Overstay fines and visa-status penalties in the UAE

The short version

The UAE standardised its overstay fine in 2023: AED 50 for every day over, applied the same way whether the lapsed document is a tourist visa, a visit visa or a residence visa. That rate is confirmed directly from the Cabinet Resolution that sets it. When the AED 50-a-day clock actually starts is less settled, especially for residence permits: a grace period may apply first, and its length is not confirmed for every category (see "Grace periods" below). A residence-visa holder should not assume a fine is already accruing the moment the visa's validity date passes. The fine is administered by the emirate that issued the visa, usually the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), or GDRFA in Dubai.

Who sets the fine, and who you deal with

The federal standard of AED 50 per day applies across the UAE. Day-to-day administration differs by emirate: GDRFA handles Dubai-issued visas, while ICP handles the others. If you need your current liability calculated, that is a question for whichever authority issued the visa, not a number Savara can compute for you, since fines depend on the exact visa type, issue date and any category-specific permit terms.

Grace periods: mostly gone, but not entirely clear-cut

Until 2023, Dubai allowed a 10-day grace period after a visit visa expired before fines began. That grace period was removed, confirmed directly by The National's reporting of the change.

For residence permits specifically, the UAE's own government portal describes a separate allowance after a residence permit expires or is cancelled, which it says can run "up to six months" depending on the resident's category. The same page does not give an exact day count for each category, and it does not clearly say whether the AED 50 daily fine starts only once that period ends, or can accrue during it. The Cabinet Resolution that sets the AED 50 fine itself lists no grace period for the overstay violation.

Because these two official sources do not resolve this cleanly, this guide does not state a specific grace-period length for residence permits, and does not claim the fine definitely waits until any grace period ends. Anyone close to a residence-permit expiry should confirm directly with ICP or GDRFA rather than relying on an assumed buffer.

The 2026 exception, and why it no longer helps

From 28 February 2026, the UAE exempted a specific group from overstay fines: holders of visit or tourist visas, holders of departure permits, and residents who had already cancelled their residence permit to leave, all of whom were unable to depart because of regional airspace closures or suspended flights. ICP, as reported by WAM and published by Dubai One (a Dubai government media entity), then set a final 30-day window running 10 June to 9 July 2026 for anyone still affected to regularise their status or exit, describing it as a "final opportunity" because the exceptional circumstances had ended. Neither source details the regularisation process or any associated fees.

That window closed on 9 July 2026. Standard overstay rules now apply, and the waiver does not retroactively cancel a fine incurred after it ended. Anyone who believes they still qualify for an adjustment under the old waiver needs to raise that directly with GDRFA (for Dubai-issued visas) or ICP (elsewhere): only the issuing authority can confirm whether an exception still applies to a specific case.

What this does not cover

This guide is about the daily fine for overstaying a visa's permitted stay. It does not cover:

• Criminal liability for working without authorisation, which is a separate matter from a visa overstay fine.
• The specific exit procedures for a cancelled residence visa, which can carry its own notice period distinct from the general overstay fine.
• Historical amnesty programmes from earlier years, which had their own separate rules and are not current.

General consumer information only, not legal advice. Immigration rules and fines can change, and individual circumstances vary, so check the latest official guidance for your specific visa and situation.