UAE Visa Deadline
UAE Imposes July 9 Deadline for Visa Status Regularization After Exemptions
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Key Points
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The ICP said the original overstay-fine amnesty (introduced in March) was triggered by the Iran-war-related disruption and applied to financial penalties that would have started accruing from **Saturday, February 28**, when the UAE **closed its airspace** in response to strikes from Iran.
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ICP characterized the lifting of visa penalties as a humanitarian measure, describing it as a reprieve for people facing **“extraordinary circumstances.”**
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The National reported that the UAE’s **General Civil Aviation Authority announced the full resumption of air traffic operations on May 2**, marking a key milestone behind the return of stability.
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One report quoted ICP framing the earlier humanitarian exemption as reflecting the UAE’s **“deeply rooted humanitarian values”** and its commitment to **“extending assistance and support to those in need,”** describing it as also reinforcing the UAE’s reputation as a **“safe and welcoming destination.”**
The UAE has set a firm July 9 deadline for thousands of visitors and residents who overstayed their visas during the Iran-war travel chaos earlier this year. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) opened a final 30-day grace period on June 10, giving affected people one last chance to either fix their visa status or leave the country without paying fines, according to ARN News Centre.
The grace period covers people who were already exempt from overstay fines after the UAE closed its airspace on February 28. That closure came in response to Iranian strikes and left thousands of tourists and residents stranded. Now, with flights back to normal since May 2, authorities say the time for special treatment is over.
Airspace Shutdown on February 28 Triggered the Crisis
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority shut down national airspace on Saturday, February 28, after Iran launched strikes in the region. Flights were cancelled and suspended, leaving visitors on tourist visas and residents who had already cancelled their residency permits with no way to leave. The ICP immediately paused the accrual of overstay fines from that date, framing the move as a humanitarian response to circumstances beyond travelers' control, according to Curly Tales.
The disruption lasted roughly 64 days. The GCAA declared the full resumption of air traffic on May 2, which The Global Filipino Magazine reported as the key milestone that allowed authorities to begin winding down the emergency exemptions. With normal travel channels restored, the ICP moved to formalize a final exit window rather than let the open-ended waiver continue indefinitely.
Who Qualifies and What They Need to Do
Three groups are covered by the grace period. The first is holders of visit or tourist visas whose permits expired after February 28. The second is former residents who had already cancelled their residency visas and were preparing to leave when flights stopped. The third is people holding exit permits that lapsed during the airspace closure, according to Travels Dubai.
Eligible people have two choices. They can regularise their status inside the UAE by completing residency or employment procedures. Or they can simply leave through normal travel channels before July 9. The ICP stressed that no extra paperwork or special application is needed. People just need to act before the deadline, CN Traveller ME reported.
After July 9, Fines and Bans Resume Immediately
Anyone who misses the July 9 deadline will face standard overstay fines of AED 50 per day. Those fines will be calculated from the end of the exemption period. People caught in the UAE after the deadline without a valid status also risk an entry ban on future visits. The ICP made clear that the July 9 cutoff is firm, according to The Global Filipino Magazine.
The ICP framed the original fine waiver as reflecting the UAE's "deeply rooted humanitarian values" and its commitment to "extending assistance and support to those in need." But officials also said the grace period reinforces the UAE's image as a "safe and welcoming destination" — signaling that humanitarian goodwill and firm enforcement can go hand in hand, ARN News Centre reported.
Anxiety Grows as the 30-Day Window Runs Out
With nine days already gone, some affected travelers face a harder path than others. People from countries still dealing with the aftereffects of the regional conflict are struggling to get documents from their embassies in time to qualify for a new residency visa. Finding an employer willing to sponsor a work visa in under 30 days adds another layer of difficulty, according to Curly Tales.
Legal analysts note that 30 days is shorter than most past UAE amnesty programs, which have typically targeted long-term illegal residents rather than travelers stranded by conflict. Economists add that clearing up the legal limbo matters for the broader economy, as thousands of people stuck between visa statuses create complications for the insurance, healthcare, and banking sectors, CN Traveller ME reported.
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