Visit visa extension
Extends your current visit visa through GDRFA Dubai (Amer) so you can stay longer in the UAE.
How it works
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Documents
You
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Reviewed by MARIO E.G.S.H AI
MARIO E.G.S.H AI
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Submitted at GDRFA
Runner at GDRFA
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Medical & biometrics
You
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Visa issued
GDRFA
Documents required
Visitor's passport (copy)
copyMust stay valid for the extended period; at issuance GDRFA asks for at least 6 months' validity.Current visit/tourist visa (copy)
copyMust not have expired when the extension is submitted.Personal photo
in some casescopyOnly if: ICP lists a photo and the same documents as at issuance; the GDRFA Dubai pages (checked 2026-10-08) list only the passport copy.UAE health insurance covering the extended stay
in some casescopyOnly if: Needed when a tourist visa is issued; the GDRFA Dubai extension pages (checked 2026-10-08) do not list it, so our team checks in the system whether it is asked again.
Conditions, time and validity
- Relative/friend visit visa: may be extended once or several times by the issuing authority, up to 180 days in total.
- Tourist visa: may be extended once or several times, up to 120 days in total; tourist visas are issued (and extended) through accredited tourism companies.
- Some visit visas cannot be extended (e.g. the 60-day visa for certain nationalities, border/truck-driver/ship-crew permits); a visa-on-arrival extension for eligible Indian nationals is a separate service.
- Processing time
- GDRFA Dubai states 48 hours; ICP states 2 days.
- Validity of the result
- Each extension adds a further period (commonly 30 days) within the total limit (120 days tourist, 180 days relative/friend).
- Where it is applied for
- GDRFA Dubai website/app (24/7) or Amer service centres; for tourist visas, through the accredited tourism company that issued the visa.
Steps at the authority
- Client sends passport and current visa copy before the visa expires.
- Centre checks the remaining days, the total-days limit and who the sponsor is (relative or tourism company).
- Application submitted to GDRFA (smart channels or Amer) and fees paid.
- Approval issued electronically; client receives the extended visa.
Tips that save you a trip
- Start the extension at least a week before expiry; it takes about 2 working days.
- If the visa was issued by a tourism company or airline, the extension usually has to go through that same issuer.
- If the visitor plans to live in the UAE, a status change to residence may be better than repeated extensions.
Common reasons for rejection or delay
- Applied after the visa expired: overstay fines accrue daily and the file may need settlement first.
- Total allowed days already used (120 tourist / 180 relative-friend).
- Visa type is not extendable (e.g. 60-day visa for certain nationalities).
- Passport validity too short, or the sponsor's (relative's) own residence/file has a problem.
Questions and answers
How many times can I extend my visit visa?
One or more times, as long as the total stays within 180 days (relative/friend visit) or 120 days (tourist visa), subject to approval.
Do I have to leave the country to extend?
No. The extension is done while you are inside the UAE, which is why the in-country fee applies.
Checked by the MARIO E.G.S.H team on 2026-10-08. Rules can change at any time; our consultant confirms the details for your case.
Official sources
Eligibility
Is the visitor inside the UAE and is the current visit visa still valid (not expired)?
An expired visa cannot simply be extended; overstay fines apply. Please contact us so we can check the file before anything else.
Legal basis
Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021; Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 (as amended); ICP decision on visit visa categories and durations announced 29 Sep 2025 (Annex A).
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