UAE visit visa extension: Who can extend, fees and rules

Dubai: If you are visiting the UAE and want to stay longer, you may be able to extend your UAE visit or tourist visa without leaving the country.

Whether you can extend your visa, how long you can stay and how many times you can extend it depends on the type of entry permit and the authority that issued it.

Can you extend a UAE visit or tourist visa?

Yes, eligible UAE visit and tourism entry permits can be extended through the relevant immigration authority.

According to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), tourist entry permits can be extended once or multiple times, provided the total duration does not exceed 120 days.

Different rules apply to other types of entry permits:

• Visiting a relative or friend: Can be extended once or multiple times, provided the total duration does not exceed 180 days.

• Exploring job opportunities or establishing a business: Can be extended once or multiple times, provided the total duration does not exceed 180 days.

• Border-area entry permits, truck drivers, workers on tourist ships and pleasure boats: These are not extendable.

For visas granted in Dubai, extensions are processed by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA) and are subject to the same regulations.

How can you extend your UAE visit visa?

A UAE visit visa extension must be applied for by the sponsor.

If you are on a tourist visa, the travel agency or tourism company that issued the visa must apply for the extension. If your visit visa was sponsored by a family member or another individual, the sponsor must submit the extension application.

Depending on the type of visa and application, you may be asked to provide:

• Passport

• Personal photograph

• Documents submitted when the original visa was issued

If your visa was issued in Dubai GDRFA provides extension services for single- and multiple-entry tourist visas, as well as visit visas for relatives or friends.

How much does a UAE visa extension cost?

Visa extension fees vary depending on the visa type and issuing authority.

ICP's listed fees include:

• Application fee: Dh100

• Extension fee: Dh500

• Extension of certain 14-day visas: Dh250

• Extension of certain multiple-entry visas for Golden or Blue Residency procedures: Dh1,000

• Request to extend entry permit validity before arrival: Dh50

For Dubai-issued visas, GDRFA lists a Dh600 visa extension fee, plus 5 per cent VAT. If the sponsored person is inside the UAE, additional charges can include:

• Knowledge Dirham: Dh10

• Innovation Dirham: Dh10

• Inside-country fee: Dh500

The final amount can vary depending on the applicant's circumstances and visa category.

What happens if your UAE visit visa expires?

Do not assume you automatically have a grace period after your visa expires.

ICP currently lists an overstay fine of Dh50 per day for exceeding the permitted stay or entry-visa validity. The UAE Government's official portal also states that visitors who overstay are subject to fines.