Renewing a UAE Residence Visa in Dubai
How to renew a residence visa in Dubai before it expires: the medical fitness test, the linked Emirates ID renewal, the GDRFA submission, the documents, and the grace period and AED 50 a day fine if it lapses.
Typical timeline the submission and card issuance take a few working days once the medical test and documents are ready
Who runs this process
Before you start
- Renewal is arranged by the sponsor: the employer for a work visa, or the family sponsor for a dependent
- The visa holder has not spent more than 180 continuous days outside the UAE, which nullifies the residence visa automatically
- Outstanding items that can block a renewal are cleared first: traffic fines, unpaid government dues, and an expired passport
- The applicant holds a valid UAE health insurance policy, which is required to renew
Renew before the residence visa expires. Once it expires, a grace period runs before overstay fines begin. The length depends on the resident category: 30 days for most residents, 60 days for a permit issued with a guarantor or host, 90 days for skilled workers in the first three levels and for property owners, and up to 180 days for Golden, Green, and Blue residence holders, widows, divorced women, and students who have finished their studies. After the grace period for your category ends, overstay fines of AED 50 a day apply.
The journey
Each step is marked by who acts: YouEmployerYou + employer Steps on the highlighted spine sit inside the 30-day window.
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1You + employerSponsor / GDRFA Dubai
Start the renewal before your visa expires
The sponsor arranges it; the applicant supplies documents and sits the medical test
A residence visa is valid for one, two, or three years on a sponsored visa, so check your expiry date and begin ahead of it. Renewal is arranged by the same sponsor who issued the visa. Before submitting, clear anything that can hold the file up: unpaid traffic fines, government dues, and an expiring passport. Confirm the holder has not been outside the UAE for more than 180 continuous days, which nullifies the residence visa automatically and forces a fresh application instead of a renewal.
- You get
- A clear file ready to renew, with blockers resolved
- Typical time
- start weeks before expiry (indicative, confirm on the portal)
- Fee
- Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (No fee to prepare; the renewal fees below are charged at submission. Traffic fines and dues must be paid separately)
Watch out for
- Leaving it to the last day: if the visa lapses you fall into the grace period and risk fines
- Unpaid traffic fines can block the renewal until they are settled
Employment: For a private-sector employee the employer renews the MOHRE work permit and labour contract first; the residence renewal follows from it.
Other Emirate: Outside Dubai the renewal runs through ICP Smart Services rather than GDRFA Dubai.
Full guide: Start the renewal before your visa expires
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2
Pass the medical fitness test (applicants 18 and over)
Anyone aged 18 or above renewing the visa
A residence visa requires applicants who are 18 and above to undergo a medical test to prove they are medically fit, and to pass a security check. In Dubai the test is done at a DHA-approved fitness centre. Book close to your submission date, because the fitness certificate has a limited validity window. Children under 18 do not need the test.
- You get
- Medical fitness certificate feeding into the renewal
- Typical time
- results in a few days; express options exist (indicative, confirm on the portal)
- Fee
- Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (The fitness test carries its own fee that varies by standard or express service)
Watch out for
- Taking the test too early: the certificate has a limited validity, so time it near submission
Child Under 18: Children under 18 are exempt from the medical fitness test.
Full guide: Pass the medical fitness test (applicants 18 and over)
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3You + employerInsurer / sponsor
Renew health insurance and gather the documents
The sponsor and applicant assemble the file together
Valid UAE health insurance is required to renew, so renew the policy if it has lapsed. Then gather the standard set: passport, a recent white-background photo, proof of residence such as an Ejari tenancy contract or a DEWA bill, and the current Emirates ID. Sponsored applicants also need the sponsor's documents, and retirees, property owners, and work-permit holders need the medical report.
- You get
- A complete renewal file
- Typical time
- same day once insurance is active (indicative, confirm on the portal)
- Fee
- Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Health insurance premiums vary by plan; no separate document fee at this stage)
Watch out for
- Submitting with lapsed health insurance: a valid policy is a condition of renewal
Family Dependent: A dependent also needs the sponsor's passport, the sponsor's valid residence visa, and proof of relationship such as an attested marriage or birth certificate.
Full guide: Renew health insurance and gather the documents
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4You + employerGDRFA Dubai / Amer centre
Submit the renewal and Emirates ID application, and pay
Filed through GDRFA Dubai channels or an Amer service centre by the sponsor or a PRO
The sponsor submits the renewal through GDRFA Dubai. The application is linked to the Emirates ID renewal, so the visa and the ID are processed together rather than as two separate errands. Pay the renewal fees at submission. For visas sponsored outside Dubai the same submission is made through ICP Smart Services instead.
