UAE residence visa renewal for employees and families

When to renew

Before expiry. The UAE government portal puts the duty on the sponsor: the employer for an employee, the resident for their family. Your Emirates ID expires with the residence, so the renewal also renews the ID.

Start about a month ahead. That leaves time for a medical test, an insurance renewal or a passport renewal if any of them is due, because ICP requires all the original conditions to be met again.

Employee residence renewal, step by step

• Renew the work permit. MOHRE's FAQ says the employer must renew the work permit when it expires. See our UAE labour card guide.
• Check the passport. It must be valid for at least six months.
• Renew health insurance. ICP lists valid health insurance for every category.
• Medical test, where required. ICP lists a medical report for workers renewing residence through an employer.
• Apply for renewal. In Dubai, through GDRFA Dubai; in the other emirates, through ICP's smart services or app with UAE PASS. The Emirates ID application is linked to the renewal.

ICP's document list for an employee renewal is short: passport, photo, medical report, the employment contract, the MOHRE work permit (or proof of wage protection where exempt) and health insurance.

Family residence renewal

The sponsor renews each family member's residence. ICP's list for family members of a foreign resident includes the passport, a photo, a utility bill and lease, proof of kinship, children's birth certificates, an employment certificate showing income and housing, and health insurance.

The income rule still applies at renewal. GDRFA Dubai and the UAE government portal list a monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 with accommodation. For sons, GDRFA Dubai's age limit is under 25; unmarried daughters and children with special needs can stay on the sponsor's file. See our family visa documents guide.

Renewal fees and timing

In Dubai, GDRFA Dubai sets its own fees for each residence type. For private sector and family residence permits it lists AED 200 for the permit plus Knowledge and Innovation fees, and an expected completion time of 48 hours; on family permits it adds AED 500 if you apply from inside the country, AED 20 for delivery and AED 100 for each year beyond two. Fees change, so confirm the amount when you apply.

If the residence has already expired

A grace period applies to most residents. ICP lists it by category:

Use the grace period to renew, change status or leave. After it ends, the overstay fine is AED 50 a day. Renewal fees don't pause because the visa has expired, so renewing late costs more.

Insurance and other costs that catch people out

• Health insurance in Dubai. The Dubai Health Authority's fine for a lapsed policy is AED 500 per person per month, deducted automatically at renewal.
• Six months outside the UAE. A residence is nullified after more than 180 days abroad in a row, with exceptions, so a renewal can't fix a visa that has already lapsed this way.
• Passport renewals. If your passport expires within six months, renew it first, then transfer the residence details.
• Work permit expired. MOHRE's FAQ says an expired electronic work permit needs a renewal application, not an amendment.

How we handle renewals

We keep each client's residence, work permit, Emirates ID and insurance dates on one calendar and start renewals before they're due. Ask us about employment visa and family visa renewals.