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Settling in

Settling in Dubai

In Dubai, everything flows from the residence visa: it unlocks the Emirates ID, the lease, water and electricity, the bank account and the phone line. Take the steps in that order, then choose the neighbourhood around the school. Here is what we would have liked to know before arriving, checked against official sources.

Verified on 31 October 2026

Arrival and first steps

The family settles under the sponsorship of a resident, usually the parent with the work contract. Each member then receives their own visa and their own Emirates ID card.

Good to know

  • A foreign resident can sponsor their spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs, provided they meet a minimum salary set by the authorities (ICP and GDRFA). Source
  • Family members aged 18 and over take a medical fitness test at an approved centre before the visa is issued; minor children are exempt. Source
  • The Emirates ID is compulsory for all residents, children included, and must be carried at all times. Its 15-digit number is the identifier for almost every public and private procedure. Source
  • Registering with the register of French nationals abroad is free, valid for 5 years and done online on Service-Public.fr. It is not compulsory but strongly recommended: it makes procedures easier and lets the consulate reach you in an emergency. Source
  • The consulate general in Dubai covers French nationals living in Dubai and the Northern Emirates; the embassy in Abu Dhabi covers the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Its services are open Monday to Friday, some procedures by appointment. Source
  • The UAE weekend has been Saturday and Sunday since January 2022. Government offices generally open from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm on weekdays, with shorter hours during Ramadan. Source
  • The first week: push the visa and Emirates ID forward with the sponsor, register with the consulate, check everyone's health insurance, then contact the schools that offered you a place.

Addresses

  • Consulat général de France à Dubaï

    Consulate

    Al Habtoor Business Tower, 32e étage, Dubai Marina

    Passports, ID cards, civil records, legalisations. France Consulaire answers questions by phone and internet call, in French, on weekdays. Paid valet parking in the tower.

    Website Source

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Housing: neighbourhoods and renting

There is no French quarter in Dubai: families settle around the schools. Rush-hour drives weigh heavily, so test the school-home-work commute at 7 am before signing.

Good to know

  • Leases are generally for one year, and rent is paid in advance, often in a single annual payment; two, three or four instalments can sometimes be negotiated. A check-in inventory is advisable. Source
  • Rent is usually paid by cheques handed over at signing: the fewer the cheques, the more room to negotiate. Also budget for a security deposit (around 5% of annual rent unfurnished, 10% furnished), agency fees and the DEWA deposit for water and electricity. Source
  • Every lease must be registered on Ejari, the Dubai Land Department system: without Ejari, no water and electricity connection, and no visa for the people you sponsor. Source
  • The Dubai Land Department publishes an official Rental Index: check it before negotiating an increase at renewal. Source
  • Postal addresses are not used: people navigate by landmarks, and mail goes to a PO box. Always give delivery drivers a landmark. Source
  • Air conditioning is essential from June to September and heating is pointless: check the air conditioning's condition, who pays for it and which way the home faces. Source

Addresses

  • Umm Suqeim et Jumeirah

    Neighbourhood

    A seaside villa area, among the city's oldest, close to Kite Beach and Le Petit Poucet (Al Safa), a short drive from Lycée Jean-Mermoz (Al Quoz).

    Source

  • Al Barsha et Al Quoz

    Neighbourhood

    Residential and central, near Lycée Jean-Mermoz and its South campus; Al Barsha Pond Park and quick access to Sheikh Zayed Road.

    Source

  • Oud Metha et Al Jaddaf

    Neighbourhood

    The historic French-speaking heart: Lycée français international de l'AFLEC and the Alliance française in Oud Metha, with Al Jaddaf's children's hospitals minutes away.

    Source

  • Mirdif et Academic City

    Neighbourhood

    More affordable villas in the east of the city, on the way to Lycée Georges-Pompidou in Academic City; a family area with its own mall and parks.

    Source

  • Meydan et Nad Al Sheba

    Neighbourhood

    Central and green, around the Lycée libanais francophone privé in Meydan, with recent villa communities.

    Source

  • Arabian Ranches

    Neighbourhood

    A gated villa community around a golf course, each sub-area with pools and playgrounds; popular with families who want outdoor space.

    Source

  • Dubai Hills Estate

    Neighbourhood

    A recent, central community around a golf course, villas with gardens, playgrounds and padel courts, many schools and a major hospital (King's College Hospital) on site.

    Source

  • The Springs et The Meadows

    Neighbourhood

    Green gated communities around lakes, near the Marina, Media City and JLT; popular with families with young children.

    Source

  • Dubai Marina et JLT

    Neighbourhood

    Tower apartments served by the metro and tram, the JBR promenade and beach: handy without a car, but far from the French lycées at rush hour.

    Source

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Phone and insurance

A mobile line is easy to open once you have the Emirates ID; before that, a prepaid SIM is enough for the first days. On the insurance side, health cover is compulsory for the whole family, and so is third-party car insurance.

Good to know

  • Telecoms are provided by e& (formerly Etisalat) and du, with Virgin Mobile as a third option. A residence card is needed to open most services. Source
  • Internet traffic is filtered and voice calls on many apps (WhatsApp, Messenger…) do not work; text messages do. Plan an authorised way to call family in France. Source
  • Health insurance is compulsory in Dubai: the employer insures the employee, and the sponsor must insure the people they sponsor (spouse, children, domestic worker). No insurance, no visa or renewal. Source
  • For a car, third-party insurance is compulsory. Home insurance is not required by law, but is often requested in managed buildings. Source
  • On the French side, the Caisse des Français de l'étranger (CFE) lets you keep French social security cover, alongside or instead of local insurance; check that it meets Dubai's requirements before relying on it for the visa. Source

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Banking and money

A local account opens once you have the Emirates ID and quickly becomes essential: salary, rent, bills, school. Day to day, people mostly pay by card or phone, and transfers between UAE accounts are instant.

