21 Jan 2022

Overstay fines in the UAE

In a place like Dubai which is considered multicultural, there’s no doubt that you will likely see more of foreign residents than nationals. However, it takes a strict adherence to some obligations to remain a loyal resident of the UAE or a legitimate tourist.

As a resident of the UAE, you should ensure that your travel documents such as passports and visa are up to date. This is why it’s advisable to renew or extend your residence visa before the end of the validity period to avoid attracting visa overstay fines.

If you want to know more about UAE visas and how to apply or change your visa, you can contact Emirabiz business setup company - we will provide you all the details and costs.

It is considered illegal to have expired resident visa in the UAE. Although some factors may contribute to having your resident visa expire without possibility to renew immediately:

Losing one's job
Having a police case
Having a travel ban
Having an ongoing investigation
Absconding

These above are some of the reasons for not applying for the residence visa when due. But that is why residents are advised to apply for the renewal or extension of their visas prior to the exact expiry date to avoid any hurdles that may appear in the long run.

Visa overstay fines

Overstay fines apply to any foreigner on tourist/visit visa or residents on UAE residence visa. The overstay charges for both categories are different. Let’s get a clearer understanding of how each visa category is charged based on overstay status.

Tourist overstay fines

There is usually a grace period of 10 days for those under tourist/visit visas in the UAE and fines do not apply during the grace period. So once the visa expires they will be charged routinely with:

AED 100 ($27) - service fee
AED 200 ($55) - the first day of overstay after 10 days grace period
AED 100 ($27) - each subsequent day

UAE resident overstay fines

Resident visa holder are also given a period of grace to take necessary action with regards to visa status like:

Renewing or extending the visa
Modifying the visa status
Leaving the country
Changing the visa status

There’s a grace period of 30 days after the expiration of your UAE residence visa after which the fines starts counting as stated below:

AED 25 ($7) - daily fine after grace period
AED 50 ($14) - daily fine after 6 months of overstay
AED 100 ($27) - daily fine after one year of overstay

How to pay overstay fines in the UAE

Visit the ICA official portal - click here to start the process. It takes you to the start page for the process.

Provide your information

Here you will be required to provide information for the three different stages i.e. request information, review application, application fees. It's important to add your details correctly to be able to proceed to the next stage.

Pay the application fee

The last stage is paying the application fees but prior to that, you will get to see the total sum of fines you are meant to pay.

Receive a notification

Once you’re done with the whole application process, you will be notified via email and mobile while providing the receipt of the transaction.

How to modify your visa status

Modification of visa status depends on the type of visa you currently have.

Tourist visa modification

If you have a tourist visa and want to change it into a residency visa, you need to get a job or open your own business. A company that employs you will act as your visa sponsor and you will be able to get residency visa through employment.

Resident visa modification

If you want to change your resident visa or renew it, you also need to have a sponsoring party: it can be your employer, your own company or your spouse / parents in case you are eligible for a dependent visa.