Key takeaways
- The UAE overstay fine is AED 50 per day for each day a person stays after an entry visa, residence permit or exit permit has expired or been cancelled, according to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), as checked on 18 October 2026.
- The UAE overstay fine only starts after the grace period for that permit type ends: 30 days for most residence categories, and 60, 90 or 180 days for specific ones.
- Paying a UAE overstay fine doesn't regularise the person: ICP says they must then adjust their status or leave the country.
- A UAE company that employs or shelters someone without a valid permit faces its own penalties under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021, with fines starting at AED 50,000, separate from the daily fine the individual owes.
- A 2026 ICP waiver of overstay fines applied to people who couldn't leave during airspace closures; no waiver that we could confirm from ICP is in force today, so budget for the full fine.
How much is the overstay fine in the UAE?
The overstay fine is AED 50 for every day a person remains in the UAE after their entry visa, residence permit or exit permit has expired or been cancelled. The rate comes from the fee schedule annexed to Cabinet Resolution No. 89 of 2022, and ICP applies it through its visa and residence violation fine service. Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 (Article 11) leaves the amount to a Cabinet resolution, which is why the figure sits in that annex.
| Item | Amount (AED) | Source, as of 18 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Overstay fine, entry visa, residence permit or exit permit | 50 per day | ICP fine payment service; Cabinet Resolution No. 89 of 2022 annex |
| Smart Services fee on the fine payment service | 100 | ICP fine payment service |
| Fine to apply for a new entry permit after more than 180 days outside the UAE | 100 for every 30 days or less abroad | u.ae, residence visa provisions |
| Late Emirates ID renewal (a separate fine, not an overstay fine) | 20 per day, capped at 1,000, after a 30-day grace period | ICP FAQ |
Say a resident's visa is cancelled and the person falls into a 30-day grace category (a hypothetical example). If they leave on day 45, they overstayed 15 days after the grace period, so the fine is 15 x AED 50 = AED 750, before service fees.
When does the overstay fine start?
The fine starts the day after the grace period for that permit type ends, not on the day the visa is cancelled. ICP's residence cancellation page sets the grace period by category, so two staff members at the same company can have different deadlines.
| Category | Grace period after expiry or cancellation |
|---|---|
| Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and their family members; students after completing studies; widows or divorced women of residents; foreign-passport relatives of UAE citizens | 180 days |
| Skilled workers in levels 1 to 3; property owners | 90 days |
| Permits issued with a guarantor or host | 60 days |
| All other categories | 30 days |
Source: ICP, Cancellation of residency permits, checked 18 October 2026. Most standard employment visas fall in the "all other categories" row, but confirm the category on the employee's permit, because the skill level on the visa decides whether 30 or 90 days applies.
How do I pay an overstay fine?
The fine is paid through the ICP Smart Services website or app, and a UAE Pass login is required. After paying, the person must still adjust their status or leave. The steps on ICP's service page are:
- Log in to the ICP Smart Services website or app with UAE Pass.
- Open the visa or residence violation fine payment service and submit the application.
- Review the application form and correct any retrieved data.
- Pay the fine (the service is available 24 hours a day on the website and app).
- Adjust the person's status with a new visa or permit, or arrange departure.
If you can't find the fine, ICP's call centre is 600522222 inside the UAE.
Is there an overstay fine waiver or amnesty right now?
No overstay fine waiver that we could confirm from an ICP source is running as of 18 October 2026. On 4 March 2026, ICP announced that overstay fines incurred on or after 28 February 2026 would be waived for people who couldn't leave because of airspace closures and flight suspensions, covering visit visa holders, exit permit holders and residents whose permits had been cancelled.
That announcement didn't state an end date. Later reports describe the waiver ending, with one source giving 31 March 2026 and an EY immigration alert describing a 30-day grace window from 10 June to 9 July 2026, but we couldn't verify either end date on an ICP page. Treat any waiver as closed unless ICP says otherwise on its media centre or Smart Services pages, and check there before relying on a past one.