Good to know

  • To open an account, banks ask for the Emirates ID, residence visa, passport, a salary certificate or employer letter and sometimes proof of address. You apply in a branch, online or in the app; approval takes from a few hours to a few days, and many banks require a minimum monthly balance. Source
  • Without the Emirates ID, some banks start the file with the visa, but full activation usually waits for the physical card. For the first weeks, keep your French bank card and tell your bank you are moving. Source
  • Day to day, the vast majority of payments are made by card or phone (contactless, mobile wallets); cash is mostly used for tips. Source
  • Aani, the Central Bank's instant payment platform, lets you move money between UAE accounts in seconds, 24/7, using a mobile number, email address or QR code, from participating banks' apps. Jaywan, the national payment card, is being rolled out gradually by banks; since August 2026, both can also be used to pay federal fees and fines. Source
  • Since 2026, banks no longer send SMS codes for online payments: you approve the purchase in your bank's app, with a fingerprint, face recognition or PIN. Install the app and set up biometrics before your first online purchase. Source
  • To send or receive money with France, expats use their bank's international transfer, an exchange house or an online transfer service. Compare the exchange rate and intermediary fees, which make most of the difference. Source
  • Keep your French account: tell your bank before leaving, as it must become a non-resident account, and some products such as the LEP savings account must be closed. Reopening a French account from abroad is harder. Source
  • Two pitfalls: the minimum salary or balance some banks require, or fees apply, and bounced cheques, which quickly become expensive. Read the account terms before signing. Source

Addresses

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Getting set up

Dubai has two large IKEA stores, at Dubai Festival City and Jebel Ali, and all the major furniture, grocery and appliance chains deliver to your door. To furnish quickly for less, second-hand sales between departing expats are very active.

Addresses

Transport, buggies and driving

The metro and tram are clean, air-conditioned and buggy-friendly, but the city is built for cars: most families have one, often two.

Good to know

  • Metro, tram and buses are paid with the RTA nol card, topped up in advance; children aged 5 and under travel free. Gold class costs extra. Source
  • The metro has carriages reserved for women and children, marked in pink: handy with a buggy at busy times. Source
  • A French licence is exchanged for a Dubai licence without a test, for all categories, once you are resident: you need an eye test at an approved centre and your original licence. Before residency, you can rent a car on your French licence. Source
  • A car seat is compulsory for children under 4, and a child under 10 or shorter than 145 cm may not sit in the front. Source
  • Zero tolerance for drink-driving: any trace of alcohol leads to arrest. After an accident, call the police (999) and wait for them; garages require the police report before any repair. Source
  • The French lycées run school buses by neighbourhood: ask for the routes before choosing your home, they often shape daily life.

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Admin, tax and the consulate

Expats have no local tax or social security number: the Emirates ID is the single identifier. Most procedures are done online, in English or Arabic.

Good to know

  • The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals. VAT applies to most purchases, and extra charges are added in hotels and restaurants. Source
  • On the French side, your tax situation (tax residence, income still earned in France) needs clarifying with the French tax office in the year you leave; the UAE has signed many double taxation agreements. Source
  • A birth in the UAE is declared to the consulate within 30 days, in addition to the local declaration; after that, you request transcription of the local certificate. Source
  • The consulate issues passports and ID cards, keeps civil records, awards school grants and assists you in a serious emergency (accident, missing child, arrest). Source
  • It does not override local law: what is allowed in France can be an offence here, and penalties can be heavy. Nor does the consulate settle private disputes (lease, employer). Source
  • Employing a nanny or housekeeper is governed by federal law and goes through the sponsor (visa, health insurance); licensed Tadbeer centres handle recruitment and paperwork. Source

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Budget: what changes compared with France

No income tax is not the whole story: three items make a family's budget in Dubai, rent, school and health insurance.

Good to know

  • Housing costs far more than in France for the same size, and you often pay the whole year upfront, plus deposits and agency fees. Source
  • All schooling is private and fee-paying, French lycées included: expect several times the price of a French state-contracted private school, per child. See our School fees page and the consulate grants. Source
  • Dependants' health insurance can be expensive if the employer does not include it: get a quote before signing the contract. Source
  • Fuel, taxis and home help cost much less than in France; electricity climbs in summer with air conditioning.
  • Products imported from Europe (cheese, charcuterie, French brands) often cost double; fruit, vegetables and regional products stay comparable.
  • Extracurricular activities are paid by the term and add up: look at those offered by the school and the Alliance française before signing up for many clubs. Source

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Dubai will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Consulat général de France à Dubaï
  2. 2 Consulat, vie pratique aux Émirats
  3. 3 Portail officiel des Émirats (u.ae)
  4. 4 RTA, autorité des routes et transports de Dubaï
  5. 5 Dubai Land Department, Ejari
  6. 6 Dubai Madame, vivre à Dubaï
  7. 7 lepetitjournal.com Dubaï
  8. 8 Portail u.ae, la banque aux Émirats

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