Home / GDRFA Dubai and federal ICP

Visas and immigration
handled end to end

We run entry permits, residence permits, renewals, change of status and your company immigration file through the right authority, and tell you the fee build-up before anything is paid.

60 daysFrom entry to residence

48 hoursGDRFA turnaround

AED 50/dayOverstay fine

180 daysLongest grace period

Ask a consultant Read the detail

The sequence

Every stage of a staff visa

A residence visa is a chain of separate applications. Each one has its own fee and its own documents, and doing them out of order wastes money.

✓ Entry permit — The work entry permit for a foreigner linked to a job contract costs AED 200 at GDRFA Dubai. It gives 60 days from entry to complete residence formalities. Mainland staff need MOHRE endorsement of the work permit first.

✓ Visit and tourist visas — Single-entry tourist visas run AED 200 for 30 days and AED 300 for 60 days, with no security deposit. A visit visa for a relative or friend is AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 for 30, 60 or 90 days, plus a refundable AED 1,000 guarantee.

✓ Change of status — Someone already in the UAE on a visit or tourist visa does not have to fly out. Status amendment at GDRFA is AED 500, plus AED 15 for an individual sponsor or AED 50 for an establishment. The previous permit must be cancelled and a new entry permit must exist.

✓ Medical fitness and Emirates ID — Anyone over 18 needs an approved medical fitness test, and the result must be under three months old. The Emirates ID application must have 120 days or less of validity. Since 2022 the Emirates ID is the residence visa.

✓ Residence permit — The GDRFA base fee is AED 200 to issue or renew, plus AED 10 knowledge, AED 10 innovation and AED 20 delivery. Add AED 500 if the person is already inside the country. The issuance fee rises by AED 100 for each year beyond two.

✓ Renewal and cancellation — Private-sector residence runs two years and is renewed on the same AED 200 base. Cancellation at GDRFA is AED 100 and needs the MOHRE work-permit cancellation extract for private-sector staff, so cancel at MOHRE first.

Government fees

Dubai GDRFA against federal ICP

Base authority fees published by each body. Dubai files normally go through GDRFA, with ICP issuing the Emirates ID. For the other six emirates ICP handles the file end to end. Amounts below are government fees, not My Eloah fees.

Transaction	Dubai GDRFA	Federal ICP	Note
Work or visit entry permit	AED 200 base	AED 100 application + AED 100 per month single entry + AED 100 smart services	ICP charges AED 200 per month for multiple entry
Change of status	AED 500 + AED 15 individual or AED 50 establishment	AED 500 status adjustment	Applies where the person is already in the UAE
Residence permit issuance	AED 200 + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 20 delivery	AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services	GDRFA adds AED 500 for in-country applications
Residence renewal	AED 200 base	AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services	All issuance conditions must still be met
Residence cancellation	AED 100	AED 50 application + AED 100 exceptional cancellation + AED 100 smart services	Family permits are cancelled before the sponsor's
Visa extension	AED 600 + VAT	AED 100 application + AED 500 extension	GDRFA adds AED 500 if the person is inside the country
Establishment card issuance	AED 200 + VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50 service	AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services + AED 2,000 system subscription	ICP also holds an AED 1,000 refundable subscription guarantee
Establishment card renewal	AED 200 + VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50 service	AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 1,000 subscription renewal + AED 100 smart services	GDRFA works out at roughly AED 280 online
Departure permit	AED 241	AED 200 application + AED 100 smart services	ICP requires fines paid and departure within 7 days
Emirates ID	Issued by ICP	AED 100 per year of residence + AED 100 smart services	Urgent service is AED 150, at an ICP centre in person

Your company file

The immigration card that lets you sponsor

No staff or family visa can be filed until the company has an immigration file. This is the establishment card, and it sits between your trade licence and every visa you issue.

✓ Opening the file — GDRFA issues the establishment card for private-sector and free-zone companies for AED 200 plus VAT, AED 10 knowledge, AED 10 innovation and AED 50 service, working out at about AED 280 online. Urgent processing adds AED 100 and an Amer centre adds AED 100.

✓ The ICP route — On the federal side the card is AED 100 application plus AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart services, and a one-off AED 2,000 subscription to the electronic system. A valid Emirates ID or unified number for one authorised signatory is mandatory before issuance can start.

✓ Changes and renewal — Modifying establishment card data at GDRFA is AED 100 plus the standard stack, and needs the trade licence. ICP charges AED 200 to modify or add an electronic service and AED 1,000 a year to renew the system subscription.

✓ Representative and PRO card — A representative card at GDRFA carries collection commissions only, and needs a letter from the authorised authority plus a criminal-investigation certificate. The representative's residence must be under the company he works for.

✓ Closing the file — GDRFA cancels the establishment card on collection commissions only, but no sponsored person may remain on the card. ICP charges AED 50 plus AED 50 subscription cancellation plus AED 100 smart services, and the commercial licence must be cancelled first.

Fines and grace periods

How long you have before fines start

ICP counts overstay at AED 50 per day from the day after the grace period ends, whether the permit expired or was cancelled. The grace period depends on the visa category.

Category	Grace period	Fine after grace
Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and their families	180 days	AED 50 per day
Widows and divorced women of residents	180 days	AED 50 per day
Students who have completed their studies	180 days	AED 50 per day
Skilled workers at levels 1 to 3, and property owners	90 days	AED 50 per day
Residence permits issued with a guarantor or host	60 days	AED 50 per day
All remaining categories	30 days	AED 50 per day
Work entry permit holder who has not completed residence	60 days from entry	AED 50 per day
Departure permit holder who has not left	7 days	Cancel and reapply

FAQ

Common Questions.

No. Change of status is filed while the person stays in the UAE. At GDRFA Dubai it is AED 500 plus AED 15 for an individual sponsor or AED 50 for an establishment, and ICP charges an AED 500 status adjustment. A new entry permit must exist and the previous residence permit must be cancelled first.

Sixty days from entry. The work entry visa is issued for exactly that window, and the person must also enter the UAE within the 60-day validity of the permit itself. Missing it means the entry permit is redone and paid for again.

GDRFA Dubai is the emirate's immigration authority and leads on Dubai files, while ICP is the federal authority and handles the other six emirates end to end. Even on a Dubai file, ICP issues the Emirates ID. Some rules split too, for example the permit to stay outside the country for more than six months does not apply to Dubai residents.

GDRFA fees are a base fee plus a predictable stack of 5 percent VAT, AED 10 knowledge, AED 10 innovation and AED 20 delivery on residence permits. The largest single swing is the AED 500 in-country fee when the sponsored person is already in the UAE. An Amer centre adds AED 100 and urgent processing adds AED 100.

ICP charges AED 50 for each day of overstay, counted from the day after the grace period ends. The grace period runs from 30 days for most categories up to 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders. A departure permit is only issued to a violator once the fines are paid.

Family sponsorship is filed against the resident, not the company, and GDRFA sets the threshold at a salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus housing. A partner's share must be at least AED 48,000 under the partnership agreement. Male children may be sponsored up to age 25, and sponsoring parents needs a salary of at least AED 10,000.

Talk to a consultant

Which visa do you need filed?

Tell us who you are sponsoring and where the company is licensed, and we will come back with the steps and costs.

Tell us your situation and a consultant replies with what actually applies to you, what it costs and what we need from you to start.

Visas and immigration handled end to end