The United Arab Emirates has cancelled the extension validity of UAE residence visas, entry permits, as well as Emirates IDs. Previously, the visa validity was automatically renewed until end of December 2020 given the current crisis.
However, as the business sectors and current conditions are going back to normal, the visa extension has also been cancelled.
This means that those who have expired residence visas or entry permits must renew their visas.
Expires UAE Visas must renew within Grace Period
This Resolution will come into effect from 11th July 2020. The Council instructed the Federal AUthority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) to start collecting fees for providing services from 12th July 2020 onwards.
3 Months Grace Period
There is a grace period of 3 months to all Emiratis, GCC citizens and residents in the country to renew their documents.
1 Month Grace Period
There is a grace period of 1 month grants to all Emiratis, GCC citizens and residents (who spent less than six months outside the country) to renew their documents.
Please see the important updates from their information shared by GDRFA Dubai below:
The UAE cabinet issued a number of amendments to the decisions issued recently in the identity and nationality sector#إقامة_دبي#الاستعداد_للخمسين#إقامة_دبي_مستعدة#gdrfadubai pic.twitter.com/8IyNYjS6rZ
— GDRFA DUBAI إقامة دبي (@GDRFADUBAI) July 10, 2020
The Cabinet approved the cancellation of the decision regarding the validity of residency visas for expatriates, who are in or outside the country and if their visas expired between 1st and 31st March, 2020.
The decision on the validity of visas and entry permits for those inside the country from 1st March, 2020, until the end of December of this year stands cancelled.
The decision on identity cards that expired on 1st March 2020, being considered valid until the end of December 2020, will also be cancelled.
The Resolution will come into effect from 11th July, 2020.
The Council instructed the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to start collecting the fees due for providing services from 12th July, 2020.
The Cabinet also cancelled the decision to stop the activation of administrative fines for violations mentioned in the decisions of the Cabinet that organise the services provided by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship as of 11th July, 2020.
The decision directed the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to start collecting the fees due for providing services as of 12th July, 2020.
The Cabinet decided to grant three months to citizens, Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, citizens, and residents inside the country for renewal of their documents.
It also agreed to grant one month to citizens, GCC citizens and residents from the date of their arrival in the country (who spent less than six months outside the country) to renew their documents.
It also approved granting residents who are outside the country and whose residency expired after 1st March, 2020, or who have exceeded a period of six months outside the country, a period to return to the country from the date of opening the airspace between the two countries according to a time frame determined by a decision issued by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, ICA.
It also endorsed that any administrative fees or fines must be collected after the deadlines specified in this resolution, and no financial fines for the exemption period will be collected. Administrative fees and financial fines will be reactivated on all services provided by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship as of 12th July, 2020.