A British man was left devastated after being denied entry into Dubai for an “unexpected” reason—his extensive facial tattoos.
Jordan Howman, a 34-year-old plasterer from Crewe, had saved £3,000 for a five-day holiday in the Emirates with his fiancée Theresa, 38, and 16-year-old daughter, Kaic.
However, shortly after arriving at Dubai International Airport on June 11, immigration officials pulled him aside, confiscated his passport, and eventually sent him back to the UK.
British man says he was treated “like a criminal” after being denied entry to Dubai for having his face covered in tattoos
Image credits: Grafvision/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
“I worked my a** off to afford this trip,” Howman said. “It was supposed to be a dream holiday. I was absolutely buzzing to be back in Dubai—my favorite country in the world.”
His excitement would eventually turn into confusion and embarrassment. As he approached the security checkpoint and placed his hand luggage on the conveyor belt, an airport worker stopped him.
Image credits: Macauley Boswell/Facebook
Howman recalled how the officer took him aside and asked if he had his passport stamped.
“He snatched it right out of my hand. There had been nowhere to stamp it—we’d used the electronic gates. It felt like they were just looking for an excuse,” he said.
Image credits: moofushi/Adobe Stock
What followed were more than six hours of uncertainty, as Howman was detained in an airport holding area before being transferred to an immigration facility around midnight.
Neither his fiancée—who is also heavily tattooed but sports no face tattoos—nor his daughter were subjected to the same treatment, and were able to arrive at their destination—a luxurious five-star hotel—without issues.
Howman was sent back to the UK alone, leaving him separated from his loved ones
Image credits: Ethan Wilkinson/Pexels
Separated from his family and “treated like a criminal,” Howman recalled how his confusion turned into humiliation as his desperate fiancée took a £250 taxi trip back to the airport, only to be denied entry.
“They wouldn’t even let her see me,” he said. “She’s been crying her eyes out. It’s just heartbreaking.”
Image credits: BBC News (Not the actual photo)
Eventually, Howman’s suspicions were confirmed as officials said he was rejected for his appearance.
“A woman took me upstairs to immigration. They told me: ‘You’re not coming in because of your face tattoos—you’re not coming in because of the way you look,’” he recalled.
“It made me feel like absolute rubbish. I’m a lovely lad, I get on with anyone. But I’ve been treated like a criminal just for having tattoos.”
This wasn’t the first time Howman had visited the United Arab Emirates. In fact, this was to be his third time as a tourist in his “favorite city in the world.”
While there’s no official law against face tattoos in Dubai, religious practices mean they are frowned upon
Image credits: Jordan Howman/Facebook
Howman’s face is almost completely covered in tattoos. Save for his nose and eyelids, nearly every inch features geometric shapes that, at first glance, resemble scales.
Below his eyes are words like “Family” and “Blessed.” His neck is blacked out, the back of his head displays floral patterns, and parts of his ears seem to have been deliberately removed.
“I’ve lost all of my money because of a pattern on my face,” he said. “There’s no law against face tattoos—there’s nothing like that. It’s discrimination, plain and simple.”
Permanent tattoos are generally frowned upon in Islamic culture and are often considered religiously forbidden.
Image credits: Skatebiker
Followers of the religion argue that tattoos alter God’s creation and constitute a form of body mutilation. While tourists are not bound by Islamic law, Dubai’s social norms can occasionally create friction for foreign visitors.
Finally, after spending nearly eight hours in custody, Howman was escorted onto a return Emirates flight to Manchester. He didn’t receive his passport back until he landed in the UK the following morning.
Separated from his family, he was able to see his daughter again via FaceTime on Friday morning (June 13).
“It was heartbreaking,” he said.
Netizens had mixed feelings towards Howman’s ordeal, with some deeming him responsible for the incident
Image credits: Jordan Howman/Facebook
“People go out of their way to look like clowns and when they get treated like one, they cry,” a reader wrote.
“Looks revolting. Can't he see that? Oh no, probably not come to think of it. Pathetic,” another added.
Some went as far as to question his employability.
“Sorry, but if that guy came to my house to quote for a plastering job, he’s not getting it,” a viewer said.
“Yes, I am judging a book by its cover.”
Despite the online vitriol, Howman remains adamant that he did nothing wrong.
“This isn’t about religion or respect,” he said. “It’s about being judged for how I look. That's not what I expected from a place I used to love.”
"What do you expect?" Despite what Howman went through, netizens were reluctant to side with him
