You'll need to apply for official permits before you can commence with your project. Failing to get the permits could result in heavy penalties, and disrupt your filming and the local community. UAE is made up of 7 states; Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain.
Furthermore, Article 43 of the UAE Copyright Law states that one who takes a photo or video can not distribute it without the consent of those appearing in the photo. It is also prohibited to take both internal or external photos of governmental institutions and/or military sites.
It's allowed to shoot in public places like restaurants, malls, theme parks, etc, provided shooting is not prohibited there. That being said, filming and photographing families and women is frowned upon in the UAE. If you don't abide by this law, you'll be liable to a huge fine or even imprisonment.
It will be a breach of privacy. Dubai: Taking pictures of people, without their permission, and posting it on social media or sharing them through other means is a breach of privacy and punishable by UAE law.
Article 378 of the UAE Code states that taking pictures without obtaining permission will result in the camera being confiscated, recordings destroyed and photographers being charged a fine, or in some situations, being imprisoned.
Due to this, in order to become a blogger/vlogger in the UAE, it is mandatory to obtain a permit. It is much more cost effective to obtain your permit in a free zone. Social media influencer license in Dubai costs approximately AED 11,900.
“Generally, in the UAE, it is against the law to take a picture or a video of anyone in public without their consent, for many reasons including the importance of privacy in the culture. A lot of public places would also request a media form when taking a video for media purposes in public.
You'll need a film permit if you're filming in any of the following locations: Public places, such as malls and parks. Private places (such as the office of your business partner), but only if the owner does not allow filming without permission.
Dubai's residents were permitted to utilize VoIP facilities because of the lockdown as most people were working from home, and there was an increase in the demand for these services. But Whatsapp is still banned for voice and video calling in the UAE because of security concerns.
Social media accounts of U.ae:
Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. Instagram.
Nudity is strictly forbidden. Swimwear is not not allowed in public places. However, it can be worn in pools and beaches. Out of respect of Islamic tradition, female travellers will be required to wear abayas or head coverings when visiting mosques.
ARE VIDEO CALLS ALLOWED IN THE UAE? Video calls are permitted in the UAE through VoIP apps that meet the requirements of the country's regulatory framework. This includes apps like HiU Messenger and BOTIM for which you will need UAE internet calling plans from local telecom operators.
No, you can't do FaceTime from Dubai because the application is illegal in the United Arab Emirates. If you want to use FaceTime in Dubai, you can access it with the help of a reputable VPN like NordVPN.
WhatsApp calls are banned in UAE
Dubai residents are able to use some other apps to make internet calls, however. Here is a list of some apps that Dubai residents can you to make calls: Microsoft Teams. Skype for Business.
WhatsApp, like most free VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), video calls, and messaging services, is blocked in Dubai and The UAE. This can make it difficult to keep in touch with friends and family back home unless you're willing to pay for a government-approved service like C'Me or BOTIM.
Any individual, corporation, or entity that wishes to film in Dubai must appoint a UAE-licensed production company to obtain a filming permit. For information on UAE-based production companies, see Permit Applications section. Permits are required for any filming in, government-operated, or private locations.
The charges can be up to AED 2500 for 3 days if it is an advertisement. If it is a corporate or business content then you can get a permit of 7 days for video and 14 days for stills at the same price. If you want to do your filming in private or semi governmental locations then it can cost you up to AED 25,000 per day.
In fact, the UAE's cybercrime law criminalises photographing people without permission, whether in public or private and copying, saving or sharing these pictures on social media. The violation can earn the offender at least six months in jail and/or a fine between Dh150,000 to Dh500,000.
Providing they have the right work visa, Dubai offers influencers complete tax-freedom, allowing them to keep all of the profit they earn from their activities. All year round sun and tax free? What's not to like?! :) At Capture Accounting, we help many YouTube, Tik Tok and Instagram influencers make the move to UAE.
The United Arab Emirates censors the Internet using Secure Computing's solution. The country's ISPs Etisalat and du (telco) ban pornography, politically sensitive material and anything against the perceived moral values of the UAE. All or most VoIP services are blocked.
Local families are often shopping at malls across Dubai so you're going to want to dress appropriately. You can wear shorts in Dubai and even skirts, if they are at knee length and not shorter than that.
There are certain things you can't do in Dubai and PDA is one of them. In Dubai, holding hands, hugging, and kissing in public is considered socially unacceptable and if caught indulging in such acts, you might land up in jail. Many foreigners have already suffered the consequences.
According to the law in Dubai, it is illegal for an unmarried couple to stay together in a hotel room. This is due to the Islamic beliefs of the country, which forbid unmarried couples from engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage.