The United Arab Emirates has quietly rolled out a sweeping upgrade to its short-term visitor-visa extension system, removing the long-standing requirement that visitors must leave the country before re-entering on a new permit. Published on 4 December 2025, the new framework applies to most 30- and 60-day visit visas issued for tourism, business meetings, medical treatment, training and family visits. Under the revised rules, travellers can now file an extension request entirely online via the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) smart-services portal or mobile app, or in person at Amer/Customer Happiness centres. Once approved, the same entry document is re-validated and no border run is required.
Key operational changes include flexible renewal periods that match the original visa duration, an end-to-end digital payment flow, and real-time application tracking. A flat renewal fee of AED 600 plus VAT applies to most categories, with modest surcharges for applicants already inside the country. Crucially, the separate grace period that once allowed tourists in Dubai to overstay by up to ten days has been scrapped; overstay fines of AED 50 per day now start the moment a visa expires.
![UAE Overhauls Visitor-Visa Extension Rules, Letting Tourists and Business Travellers Renew Stays Without Exiting the Country]()
For employers and event organisers, the streamlined process removes a logistical headache that often disrupted conferences and trade missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Companies can now keep inbound delegates on the ground for follow-up meetings or deal negotiations without arranging a “visa run” to Oman or Bahrain. Hospitality operators also expect longer average lengths of stay, a welcome boost in a peak-season month when hotel occupancy routinely tops 90 percent.
Practical tips for visitors: ensure passports have six months’ validity, submit renewal requests at least five working days before expiry, and verify that the specific visa type is eligible (some free-zone-sponsored entry permits remain outside the scheme). Holders of longer-term Golden, Green and residency visas are unaffected, though their generous post-expiry grace periods (up to 180 days for Golden Visa holders) remain in force.
Key operational changes include flexible renewal periods that match the original visa duration, an end-to-end digital payment flow, and real-time application tracking. A flat renewal fee of AED 600 plus VAT applies to most categories, with modest surcharges for applicants already inside the country. Crucially, the separate grace period that once allowed tourists in Dubai to overstay by up to ten days has been scrapped; overstay fines of AED 50 per day now start the moment a visa expires.
For employers and event organisers, the streamlined process removes a logistical headache that often disrupted conferences and trade missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Companies can now keep inbound delegates on the ground for follow-up meetings or deal negotiations without arranging a “visa run” to Oman or Bahrain. Hospitality operators also expect longer average lengths of stay, a welcome boost in a peak-season month when hotel occupancy routinely tops 90 percent.
Practical tips for visitors: ensure passports have six months’ validity, submit renewal requests at least five working days before expiry, and verify that the specific visa type is eligible (some free-zone-sponsored entry permits remain outside the scheme). Holders of longer-term Golden, Green and residency visas are unaffected, though their generous post-expiry grace periods (up to 180 days for Golden Visa holders) remain in force.
