UAE unifies overstay fines at AED 50 a day and removes the visit-visa grace period
Since 11 February 2026 the overstay fine is the same across all emirates and starts the day after expiry. For employers hiring candidates already in the country, timing the status change now has a direct cost.
Photo: EditQ (CC0 1.0)
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security unified the overstay fine at AED 50 per day across every emirate with effect from 11 February 2026, and removed the grace period that previously followed the expiry of tourist and visit visas. The charge begins the day after expiry.
This matters most for a very common hiring situation: the candidate is already in Dubai on a visit visa, or is still sponsored by a previous employer, and the new employer wants them to start without a border run. UAE immigration law handles this through a status amendment, run by GDRFA in Dubai and by ICP in the other emirates, which lets a person change visa type or sponsor while remaining in the country.
Handled early and with clean documents, an in-country conversion beats the clock and the new hire starts on the promised date. Started late, it produces overstay fines, an exit-permit charge beyond thirty days, and a candidate who cannot legally begin work.
What it means for employers
- Ask every in-country candidate for their current visa type and expiry date at offer stage, not at onboarding.
- Agree in writing who pays any overstay fine before the offer is signed.
- Build the status amendment into the onboarding checklist so it stops being a one-off scramble.
Related pages
Summarised by the Horizon GCC team. Original reporting: Sarmat
This briefing is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before acting.
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