Man shows up to his visa appointment in shorts and is denied entry. Then his taxi driver comes to the rescue: ‘Brother for life’

A man trying to finish his visa biometrics appointment in Dubai said a security guard stopped him at the entrance because he was wearing shorts. He later shared the story in a TikTok video that included the on-screen text “Don’t make this mistake in Dubai.”

Sam explained that he was in the middle of nowhere for the process and walked in wearing shorts simply because it was hot outside. He stated that the guard told him he could not come in like that, so he asked what he was supposed to do with an appointment starting in five minutes.

He described messaging his taxi driver, whom he called Zabeer and later Zafir, for help. Sam said his phone died right after, but he still managed to ask the driver, “Bro, could I borrow your trousers?” and that the driver said yes.

Taxi driver lends trousers so the appointment can go ahead

Sam showed himself walking into the center wearing the driver’s loose black trousers and black sneakers while holding his documents. He stated that all the biometrics were completed and that everything turned out fine once he was inside.

He closed the video by speaking straight to the camera and addressing the driver: “Zafir, if you’re watching this, you’re my brother for life.” Other taxi rides go far worse, like a Russian woman pulling a machete on a taxi driver over music.

Government offices in the UAE often post dress rules at entrances, according to a Gulf News report. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority posters tell visitors, “Please wear appropriate clothing. It must cover shoulders and knees,” and also ban pets, smoking, drinking beverages, and public displays of affection at their centers.

Dubai Courts posters state that “The dress should cover the body and shoulders to below the knees (both male and female)” and that clothing “should not be transparent or revealing.” Those same posters also prohibit photography of the building without permission, bringing pets, and smoking. Dubai Land Department told Gulf News it follows public cultural standards of decency.

In the comments under Sam’s video, viewers shared their own run-ins with similar rules. One person wrote that they had visited that day in shorts without any problem, writing, “I went today in shorts they didn’t say anything.”

Others focused on last-minute fixes. One suggested the quick thinking belonged on a résumé, writing, “You better add this to your CV – mad problem solving.”

Another noted that the restriction mainly applies to government buildings such as visa centers or embassies and that more modest clothing is preferred there, writing, “This rule is only for governmental buildings, so if you’re going to any government building like doing your visa or embassies it’s preferred to wear something a bit more modest.”

A further commenter described buying pants at a nearby mall and putting them on over their shorts, writing, “This happened to me once. Went to a nearby mall, bought a trouser real quick and put it on over my shorts.” One more person wrote that they had once used a family member’s oversized pants that sat high on the legs, writing, “i had to wear my moms baggy pants that were high af on my legs.”