Look: Expo 2020 Dubai passports go on sale for up to Dh9,000

When Khaleej Times approached one of the sellers, he agreed to reduce the selling price to Dh8,000

Waheed Abbas

Published: Mon 18 Apr 2022, 1:09 PM

Last updated: Mon 18 Apr 2022, 10:47 PM

Expo 2020 Dubai merchandise and passports with stamps are being sold online for thousands of dirhams.

Advertisements placed by sellers are now offering the coveted passports - which were being sold for Dh20 during the event - for anywhere between Dh2,000 to a whopping Dh9,000. The six-month-long show concluded on March 31 and recorded more than 24 million visits.

The 50-page passport booklet contains designs and pictures of the three Thematic Pavilions (Mission Possible – The Opportunity Pavilion, Alif – The Mobility Pavilion, and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion), as well as of Al Wasl Plaza – the crown jewel of the Expo site – plus other Dubai landmarks, such as the city’s iconic skyline.

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One seller has put up two regular Expo passports and one white limited-edition passport for sale on the classifieds website Dubizzle for Dh9,000. All three passports are claimed to be in perfect condition, inside and out, and carry 217 stamps in total. When Khaleej Times approached him, the seller agreed to reduce the passports’ selling rate to Dh8,000.

Another seller, offering to sell his Expo passport for Dh2,500, claims the document has only been used a few times and is "perfect inside out". Yet another seller is offering an Expo passport with 20 stamps for Dh2,000 - but not without a disclaimer: this one has a bit of wear and tear.

It's not just the passports that seem to be in high demand after the world's greatest show closed its doors over a month ago. Memorabilia and accessories, such as Expo pins, passport holders and lanyards, are also up for grabs on the highly-popular app TikTok too (see video below):

One TikTok user who goes by the username @nerveegent claims that his friend sold a passport for Dh1,500. “It’s a business for those who have disposable income,” he says.

A statement from Dubizzle was awaited at the time of filing this report; however, the classifieds website does advise users to never wire money or financial information to a seller on the internet. “For your security, all transactions should be done in person,” it says.

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Khouloud Azouz, a Lebanese citizen living in the UAE, has also put up her passport for sale on the website for Dh2,500. “There is a fine line between a souvenir and a good investment. It is good that the passport is valuable; [we] might as well take advantage of it and use it to get some return on investment."

The resident says she has a "beautiful badge" from the mega event's closing ceremony, which she intends to keep as a souvenir. The passport that she's put up for sale has 33 stamps from different country pavilions. "If it will bring in some money, I’ll let it go," she says.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com