Living in Bahrain as a French National: Visa, Residence Permit, Housing, Schooling and Daily Life

Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands covering 760 km², whose capital is Manama. France Diplomatie gives a population of 1,504,365 in 2021, of which 47.8% Bahrainis: more than half of residents are therefore foreigners, which translates into services dedicated to expats, including the allocation of an IBAN to each expatriate worker on arrival at the airport (national portal).

• Strengths: a diversified economy, in which the non-hydrocarbon sector exceeds 80% of GDP according to France Diplomatie; a work permit applied for online by the employer; a French lycée and an Alliance Française.
• Points of caution: the residence permit is tied to the work permit; 10% VAT applies to most purchases; local rules govern alcohol, photography and Ramadan.
• Regional context: the travel advice page, updated on 10 September 2026, advises French nationals against travelling to Bahrain except for compelling reasons; it should be consulted before any plan to leave.
• Social protection: France has no social security agreement with Bahrain; health cover is organised through the employer, the CFE (the French social security fund for expatriates) or international insurance (see healthcare reimbursement in Bahrain).

Employment, salary and taxation are detailed in the guide to working in Bahrain.

France Diplomatie names Muharraq, Riffa, Jidhafs, Hamad Town and Isa Town as the main towns around Manama. The Ministry of Health classifies its health centres by four governorates, which also structure the administration: the Capital, Muharraq, the Northern and the Southern. The French embassy and its consular section are in the diplomatic district of Manama; the French lycée is in Busaiteen, on Muharraq island, and the Alliance Française in Isa Town.

• Manama and Muharraq: the capital and its diplomatic district, and Muharraq island where the French lycée is located; the Muharraq governorate also has health centres open 24 hours a day.
• Riffa, Isa Town and Hamad Town: towns cited by France Diplomatie among the main ones; Isa Town and Hamad Town each host a public health centre (Ministry of Health list).
• Causeway to Saudi Arabia: France Diplomatie states that the archipelago is linked to Saudi Arabia by a 25 km causeway.

To choose a district, three criteria come up: travel time to work, proximity to the school and to a health centre. The official sources consulted publish no average rent by district: the budget is built from local offers and from the employment contract.

France Diplomatie specifies that French nationals must hold a passport valid for more than six months after the date of entry. The visa is issued by the police on arrival at the airport against payment by bank card: 5 Bahraini dinars for a stay of under 15 days, 12 dinars for a stay of 16 to 30 days. Two 30-day extensions are possible, within a limit of 90 consecutive days, and the authority remains the sole decision-maker. An e-visa can also be applied for before departure on the official website of the Ministry of the Interior, the only authorised site.

• Employee: the employer applies for the work permit from the LMRA, which then coordinates biometric registration, the medical examination and the issuing of the residence permit printed from the national portal. The employee receives a SIM card and an IBAN for pay at the airport.
• Family: the spouse’s residence permit requires a net monthly income of the employee of BHD 400 or more, as recorded with the social insurance body, an attested marriage certificate and a health insurance certificate for the spouse valid for the duration of the employee’s permit. The fees are BHD 90, plus BHD 5 administrative fee.
• CPR card: each resident receives a unique identity number and an identity card, known as the CPR (Central Population Registry), needed for example to exchange a driving licence.
• Golden Residency: the long-term residency programme, run by the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs authority (NPRA), is aimed at investors, skilled profiles and innovators; holders can then apply for a work permit from the LMRA. The criteria are read on the programme’s official website.

Conversions use the day rate of the Central Bank of Bahrain on 05/10/2026: 0.423242 dinar per €1, or about €2.36 per BHD. The checklist for the first 90 days helps you put the formalities in order.

The Bahraini dinar (BHD) is pegged to the US dollar at 0.376 dinar per dollar, a rate virtually unchanged since 1980 according to the Central Bank of Bahrain: its rate in euros therefore follows the euro-dollar rate, or 0.423242 BHD per €1 on 05/10/2026. VAT is 10% since 1 January 2022, after 5% since 2019; basic foodstuffs, private education and preventive and basic private healthcare are zero-rated, and the sale and rental of housing are exempt.

For housing, a decision of the Prime Minister published in the official gazette of 24 April 2025 changes the ownership rules for non-Bahrainis: the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) publishes the map of zones where a foreigner can own buildings and land, including projects such as Amwaj Islands, Reef Island, Bahrain Bay, Durrat Al Bahrain and Riffa Views. Most expats rent; the budget is calculated from rent, schooling and health cover, and the guide to budgeting for health abroad helps you include insurance. Salaries are negotiated in dinars: the guide to salaries in Bahrain gives benchmarks.

The French lycée is based in Busaiteen, on Muharraq island, and offers French teaching from nursery to baccalauréat to nearly 720 pupils, including nearly 120 Bahrainis; all its classes are accredited by the French Ministry of National Education (French embassy, page updated on 22 July 2026). Created in 1969, the Alliance Française of Bahrain (Isa Town) welcomes about a thousand learners a year and is the only examination centre for the official French-language diplomas (DELF, DALF, TCF, TEF).

A royal decree made French in 2009 a compulsory second foreign language in secondary school, after English, and the Centre for French Studies has taught French at the University of Bahrain since 1987. Families whose children attend a school accredited by the AEFE (the agency for French schools abroad) or the Mission laïque française can apply for a school grant, subject to means testing: the embassy announces each campaign on its website. See also children’s health cover abroad.

Given the regional situation, France Diplomatie advises against travel to Bahrain except for compelling reasons. French nationals already there are asked to strictly follow the instructions of the local authorities, take shelter in the event of an alert, register on Fil d’Ariane and check the status of their flight before going to the airport. The safety page describes a relatively low terrorist threat, prohibits access to the far south of the island, a military zone, and notes that photographing sensitive sites or scenes may lead to prosecution. It also recommends staying away from gatherings and always carrying an identity document, its absence being liable to a heavy fine.

The road network is excellent and well signposted, with a speed limit of 50 km/h in town and 120 km/h on motorways; traffic remains dangerous because limits are not respected and drivers change lanes. In the event of an accident, the police always attend: the vehicle is not moved and the Traffic Department (+973 17 688 888) or 999 is called. An international licence is valid for a stay of under 90 days; beyond that, a Bahraini licence is needed, which requires the CPR card and the residence permit. Arabic is the official language, and the telecommunications network is excellent.

France Diplomatie summarises the local rules as follows:

• Alcohol: permitted at home and in licensed restaurants, mainly those in hotels; prohibited in public, especially when driving, with a fine or prison to follow.
• Narcotics: possession and use are severely punished.
• Religion: Islam is the state religion and sharia is one of the sources of law, while freedom of belief is guaranteed; places of worship should be respected and disrespectful remarks about religion avoided.
• Dress: decent dress is recommended; in places of worship, shoulders and legs are covered and women also cover their heads.
• Ramadan: eating, drinking and smoking in public, even in a car, is prohibited from sunrise to sunset.
• Private life: France Diplomatie describes de facto tolerance of homosexuality as long as it remains private or discreet, and calls for vigilance.

Insurance covering medical costs, surgery, hospitalisation and medical repatriation is essential, and the health page details the France Diplomatie recommendations. The LMRA, for its part, requires a health insurance certificate for a spouse’s residence permit. How it all works is described in the guide to the Bahrain healthcare system. To compare the options, the expat health insurance page presents benchmarks, and Expavy helps you weigh them against your situation. Families also consult expat family insurance, and future retirees the guide to retiring in Bahrain.