In a follow-up circular dated June 27, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) confirmed a final 30-day grace period – running from 10 June to 9 July – for travellers who accrued visa-overstay days when regional airspace shut down on 28 February. Beneficiaries include tourists whose visit visas expired while flights were grounded, residents whose exit permits lapsed, and cancelled-residence holders unable to depart before the deadline. During the window, eligible people can leave the UAE without paying the standard AED 50-per-day overstay fine or, if they wish to stay, regularise their status by applying for a new residency or job-seeker visa. No additional paperwork is required beyond presenting proof that the overstay resulted from the February disruption. ICP stresses that the waiver is a one-time concession; fines will automatically resume on 10 July. Airlines, travel agents and global mobility teams should notify affected staff and dependants immediately, as seats out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are already filling up ahead of the deadline.
![ICP issues 30-day overstay-fine grace period after February air-space closures]()
For travelers who need help arranging fresh visas or clarifying the new rules, VisaHQ’s UAE desk can manage applications end-to-end online—covering tourist, residency and job-seeker options—with real-time status updates; details are available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/
Companies sponsoring employees whose visas were cancelled during the crisis should decide quickly whether to renew work permits or arrange exit travel. The grace period also serves as a reminder that UAE overstay penalties accumulate even when extraordinary events disrupt flights. Best practice is to track visa validity in real time and file extension applications well before expiry, especially during the summer peak when appointment slots at typing centres and medical clinics become scarce.
For travelers who need help arranging fresh visas or clarifying the new rules, VisaHQ’s UAE desk can manage applications end-to-end online—covering tourist, residency and job-seeker options—with real-time status updates; details are available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/
Companies sponsoring employees whose visas were cancelled during the crisis should decide quickly whether to renew work permits or arrange exit travel. The grace period also serves as a reminder that UAE overstay penalties accumulate even when extraordinary events disrupt flights. Best practice is to track visa validity in real time and file extension applications well before expiry, especially during the summer peak when appointment slots at typing centres and medical clinics become scarce.
