UAE Introduces Two-Month Grace Period for Expired Residence Visas

From the 1st of September until the 1st of November the UAE will introduce a sixty-day amnesty for those with expired Residence Visas, which means that residents will be able to renew their visa without having to worry about hefty penalties or further actions being taken against them. We learned this change from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) in the hope of helping the residents to be legal and up to date with the laws of The UAE but at the same time embracing the tolerance values of the country.

Earlier, people with expired visas were punished with fines and possible subsequent restrictions on crossing the border if they wished to have a legal visa again. This means that under the new rules, violators of the residency system can be exempted from travel bans and can within the grace period legalise their status so as to embark on their journeys or reside in the UAE as normal.

The ICP made it clear that this move is in the natural spirit of giving emphasizing that residents will be given an opportunity to get their visas renewed without being arrested. In a post on one of the social networking sites the government stated, “This measure is in line with the principles of benevolence and tolerance on which the UAE is founded, giving the violators a second chance to legalise their status. ”

The last change was made in the previous year when the fine for overstay for expired visas was cut to Dhs50 per day from Dhs100. The additional grace period helps to ease some of the burden exerted on the residents in that they will have extra time to renew their visas.

This visa to reside in UAE has the validity as per the type and sponsor which ranges from one year to ten years validity. For the most part, short stay visas relate to employment sponsorship or education sponsorship, and the Golden Visa for example is a long stay visa wherein the individual can self sponsor.

For anyone who wishes to apply or extend his or her residence visa in UAE, some of the steps to undertake are; getting a medical fit certificate, security clearance, emirates ID application. There are also other supplementary documents that are needed including a proof of residency and insurance.

The new grace period is a knowledge upgrade for the residents and helps reducing the shocks and sticking to the rules while continuing to keep the UAE friendly for its multicultural population.