The UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) has prolonged its nationwide visa-amnesty scheme by two months, giving people whose visas have expired additional time—until 31 December 2025—to regularise their status without incurring penalties. The extension was announced on 22 October 2025 following strong public uptake since the programme began on 1 September.
Under the scheme, residents and visitors who have overstayed can either exit the country without fines or convert to a new residency category, including employment and family-sponsorship visas. Immigration centres across all seven emirates will continue weekend hours to handle the surge in applications.
Officials say more than 40,000 individuals have so far legalised their status, easing the administrative burden on enforcement agencies and reducing the number of detentions. Employers benefit too: regularised workers can be rehired without the lengthy exit-and-re-entry process, and companies avoid the risk of corporate fines for employing undocumented staff.
Global-mobility managers should encourage affected assignees and dependants to apply before year-end, ensuring they bring original passports, proof of employment or sponsorship, and any outstanding medical-insurance documents. After 1 January 2026, the ICP will return to its normal inspection regime, with daily overstay fines reinstated.
The amnesty aligns with broader UAE efforts to balance open-door economic policy with rigorous immigration compliance, creating a cleaner database ahead of the 2026 digital-identity overhaul.
Under the scheme, residents and visitors who have overstayed can either exit the country without fines or convert to a new residency category, including employment and family-sponsorship visas. Immigration centres across all seven emirates will continue weekend hours to handle the surge in applications.
Officials say more than 40,000 individuals have so far legalised their status, easing the administrative burden on enforcement agencies and reducing the number of detentions. Employers benefit too: regularised workers can be rehired without the lengthy exit-and-re-entry process, and companies avoid the risk of corporate fines for employing undocumented staff.
Global-mobility managers should encourage affected assignees and dependants to apply before year-end, ensuring they bring original passports, proof of employment or sponsorship, and any outstanding medical-insurance documents. After 1 January 2026, the ICP will return to its normal inspection regime, with daily overstay fines reinstated.
The amnesty aligns with broader UAE efforts to balance open-door economic policy with rigorous immigration compliance, creating a cleaner database ahead of the 2026 digital-identity overhaul.
