight heading back to the UK.
'They sent me on a flight back to Manchester,' he said.
'It was only when I landed that I got my passport back.
'Friday morning was the first time I got to see my daughter, over Facetime.'
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai have been approached for comment.
Dubai Airports was also contacted for a response.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
a day ago
- SBS Australia
'No way out': Australian family's four-day land journey to escape Iran-Israel conflict
Mehri and her family travelled to Iran for a family visit but found themselves caught up in the Iran-Israel conflict. With airports closed and flights cancelled, they were forced to undertake a multi-day journey by land through conflict-affected regions to escape. Despite registering with Australia's DFAT crisis system, Mehri reports receiving only automated responses and minimal practical support during their ordeal. When Mehri*, a dual Australian-Iranian citizen based in Melbourne, boarded a flight to Tehran with her husband and young daughter, she expected a family reunion, not a life-threatening conflict. The family's trip quickly unravelled as the Iran-Israel conflict escalated within hours of their arrival on 13 June. 'We landed, and that night, the bombing started,' Mehri told SBS Persian. 'It was surreal. We later found out our flight may have been the last international one into the country. Within days, airports were closed. "We had no way out.' With commercial flights grounded and no evacuation plan in sight, Mehri and her family were forced to make a choice — wait in uncertainty, or escape Iran by land. Around 3,200 Australians, including dual citizens and their immediate family members, have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) seeking assistance to leave Iran amid the ongoing conflict with Israel. 'It wasn't just expensive, it was dangerous' The decision to flee Iran was not made lightly. Unfamiliar with the country's land border infrastructure, Mehri said she turned to social media and friends to gather information. 'We had no idea where to start,' she said. 'I didn't even know which border was closest to Tehran. I spent two to three days calling relatives, messaging people, and asking strangers online.' An intense 12‑day conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on 13 June, 2025. Credit: Supplied by Mehri Eventually, she made contact with individuals at the Iran-Türkiye border, who she recounted were "ordinary Iranians" desperate to leave. 'They guided me step by step. Without them, I don't think we would've made it,' she said. Securing transport posed another challenge. Amid ongoing fuel shortages, private drivers were hesitant to undertake the 12-hour journey to the Turkish border. 'One driver finally agreed, but we had to pay four times the normal fare,' she said. The route, through western Iranian cities, passed several areas known to house military installations. 'We saw missile defence systems going up. One night, a site not far from us was bombed. It's something we'll never forget,' Mehri said. The family had to buy fuel on the black market just to reach the next city. 'It wasn't just expensive. It was dangerous,' she added. 'We had no idea what could happen next.' The border and beyond Their destination was the Razi border crossing, a remote land checkpoint between Iran and Türkiye. 'When we finally reached Khoy, we changed cars again. Turkish-speaking drivers took us to the border. Thankfully, the crossing itself went smoothly.' To avoid complications, the family left most of their belongings behind. 'We crossed with just a small suitcase. Everything else is still in Iran,' she said. The Kapıkoy border crossing between Türkiye and Iran. Credit: Supplied by Mehri From there, the journey continued into Türkiye, first to the city of Van, which housed thousands of Iranian refugees and stranded travellers. 'Hotel rooms were fully booked. We were lucky to find one place to stay, even though it was far from ideal.' With all flights to Istanbul booked for the next week, the family rented a car and drove overnight through mountain roads to Ordu, a coastal city with available flights. 'It was terrifying — dark roads, bad weather, a 10-hour drive with our daughter in the backseat. But we couldn't hesitate.' After reaching Ordu, they caught a flight to Istanbul, where they waited another eight hours before boarding a re-booked Emirates flight to Melbourne. Mehri said her family was charged over $750 in airline change fees due to adjustments to the date and departure city. 'We were alone' Throughout the ordeal, Mehri said she tried to contact Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She first called the Australian Embassy in Tehran on 14 June, two days after the conflict escalated. Embassy staff took her family's details over the phone and promised to follow up with them. 'They never contacted us again,' she said. Later, when a DFAT crisis registration portal was shared online, Mehri registered on 19 June. After submitting her registration, she said she received only automated emails. 'The internet in Iran was severely restricted. I had to use a VPN, and it took hours. 'No human contact, no emergency instructions. Just a link to the Smartraveller website and suggestions to follow their Instagram and Facebook pages,' she said. 'In Iran? With no reliable internet? It was useless.' She said her family also received "irrelevant" messages amid the conflict. 'At one point, I got an email saying I had duplicate accounts and should delete one. I was waiting for critical updates — not this. It just showed how disconnected the response was from what we actually needed.' Australian assistance According to a source close to the issue, the Australian government recently assisted five Australian citizens to leave Iran on a commercial flight from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to Dubai. SBS Persian understands that while commercial flights are not yet operating from Tehran, international airports in eastern Iran remain operational, providing limited options for departures. DFAT is understood to be working to secure seats on commercial flights and has reached out to hundreds of registered travellers and their families in Australia via phone calls, text messages and emails to inform them about these available flights. Furthermore, Australian officials have been assisting citizens seeking to cross Iran's border with Azerbaijan by providing crossing codes. It is understood that more than 150 Australians have now received border codes for Azerbaijan, with more than 50 successfully crossing into Azerbaijan. Australian officials support Australian travellers arriving in Dubai from Mashhad, Iran. Images taken on Sunday 29 June, 2025. Credit: DFAT James Robertson, Global Head of Security at International SOS, said fleeing a conflict zone like Iran involves complex decisions and unpredictable risks. 