- You get
- Renewed residence visa approved; new Emirates ID card ordered
- Typical time
- a few working days (indicative, confirm on the portal)
- Fee
- Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Fees vary by channel and visa length. Through ICP for the other emirates the renewal is AED 100 application plus AED 100 per year plus a smart-service fee; confirm the current GDRFA Dubai fee at the portal)
Watch out for
- Treating the Emirates ID as a separate task: the renewal is linked to the ID application and handled together
Other Emirate: Through ICP the renewal service is AED 100 application, AED 100 per year of validity, and a smart-service fee, with processing quoted at about two working days.
Full guide: Submit the renewal and Emirates ID application, and pay
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5
Collect the renewed visa and Emirates ID; use the grace period if it lapsed
The renewed ID is delivered by courier; the applicant confirms the status
Once approved, the renewed residence visa is issued and the new Emirates ID card is delivered by courier. Check the visa status online to confirm it went through. If the visa already expired before you renewed, you are in a grace period whose length depends on your category: 30 days for most residents, up to 180 days for Golden, Green, and Blue holders, widows, divorced women, and students who have finished studying. Renew or leave within it, because after it ends overstay fines of AED 50 a day apply.
- You get
- Renewed residence visa and new Emirates ID card in hand
- Typical time
- card delivered within a few days of approval (indicative, confirm on the portal)
- Fee
- Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (No separate collection fee. Overstaying beyond the grace period costs AED 50 per day)
- Deadline
- If the visa expired, renew or leave within the grace period for your category before AED 50 a day fines apply.
Watch out for
- Assuming everyone gets the same grace period: it ranges from 30 to 180 days by category, and counting from the wrong figure risks an accidental overstay
Full guide: Collect the renewed visa and Emirates ID; use the grace period if it lapsed
Documents checklist
| Document | Requirement | Prepared by | Attestation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid, typically with at least six months left | You | No |
| Personal photo | Recent colour photo with a white background | You | No |
| Current Emirates ID | The existing card; the renewal is linked to a new Emirates ID application | You | No |
| Medical fitness certificate | Required for applicants aged 18 and over from a DHA-approved centre | You | No |
| Valid UAE health insurance | An active policy is a condition of renewal | You | No |
| Proof of residence | Ejari tenancy contract or a DEWA utility bill in the applicant's or sponsor's name | You | No |
| Sponsor's documents | Employer trade licence and contract for a work visa, or the sponsor's passport, residence visa, and proof of relationship for a dependent | Employer | No |
Where this goes wrong
Waiting until the visa has already expired
Renewal is meant to happen before expiry. If the visa lapses you fall into a grace period that ranges from 30 to 180 days by category, and once it ends the overstay fine is AED 50 a day. Start weeks ahead so the medical test and insurance are ready in time. Read the full guide.
Being outside the UAE for more than 180 days
A residence visa is nullified automatically after more than 180 continuous days abroad. If that has happened there is nothing to renew: you need a fresh entry permit and a new visa, not a renewal. Read the full guide.
Unpaid traffic fines blocking the file
Outstanding traffic fines and government dues can hold up a residence renewal until they are cleared. Check and settle them before you submit. Read the full guide.
Letting health insurance lapse
A valid UAE health insurance policy is a condition of renewal. If the policy has expired, renew it first or the application will not go through. Read the full guide.
What comes next
Official sources
- ICP: Renewal of residency permits service (categories, required documents, fees AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + smart-service fee, grace periods 30/60/90/180 days by category, AED 50 per day overstay fine, Emirates ID link, about 2 working days)
- UAE Government Portal: General provisions for the residence visa (validity 1, 2 or 3 years sponsored; medical fitness test and security check for applicants 18 and over; Emirates ID applied for with the visa; 180-day absence nullifies the visa; overstay standardised at AED 50 per day) – via Wayback Machine snapshot 2026-04-29
- GDRFA Dubai: residency services portal (verify_at for the Dubai renewal channel and current Dubai fees)
- MOHRE: work permit and labour contract services (verify_at for the private-sector work-permit renewal that precedes an employment visa renewal)
This guide is informational. Renewal steps, fees, medical requirements, and grace periods vary by visa category and emirate; confirm current rules with GDRFA Dubai, ICP, and your insurer before acting. Process definition last verified 2026-07-24, next review within 90 days.