Moving to France from Dubai

Ocean freight runs from Jebel Ali to Le Havre or Marseille; typical sea transit times are on our destinations overview. Add 3–5 days for UAE packing and export, and 1–3 days for French Douanes clearance and onward road freight to your delivery address. Air freight via Paris CDG or Lyon Saint-Exupéry is available for urgent shipments. For Paris deliveries, allow 5 additional days for Stationnement Gênant permit processing.

The Transfert de Résidence (TR) exemption — established under EU Regulation 1186/2009 — allows qualifying individuals moving their normal residence from outside the EU to France to import used household goods free of French customs duty and TVA (20%). To qualify: you must have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, your goods must have been owned and used by you for at least 6 months, and goods must not be sold or transferred for 12 months after import. Fusion assesses eligibility at survey stage.

The Certificat de Changement de Résidence (CCR) is the French Douanes declaration that establishes your TR exemption eligibility. Critically, it must be submitted to the Douanes before or at the time your goods arrive at the French port — not after. Late submission means TVA (20%) is assessed on the full declared value of your shipment and cannot be waived retroactively. Fusion prepares and submits the CCR before your goods depart Dubai.

Yes. French nationals returning from the UAE after living outside the EU for 12+ consecutive months qualify for the same Transfert de Résidence exemption as non-French residents. Returning nationals must provide the same documentation: proof of UAE residence for 12+ months, proof of new French address, and a complete French-language inventory. Fusion prepares the CCR file for returning French nationals as standard — this is a common profile on the Dubai to France route.

Fusion can ship a car from Dubai to France by RoRo where the route offers it, or in a container, and handles the UAE side — export clearance, RTA deregistration and the export certificate. Whether your particular car can be imported and registered in France, and at what cost, depends on the vehicle and your circumstances — we check France’s current rules for it at survey, before you commit to shipping it. See our Automobile Relocation page.

Yes. France is an EU member state and does not require quarantine for pets meeting EU import requirements. Dogs and cats from the UAE need: ISO-standard microchip, valid anti-rabies vaccination, and a certificat sanitaire (EU-format health certificate) issued by an officially authorised UAE government veterinarian within 10 days of travel. Some dog breeds may be subject to French breed restrictions — Fusion advises at survey stage. See our Pet Relocation page.

A Stationnement Gênant is a temporary no-parking zone arranged with the Paris Mairie (or local Mairie for other French cities) to reserve space for the déménagement vehicle at your delivery address. In Paris, this must be applied for at least 5 working days before delivery and costs approximately €50–100 per day depending on the arrondissement. Without it, the delivery vehicle cannot legally park — resulting in failed or delayed delivery. Our French partner team arranges this as standard for all Paris and urban French deliveries.

France and the EU prohibit: controlled drugs, certain firearms (French autorisation required for eligible categories), CITES-regulated items, counterfeit goods, and hate material. Restricted items include: certain food products from outside the EU, live plants and soil without phytosanitary certificate, and some chemicals. Fusion provides a full prohibited and restricted items list at survey stage. Moving to France? You May Also Need