'When airports are shut and land borders become the only option, people face uncertainty, from fuel shortages to overcrowded crossings and internet blackouts,' he said. 'You need to know your route, prepare for delays, and have backup communication strategies.' His message to Australians abroad: 'Act early, stay informed, and seek help as soon as it's offered.' As of late June 2025, approximately 3,200 Australians had registered with DFAT for help leaving Iran due to the ongoing conflict with Israel. Credit: Supplied by Mehri Still in 'survival mode' Now back in Melbourne, Mehri said the trauma of the journey remained fresh. 'It's hard to sleep. I still feel like I'm in survival mode,' she said. 'I carried pepper spray the entire time. I had no idea what we'd face.' "We can't rely on Telegram groups and strangers to escape a war zone. We made it out, but thousands didn't. I hope peace returns." *Name withheld to protect identity
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
At least 30 dead in Israeli strike on internet cafe in Gaza popular with journalists
A seafront cafe in Gaza known for its public internet connection frequented by journalists, media workers, activists and students has been the target of the latest deadly strike by the Israeli military. Warning: This story contains images and details that may distress some readers. Gaza's civil defence agency said that at least 30 people — including women, children and multiple journalists — were killed and dozens more injured in an Israeli strike on Al-Baqa Cafe. One of the few businesses to continue operating during the war, the cafe was a popular gathering spot for those seeking internet access, phone chargers and a place to work. "The place is always crowded with people because [it] offers drinks, family seating and internet access," eyewitness Ahmed Al-Nayrab told AFP, recalling a "huge explosion that shook the area". "I saw body parts flying everywhere, and bodies cut and burned … It was a scene that made your skin crawl." Among the dead was 32-year-old Palestinian photojournalist and film director Ismail Abu Hatab. Ismail Abu Hatab was known for curating photo exhibitions detailing the horrors of life in Gaza, including the immersive photography exhibition Between the Sky and the Sea, which was recently shown in Los Angeles. He was previously injured in an Israeli air strike while working at the Al-Ghafari tower in November 2023, he said in an interview last year to NDTV World. Well-known Palestinian journalist Bayan Abu Sultan was also among the dozens injured at the cafe, multiple media outlets confirmed. At least 227 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the UN Human Rights Office, which condemned what it called the Israeli military's pattern of killings of journalists in Gaza. Israeli military attacks reportedly killed 18 journalists in May 2025 alone, it added in a statement. The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate confirmed that more than 220 journalists had been killed in Gaza since the war began. Monday's strike came amid the latest offensive of the 20-month war, which started when Hamas militants entered Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking a further 251 hostage. Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Since the war began, the Gaza Strip has experienced at least 10 partial and full communication and internet outages, limiting the flow of information to and from Gaza and preventing journalists from reporting. Between June 10 and 21, the Gaza Strip experienced a complete internet outage and widespread mobile phone interruptions, which the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority described as "systematic targeting". The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (also known as Reporters sans Frontières or RSF) both allege that Israel is directly targeting journalists in Gaza, something which Israel denies. "Israeli forces have done everything in their power to prevent coverage of what is happening in Gaza, and have systematically targeted journalists who have taken tremendous risks to do their jobs," RSF campaign director Rebecca Vincent said. Palestinian journalist Gathi Sabbah, 65, last month told The Journal that some public internet access points or cafes had become targets for Israeli drones. "Even going to a cafe carries real risk to our lives," he told Palestinian journalist Hana Salah at The Journal. "Many people have lost their lives just by being there, even though they were civilians." Gaza's government media office said it condemned "in the strongest terms the systematic targeting, killing and assassination of Palestinian journalists" by Israeli forces. In May, Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna was killed in an Israeli air strike just one day after she found out a documentary about her life in Gaza was to premiere in Cannes. Approached for comment by AFP, the Israeli army said it was "looking into" the reports of the attack at Al-Baqa Cafe. ABC/wires
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- SBS Australia
Unclipped with Grace Brown - The Calm Before the Tour: What to Expect from UAE vs Visma
The end of June marks a rare stillness in the cycling calendar, but the Tour de France is already looming large. UAE and Visma have both revealed their line-ups, and the contrast is striking. Grace breaks down the climbing firepower of UAE's mountain-focused team, and the tactical versatility of Visma's more defensive squad. Grace signs off from Unclipped, for now, but you can catch her all throughout July and August on the SBS Cycling podcast with Christophe and Macka.
