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French citizens do not need a visa for Dubai. The UAE foreign ministry lists France as visa free, and a free multiple entry visit visa is stamped on arrival: valid for 6 months, up to 90 days in total. We help with what comes after that: extensions, visas for family members on other passports, and a move to residence.
What the UAE says about the French passport
The UAE foreign ministry's visa exemption page lists France as Visa Free. The Emirates airline visa page puts it on the 90 day list. Together they give the rule: a free visit visa on arrival, multiple entry, valid for 6 months, up to 90 days in total.
Two practical points:
- The 90 days are a total. They are not reset by a quick trip to Oman.
- Passport validity matters. The UAE asks for 6 months on the passport at entry.
You can check the rule yourself on the UAE visa on arrival page, and the EU citizens table shows how France compares with other member states.
Costs if you stay on
| Situation | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Entry on a French passport | Free |
| Visit visa extension, application | AED 100 |
| Visit visa extension, per extension | AED 500 |
| Overstay fine | AED 50 per day |
Source: ICP visa extension page and the ICP and GDRFA overstay fine pages, checked . ICP states 2 days to process an extension and allows a tourist visit up to 120 days in total.
The overstay fine is charged for every day past your permitted stay. Pay it and leave, or fix your status. Our overstay fine guide explains how.
When a French citizen still needs us
Most French visitors never need a visa agent. The cases where we help are narrower:
- You want to stay past 90 days. We prepare the extension or look at a change of status to a residence route.
- Your spouse or parent holds another passport. Their rule may be a tourist visa filed before the flight. We check every passport in the group.
- Your family in the UAE wants to sponsor you. A French passport does not stop a relative from sponsoring a longer visit, but you do not need that for the first 90 days.
- You are moving to the UAE. Work, investor or family residence is filed from inside the UAE, usually after you enter on the free visa. See UAE residence visa.
France's own advice for travellers in the UAE
France Diplomatie updated its UAE page on . Given the regional situation, it asks French nationals in the UAE to be extremely vigilant. In an alert it says to:
- follow the instructions of the local authorities, including the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority;
- take shelter;
- stay away from security and military sites;
- keep away from debris of intercepted projectiles.
It also recommends registering on Fil d'Ariane to get updates from the Foreign Ministry. We have not read an entry rule on that page, so the visa rule above comes from the UAE side.
French consular help in the UAE
France has an Embassy in Abu Dhabi and a Consulate General in Dubai, which also covers the Northern Emirates. The French mission site lists these services: registration of French citizens abroad, passports and national identity cards, family and schooling matters, and civil status such as births and marriages. Passport and civil status matters go to the consulate. We only help with the UAE side of a visa.
Looking for a visa to France?
Many people searching for a France visa in Dubai are UAE residents who want to visit France. That is a different file. See France visa from Dubai for Schengen fees, the visa centre and the documents. French passport holders do not need it.
Documents for an extension or a family visa
- Passport with at least 6 months left
- Entry stamp or entry permit showing your arrival date
- Passport photo on a white background
- For a family visit, the host's Emirates ID, residence visa and salary details
How it works with us
Send your passport page and travel dates on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser tells you which route fits: nothing to do, an extension, or a visa for a family member on another passport. You get one total price before you pay. The team files the request, follows it with the authorities and sends you the result. We are a private visa service, and ICP or GDRFA decides every application.
If an application is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Your adviser tells you in writing, before payment, what part of the total comes back in that case, if any.
Official sources
- UAE MOFA visa exemptions: France listed as Visa Free
- ICP visa extension service: extension fees and the 120 day limit
- France Diplomatie, UAE travel advice: security advice, updated
- French mission in the UAE: embassy, consulate and consular services
Full list: Dubai visa by nationality.