Who pays when an employee overstays, and what is the employer's risk?
The daily fine is charged to the person who overstays, but a company that keeps that person working carries separate legal risk. Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 sets fines starting at AED 50,000 for employing or harbouring someone in breach of the residence rules, which can be multiplied per person up to AED 5 million, and the law allows deportation costs to be charged to an employer who broke it. For companies the law adds a minimum fine of AED 50,000 and allows closure of the business for up to six months.
The practical protection is cancelling visas on time. For an employment visa, the sponsor cancels: on the mainland the employer first has the labour contract and work permit cancelled with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), supported by a letter signed by the employee confirming wages and end-of-service benefits were received, and then cancels the residence visa with ICP. Free zone companies should check whether their free zone authority handles the labour step, because it can differ.
Dependents are tied to the sponsor, so ICP requires family permits to be cancelled before the sponsor's own residence, or placed on hold for a limited period with fees. If you'd rather not track these dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists them for your company.
What most guides don't tell you
- The clock depends on the category, not the calendar. Guides quote "AED 50 a day" but skip that the day count starts after a grace period that varies from 30 to 180 days. A 90-day skilled worker and a 30-day colleague can leave the same week and owe different amounts.
- Cancelling can be blocked by the final settlement. Because MOHRE needs the employee's signed confirmation that wages and end-of-service benefits were paid, a dispute over the final payment can delay the labour cancellation. Until it clears, the visa stays under your sponsorship and the departure date stays uncertain, so settle the figures before the last working day.
- Paying doesn't fix status. ICP's own payment page says status must be adjusted or the person must leave. Someone who pays the fine and does nothing else starts accruing again.
- Family permits can complicate your own cancellation. An owner who closes a company and cancels their own visa without sorting dependents' permits first runs into the hold-and-fee rules above.
AED 50 per day: the overstay fine after an entry visa, residence permit or exit permit expires or is cancelled and the grace period ends. Source: ICP visa and residence violation fine service and Cabinet Resolution No. 89 of 2022 annex, checked 18 October 2026.
Which visa deadlines apply to your company?
Each employee visa, family permit and licence renewal has its own expiry and its own grace period, and missing one is how daily fines start. The free UAE compliance calendar is a calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cancel an employee's visa?
On the mainland, the employer first cancels the labour contract and work permit with MOHRE, backed by a letter signed by the employee confirming wages and end-of-service benefits were received, then applies to ICP to cancel the residence visa. It can be done through an ICP-registered typing centre or online via the ICP website or app, and free zone companies should confirm the labour step with their free zone authority.
What happens if I don't cancel a visa after an employee leaves?
The residence permit stays under your company's sponsorship until it is cancelled or expires, and ICP treats the sponsor as the party who cancels it. If the former employee then stays past the grace period the AED 50 daily fine applies to them, and keeping or sheltering them without a valid permit can expose the company to penalties under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021.
How do I sponsor my family on a company visa?
u.ae says the sponsor must earn at least AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, and can sponsor a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs. Family members aged 18 and over must pass a medical test at an approved UAE health centre.
Can I sponsor my parents in the UAE?
The u.ae family visa page doesn't set out parent sponsorship rules for an expatriate employee, so confirm with ICP before applying. It does say Green visa holders may sponsor first-degree relatives, and it covers parents of UAE citizens separately.
About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn
Sources
- ICP: Payment of visa or residence violation fine
- ICP: Cancellation of residency permits (grace periods and fines)
- ICP: Visa cancellation
- ICP: FAQ (Emirates ID late renewal fine)
- ICP: Overstay fines waived for those affected by airspace closure, 4 March 2026
- Annex to Cabinet Resolution No. 89 of 2022 (administrative fines)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners
- u.ae: General provisions for the residence visa
- u.ae: Residence visa for families of employees
- EY: UAE cancels waiver of overstay fines and introduces 30-day grace period (secondary, interpretation only)
- Gulf News: UAE visa violations and employer penalties (secondary, corroboration only)
Last checked: 18 October 2026
This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.