UAE Visa Grace Period Calculator
Find the last legal day you can stay in the UAE after your residence visa is cancelled or expires, how many days are left, and what an overstay would cost.
Your official grace period is the one shown on your cancellation record. Use this tool to plan, then confirm with ICP or GDRFA Dubai.
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Grace period by category
These are the figures behind the calculator, taken from the official ICP and GDRFA Dubai service pages (rules last checked 1 November 2026).
| Residence category | Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah (ICP) | Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa holder | 180 days | 180 days |
| Green Visa holder | 180 days | 180 days |
| Blue Residence holder | 180 days | 180 days |
| Family member of a Golden, Green or Blue Residence holder | 180 days | 180 days |
| Employee classified as skilled worker, level 1, 2 or 3 | 90 days | 90 days |
| Employee – not sure of my skill level | 30 days | 60 days |
| Employee – skill level 4 or 5 / other employment | 30 days | 60 days |
| Property owner (property-owner residence) | 90 days | 90 days |
| Residence issued with a guarantor or host | 60 days | 60 days |
| Widow or divorced woman of a resident | 180 days | 180 days |
| Student who has completed studies | 180 days | 180 days |
| Foreign-passport holder who is a relative of a UAE citizen | 180 days | 180 days |
| Family member (dependant) of a regular resident sponsor | 30 days | 60 days |
| Other / not listed | 30 days | 60 days |
ICP service terms in full
- 180 days: Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and their family members; widows or divorced women of residents; students after completing their studies; foreign-passport holders who are relatives of UAE citizens.
- 90 days: Skilled workers in levels 1–3; property owners.
- 60 days: Residence permits issued with a guarantor or host.
- 30 days: All other categories.
Overstay fine (ICP): AED 50 per day, starting from the day after the grace period ends. GDRFA Dubai: 60 days after cancellation or expiry of the residence permit. In Dubai, a category with a longer ICP period keeps the longer period. If an overstay in Dubai is under 30 days, it can be paid at Dubai airports when leaving or at GDRFA headquarters; from 30 days it can only be paid at GDRFA headquarters.
The UAE Government portal (u.ae) states that dependants get a six-month grace period from the date their visas expire or are cancelled to obtain a new residence permit. Official sources differ for families of ordinary residents, so this tool uses the more cautious figure. Confirm on their cancellation record.
How this calculator works
The calculator turns your visa dates into a last legal day, a countdown, a recommended action date and an overstay estimate. Every rule and number comes from one data file that was last checked on 1 November 2026, so nothing is hidden in the code. Nothing you type is sent to ResumeMinter: the dates are worked out in your browser.
1. Your category sets the number of days
You choose where your visa was issued and your residence category. Each category maps to 180, 90, 60 or 30 days under the ICP service terms.
2. Dubai visas get at least 60 days
If your visa was issued in Dubai, we use the longer of 60 days (GDRFA Dubai) and the period for your category. So Golden, Green and Blue holders keep 180 days, skilled workers in levels 1-3 keep 90 days, and most other people get 60 days.
3. If you are not sure of your skill level
We use the cautious default (30 days in the other emirates, 60 days in Dubai) and show a message: If you're a skilled worker (levels 1–3), your grace period may be 90 days. Check your skill level on your MoHRE work permit.
4. The start date is the earliest date you enter
We count from the earliest of your residence cancellation date, your residence expiry date and, for employees, your work permit cancellation date. We count from the earliest date to be safe. If you work for a mainland company, some lawyers advise counting from the work permit cancellation date.
5. End date, action date and fines
The grace period end date (your last legal day) is the start date plus the number of days, counted in calendar days. Overstay fines would apply from the following day. Your recommended action date is the end date minus your safety buffer (7 days by default). Authorities may count the first day differently. Your cancellation record shows the exact end date.
6. Days left and fines
Days left is the end date minus today's date in your own time zone, using whole dates so a different time zone cannot move the answer by a day. After the end date the fine is the number of overstay days multiplied by AED 50, shown in dirhams and in rupees at the exchange rate you set (26.2 by default).
7. Family members
Each family member is calculated from their own cancellation or expiry date. If their sponsor is a Golden, Green or Blue Residence holder they get 180 days; otherwise we use the same number of days as your category and show the u.ae note about a six-month period, because official sources differ.
Sources
- ICP – Cancellation of residency permits (service terms)
- GDRFA Dubai – Cancellation of all types of residence permits
- GDRFA Dubai – Frequently asked questions
- u.ae – Residence visa for family members
General information based on official ICP and GDRFA Dubai service pages as checked on 1 November 2026. Immigration rules change; always confirm your own grace period with ICP or GDRFA before acting. Not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the grace period after visa cancellation in the UAE?
It depends on your residence category and on who issued your visa. Under the ICP service terms the grace period is 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 1-3 and property owners; 60 days for residence permits issued with a guarantor or host; and 30 days for all other categories. GDRFA Dubai gives 60 days after cancellation or expiry for Dubai visas. Your cancellation record shows your exact end date.
Is the grace period 30 or 60 days in Dubai?
For a visa issued in Dubai, GDRFA Dubai states 60 days after the residence permit is cancelled or expires, so this calculator never applies fewer than 60 days to a Dubai visa. The 30-day figure is the ICP default for other categories in the other emirates. Categories with a longer ICP period keep it: 90 days for skilled workers in levels 1-3 and property owners, and 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and the other 180-day categories. If you are not sure of your skill level, the tool uses the cautious 60 days in Dubai (30 elsewhere) and shows what changes if you are skilled.
When does the grace period start?
It is counted from the date your residence permit is cancelled or expires. To be safe, this calculator counts from the earliest date you enter: the cancellation date, the expiry date or, for employees, the work permit cancellation date. If you work for a mainland company, some lawyers advise counting from the work permit cancellation date. Authorities may count the first day differently, so check the end date on your cancellation record.
What is the fine for overstaying in the UAE?
The ICP service terms give an overstay fine of AED 50 per day, starting from the day after the grace period ends. For example, 10 days of overstay is AED 500. In Dubai, GDRFA says an overstay of less than 30 days can be paid at Dubai airports when you leave or at GDRFA headquarters, while a longer overstay can only be paid at GDRFA headquarters. Always confirm the amount with ICP or GDRFA.
How long can my family stay after my visa is cancelled?
For family members of Golden, Green or Blue Residence holders, ICP gives 180 days. The UAE Government portal (u.ae) says dependants get a six-month grace period from the date their visas expire or are cancelled, but official sources differ for families of ordinary residents. This calculator therefore uses your own category's number of days for dependants of regular sponsors and shows the u.ae note. Each person's own cancellation record shows their exact end date.