COVID-19 UAE visa tracker: Your ultimate guide to the rule amendments

Dubai: Are you unsure about the validity of your expired UAE residence or visit visa?

With the UAE authorities announcing an amendment to COVID-19 related visa decisions on July 10, along with an update on the grace period for expired residence visa holders, here is a breakdown of all the visa rule amendments that you need to be aware of.

Visa renewal

According to the latest guidelines, those UAE visa holders whose visa expired after March 1, 2020 have up till October 10 to regularise their visa status.

If your residence visa expired before March 1, 2020, you would need to exit the country before August 10, 2020.

Visit visa expiry

On July 16, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) announced that holders of expired UAE visit visas should either leave the country by August 11, 2020 or can apply for a one-month grace period. The option for applying for an additional 30-day grace period does not apply to visit visas issued by Dubai, according to Amer centres.

Returning to the UAE

If you are a residence visa holder outside the UAE, you would need to apply for an approval to return to the UAE with the Federal Authority of Citizenship and Foreigners Affairs (ICA) here or with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) if you are a Dubai resident.

Find out below what you need to do next, depending on your visa status, your current location and the latest visa guidelines.