The United Arab Emirates’ Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has confirmed that people who were previously exempted from visa-overstay fines now have a last, 30-day window – from 10 June to 9 July 2026 – to regularise their status or depart the country without penalties.
1. What the decision covers
The grace period applies to a) visitors whose tourist or visit visas expired after 28 February 2026 when wide-scale air-space closures stranded travellers, b) residents whose employment or family residence visas were cancelled during the same period, and c) anyone who obtained a one-way exit permit but was unable to leave because of flight suspensions. Overstay fines – normally AED 50 per day – remain frozen for these cohorts until 9 July.
2. No paperwork, but a firm deadline
ICP emphasised that eligible people do not need to file extra forms: immigration counters at land, sea and air ports will automatically waive the penalties when the passport record carries the March 2026 exemption code. After 9 July the system will revert to normal and fines will accrue from the first day of overstay.
![UAE grants final 30-day grace period for residents and visitors affected by regional flight disruptions]()
Individuals who are still uncertain about the type of visa they require—or how to convert a cancelled status into a fresh entry permit—can turn to VisaHQ for step-by-step support. Through its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), the platform helps travellers and HR teams calculate overstay exposure, assemble the correct documents and submit new applications, all without standing in government queues.
3. Practical impact for employers and mobility managers
• Staff on cancelled visas can now re-enter the labour market quickly: a new employer may submit an e-residence-visa application while the individual remains onshore, provided biometric capture and medical tests are completed before the 9 July cut-off.
• Business travellers whose passports carry tourist stamps can lodge a change-of-status request inside the UAE – a service that saves the cost of a ‘visa-run’ – but only within the 30-day window.
• Airlines are bracing for a wave of one-way departures during the first week of July; corporate travel teams should book seats early to avoid fare spikes.
4. Why it matters
The grace period closes the chapter on an unprecedented three-month waiver that kept thousands of expatriates in legal limbo. Human-resources departments now have legal certainty and a finite calendar date for workforce planning, while overstayers receive clarity – and a final lifeline – before penalties resume.
1. What the decision covers
The grace period applies to a) visitors whose tourist or visit visas expired after 28 February 2026 when wide-scale air-space closures stranded travellers, b) residents whose employment or family residence visas were cancelled during the same period, and c) anyone who obtained a one-way exit permit but was unable to leave because of flight suspensions. Overstay fines – normally AED 50 per day – remain frozen for these cohorts until 9 July.
2. No paperwork, but a firm deadline
ICP emphasised that eligible people do not need to file extra forms: immigration counters at land, sea and air ports will automatically waive the penalties when the passport record carries the March 2026 exemption code. After 9 July the system will revert to normal and fines will accrue from the first day of overstay.
Individuals who are still uncertain about the type of visa they require—or how to convert a cancelled status into a fresh entry permit—can turn to VisaHQ for step-by-step support. Through its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), the platform helps travellers and HR teams calculate overstay exposure, assemble the correct documents and submit new applications, all without standing in government queues.
3. Practical impact for employers and mobility managers
• Staff on cancelled visas can now re-enter the labour market quickly: a new employer may submit an e-residence-visa application while the individual remains onshore, provided biometric capture and medical tests are completed before the 9 July cut-off.
• Business travellers whose passports carry tourist stamps can lodge a change-of-status request inside the UAE – a service that saves the cost of a ‘visa-run’ – but only within the 30-day window.
• Airlines are bracing for a wave of one-way departures during the first week of July; corporate travel teams should book seats early to avoid fare spikes.
4. Why it matters
The grace period closes the chapter on an unprecedented three-month waiver that kept thousands of expatriates in legal limbo. Human-resources departments now have legal certainty and a finite calendar date for workforce planning, while overstayers receive clarity – and a final lifeline – before penalties resume.
