Sharjah is one of the UAE’s strongest cultural and landscape emirates for filming. It can give a production old-town streets, museums, traditional markets, modern waterfronts, desert archaeology, mountain roads, beaches and mangroves without losing the UAE production infrastructure around it. The important part is planning the permit route before cameras roll. Public spaces, museums, art locations, roads, beaches, mangroves, private properties and any aerial work can all require different approvals. International crews should normally work through a UAE-based production partner who can coordinate the permit information, location access, crew, equipment, insurance and local logistics.Sharjah is one of the UAE’s strongest cultural and landscape emirates for filming. It can give a production old-town streets, museums, traditional markets, modern waterfronts, desert archaeology, mountain roads, beaches and mangroves without losing the UAE production infrastructure around it. The important part is planning the permit route before cameras roll. Public spaces, museums, art locations, roads, eaches, mangroves, private properties and any aerial work can all require different approvals. International crews should normally work through a UAE-based production partner who can coordinate the permit information, location access, crew, equipment, insurance and local logistics.ctical route is temporary admission through Customs, not an ATA Carnet.

Dubai Customs guidance confirms that some goods accompanying passengers can be processed under a Temporary Admission Customs Bill with a refundable deposit. In practice for professional filming equipment, crews should budget for 5% refundable customs deposit plus 5% refundable VAT deposit, meaning 10% of the declared equipment value, plus any applicable administration or after-hours fees.

Use this guide as a planning checklist, then confirm the current handling details with Dubai Customs, your customs broker, your UAE production partner, and the relevant film permitting authority before the equipment travels.

For most film crews bringing professional cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, audio, monitors, drones, wireless equipment, or other production kit into Dubai, the practical route is temporary admission through Customs, not an ATA Carnet.

Dubai Customs guidance confirms that some goods accompanying passengers can be processed under a Temporary Admission Customs Bill with a refundable deposit. In practice for professional filming equipment, crews should budget for 5% refundable customs deposit plus 5% refundable VAT deposit, meaning 10% of the declared equipment value, plus any applicable administration or after-hours fees.

Use this guide as a planning checklist, then confirm the current handling details with Dubai Customs, your customs broker, your UAE production partner, and the relevant film permitting authority before the equipment travels.

ATA Carnet Guide for Dubai Film Crews

Important update: based on official guidance received after our inquiry, the UAE currently accepts incoming ATA Carnets only for goods under category B1, meaning items intended for exhibitions and similar events.

Filming equipment is therefore not generally accepted for entry into the UAE on an ATA Carnet unless the equipment is intended for, or invited to participate in, a particular known event and the required prior permit has been obtained from the concerned authority.

For most film crews bringing cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, audio, monitors, drones, wireless equipment, or other production kit into Dubai, the practical customs route is temporary admission, not an ATA Carnet. See our temporary import guide for professional filming equipment in Dubai: How to import Professional Camera Equipment to Dubai Guide

For film crews, the carnet should be treated as a limited option, not the default customs route. Before shipping or travelling with production equipment, confirm the correct process with the relevant chamber, UAE Customs, your UAE production partner, and the relevant permitting authority.

The world of film production is fraught with complexities, and nowhere is this more apparent than in securing the necessary permits for specialized filming scenarios. Whether you're planning to capture aerial footage with drones over Dubai's iconic skyline, orchestrate a multi-camera reality show in Abu Dhabi's bustling airports, or scout locations for a feature film across the Emirates, the regulatory landscape can be overwhelming. This is where FilmingPortalUAE.com emerges as your indispensable partner, bringing unparalleled expertise to navigate these intricate challenges.

r/filmingpermituae is een Reddit-community voor filmmakers die vergunningen in de VAE willen aanvragen. Het biedt inzicht in wettelijke vereisten, documentatie en filmlocaties.

De glinsterende torenspitsen van Dubai doorboren een gouden waas terwijl Tom Cruise over de Burj Khalifa sprint, het hoogste gebouw ter wereld. Deze adembenemende scène uit "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" katapulteerde Dubai in de wereldwijde schijnwerpers als een eersteklas filmbestemming. Tegenwoordig staat de stad symbool voor architectonische ambitie en futuristische visie, waardoor het een onweerstaanbare trekpleister is voor filmmakers die zowel ultramoderne glamour als tijdloze woestijnschoonheid willen vastleggen. 

Dubai is een van de meest gewilde filmlocaties ter wereld geworden, met een verbluffende mix van ultramoderne architectuur, ongerepte woestijnlandschappen en luxe locaties. Filmen in Dubai vereist echter zorgvuldige planning en naleving van lokale regelgeving. Deze uitgebreide gids leidt u door alles wat u moet weten over filmen in de City of Gold. 

Filmen in Fujairah, een van de meest pittoreske emiraten van de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten, biedt unieke mogelijkheden om prachtige landschappen vast te leggen, van ruige bergen tot ongerepte stranden. Of u nu een commerciële shoot, documentaire of persoonlijk project plant, het begrijpen van de lokale vereisten en omstandigheden is essentieel voor succes. 

Filmen in Ras Al-Khaimah: een uitgebreide gids

Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK), het meest noordelijke emiraat van de VAE, biedt filmmakers een gevarieerd aanbod aan prachtige locaties, van ongerepte stranden en dramatische bergen tot eeuwenoude historische locaties en moderne stadsgezichten. Deze uitgebreide gids helpt u bij het filmen op deze unieke bestemming.

Allereerst vereisen alle filmactiviteiten in Abu Dhabi officiële vergunningen van de Abu Dhabi Film Commission (ADFC) en een lokale productiepartner. Internationale bedrijven kunnen hier een aanvraag indienen. De commissie biedt een gestroomlijnd vergunningsproces en aanvragen moeten ten minste 5-10 werkdagen voor de geplande opname worden ingediend. 

Hoe film je in Dubai? Hier is de ultieme gids om je hopelijk te helpen navigeren door het vergunningsproces.

Om audiovisuele mediaproducties op overheids- en/of privélocaties uit te voeren, is het noodzakelijk om filmvergunningen te verkrijgen. Deze kunt u verkrijgen via onze Filmportaal VAE.