Producers type “film in Abu Dhabi vs Dubai” because the pictures look like one country and the paper is not. Dubai filming permits are issued by the Dubai Film and TV Commission. Abu Dhabi filming sits with the Creative Media Authority, of which the Abu Dhabi Film Commission is part. A schedule that uses both cities is two applications.
| Dubai | Abu Dhabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues the filming permit | Dubai Film and TV Commission | Creative Media Authority / Abu Dhabi Film Commission |
| Portal | filmdubai.gov.ae | cma.gov.ae and the emirate’s film desk |
| Foreign applicant | Licensed UAE production house | Licensed local partner — confirm on the CMA service page |
| Script / content | Script approval before many permits | Content approval is part of the ground / aerial / marine path |
| Crossing the border | Two applications, not one UAE-wide stamp | |
How to pick
Pick the emirate the camera actually stands in — not the hotel you sleep in. Dubai is our house: streets, desert edges, studios and the DFTC portal. Abu Dhabi has its own islands, backlots and a published rebate programme. Read the current rebate rules on the official film desk. We do not reprint percentages here; they move.
What we take
We are based in Dubai. Name the emirate in the first email. If the job is only Abu Dhabi, we will say so honestly — including when you need a partner who files on that side. lata@carvingdreamsevent.com.
Questions
- One permit for the whole UAE?
- No. Each emirate has its own commission or media authority.
- Do you file Abu Dhabi?
- We are a Dubai house. Write the cities. We will say what we can hold.
- What about the rebate?
- Abu Dhabi has published a production rebate. Confirm current terms on the official site. We do not quote a rate.
Ready when you are.