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The Gulf Expat

My UAE residence visa has expired: what do I do?

Outside Dubai, ICP fines you for each day you stay after your grace period ends: AED 50 a day. The grace period depends on your group: 30 days for residents not in the longer groups, and longer for the groups listed below. Pay any fine first, then change your status or leave the UAE.

Checked 7 November 2026

Start by working out which grace period covers you. The grace period is the number of days you may stay after the visa expires or is cancelled.

If this is you

Your residence visa has expired or been cancelled, and you are still in the UAE.

If you miss it

The fine builds up for every day after the grace period. In Dubai, GDRFA says a fine builds up for every day you overstay.

Official page: ICP pay-fine service. In Dubai, GDRFA Dubai collects the fines at gdrfad.gov.ae.

What to do now

  1. Find the day your visa expired or was cancelled, and note the grace period for your group.
  2. Pay any fine. Outside Dubai, use the ICP Smart Services pay-fine service. In Dubai, GDRFA collects the fines.
  3. Then change your status, or leave the UAE.
  4. To stay, ask your employer or sponsor to apply for a new residence permit today.
  5. To leave, keep your fine receipt and book the flight inside your grace period.
  6. If your family is on your visa, check their dates too. What happens to your family's visas explains the link.

This also affects

Grace periods outside Dubai

ICP sets the grace period by type of residence:

  • 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue residence holders and their family members, widows or divorced women of residents, students after completing their studies, and foreign-passport holders who are relatives of UAE citizens.
  • 90 days for skilled workers in levels 1 to 3 and property owners.
  • 60 days for residence permits issued with a guarantor or host.
  • 30 days for residents not in the longer groups.

The last line covers everyone not in the longer groups. Unless ICP confirms a longer period for you, plan around the shortest one.

The ICP renewal card does not say how the days are counted. Ask ICP before you count days.

In Dubai

GDRFA Dubai's card for family residence states a grace period of 60 days. That figure is from the family card only.

GDRFA says to leave when your visa expires or is cancelled, unless you get a new permit. It adds that a fine builds up for every day you overstay.

GDRFA collects Dubai fines. Ask GDRFA for the amount before you decide to stay on.

If you were out of the country

A resident who is outside the UAE for more than 180 days in a row has the residence visa cancelled automatically. u.ae lists some exceptions.

If your visa was cancelled, not expired

A cancelled visa starts the same grace period. UAE visa grace period after cancellation covers it from the job-ending side.

Your Emirates ID stops working when the visa ends: the Emirates ID is cancelled with the visa.