Cancelled, expired UAE residence visa: Who gets 180-day grace period?

Cancelled or expired UAE residence visa: Who can get 90 to 180-day grace period?

By: staff reporter Published Date: March 4, 2023

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Cancelled UAE visa: Who gets 90-day grace period?

Holders of UAE residence visa that is cancelled or expired are given a 30-day grace period to stay in the UAE after the date of cancellation or expiry, but there are seven categories of individuals permitted to stay for 90 days up to 180 days.

The updated rules are specified in a resolution by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenships, Customs and Port Security (ICP) following a Cabinet decision on the matter, which came into effect on October 3, 2022. The resolution also covered new rules for visit visa, Emirates ID and passports.

180-day grace period

The decision identifies five categories of individuals permitted to stay in the UAE for up to 180 days after the cancellation or expiration of their residence permit. These include holders of golden and green visas and their families, foreign widows and divorced expats residing in the UAE, students continuing their studies after graduation, and spouses, parents, and children of Emiratis or foreign passport holders.

90-day grace period

Only two categories of individuals are permitted to stay in the country for 90 days after visa cancellation or visa expiration: property owners and skilled professionals from the first, second, and third levels as determined by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.