Grace period after a residence permit is cancelled or expires, and for visit visas

In Dubai (GDRFA Dubai, the authority for Dubai residence files), the grace period after a residence permit is cancelled or expires is 60 days for every residence: during it you can get a new visa, change status or leave without overstay fines. Golden, Green and Blue residence holders can have up to 180 days (see below). MARIO E.G.S.H checks the exact date on the official system for each client.

Residence permits: since the new entry and residence rules of October 2022 (Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 and its executive regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022), u.ae says the longest grace period, for some categories, is up to 6 months (180 days), to stay after the permit is cancelled or expires. During it you can get a new visa, change status or leave without overstay fines.

ICP's residence-cancellation service page (checked 8 October 2026) lists the periods: 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue residence holders and their family members, widows and divorced women of residents, students after finishing their studies, and foreign-passport relatives of UAE citizens; 90 days for skilled workers at levels 1 to 3 and property owners; 60 days for permits issued with a guarantor or host; and 30 days for all other categories. For Dubai files, GDRFA Dubai's page for cancelling residence permits states 60 days, while its pages for Green residence permits state 180 days. Your exact deadline is the one shown in the official system.

How to check: ICP smart services, public services, File Validity (search by passport or Emirates ID), or GDRFA Dubai for Dubai files. The date also appears on the cancellation paper.

Visit and tourist visas: the ICP and GDRFA visa pages checked on 8 October 2026 give no grace period, and ICP lists the AED 50 daily fine for staying after the permitted stay or the entry visa expires. The old 10-day grace period for Dubai visit visas was removed in 2023 according to press reports.

What to do: before cancelling, plan the next step (new job, family visa, departure date). If you need more time on a visit visa, extend it before it ends.