Alert: Expired UAE visit visa holders have only three days to leave the country without fines

Dubai: Holders of UAE visit or tourist visas expired after March 1, 2020, have only three days to leave the country or change their status without paying fines.

As per the latest announcement from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), holders of expired visit visas were given a month from August 11 to exit the country without paying fines before September 11.

They also have an option to stay in the country by obtaining a visit or employment visa, as per the ICA announcement.

If the visa is not renewed or if the individual doesn’t exit the country, overstay fines will be implemented.

In July this year, the UAE government cancelled the previous decision to extend the visit or tourist visas until the end of December 2020 for people who can’t travel due to the pandemic and restrictions on movement.

On its Twitter account, ICA said that the extension was part of the country’s national initiative launched by the UAE and in line with the UAE Cabinet’s decisions and regulations.

The tweet announcing the grace period stated: “The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship extends the grace period for holders of expiring entry permits, starting from 11/8/2020 for a period of one month, with the aim of enabling them to leave the country with exemption from all fines during this period.”

ICA called holders of expired visit or tourist visas to change their status or leave the country during the grace period.

According to the UAE government’s official website, if a tourist or visitor overstays beyond the grace period, he or she will be levied a fine of Dh200 for the first day of overstay and Dh100 for each consecutive day, besides a Dh100 service fee.