Last updated: 28 October 2026
A UAE visa status check is free and takes a couple of minutes online, but the website you use depends on the emirate that issued the visa. For Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, use the File Validity service on ICP’s smart services website. For Dubai, use the Visa Status page of GDRFA Dubai.
Both work for visit visas and residence visas, and neither needs a login. This guide shows which numbers each form asks for, how to search with only a passport, how to read the result, and what to do if your visa shows as expired or cancelled.
UAE visa status check: which website for which emirate
The UAE government portal u.ae splits visa checks by emirate: ICP handles visas issued in six emirates, and GDRFA Dubai handles visas issued in Dubai. Pick the one that matches the emirate printed on your visa or entry permit.
| Visa issued in | Check validity on | Track a new application on | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah | ICP smart services, File Validity | ICP smart services, Application Tracking | ICP 600522222 |
| Dubai | GDRFA Dubai Visa Status (file search) | GDRFA Dubai Visa Status (application search) | GDRFA 800 5111 in the UAE, +971 4 313 9999 from abroad |
Not sure which authority holds your visa? Try the ICP passport search first, because it needs no file number. If ICP returns “No Records Found” and your details are correct, check the Dubai page next.
Check visa validity on the ICP website
For a UAE visa status check outside Dubai, ICP’s File Validity service shows whether a visit visa or residence visa from the six non-Dubai emirates is still valid, and until when.
- Open File Validity on ICP smart services. On the site menu it sits under Public Services.
- Under Search By, choose File No. or Passport Information.
- Under Select the Type, choose Residency for a residence visa or Visa for a visit or tourist visa.
- Enter your details (the fields are listed below), complete the verification check and press Search.
If you search by file, ICP lets you enter a Unified Number, a File No. or, for residents, your Identity Number (the Emirates ID number), together with your nationality and date of birth. The file number comes in a four-part or three-part format, and the form has a switch for each. You find it on the residence visa or the visit visa document.
UAE visa status check by passport number (ICP)
If you have no file number, the Passport Information option on the same File Validity page works with your passport alone. This is the search most visitors and family members use, because the passport is the one document everyone has.
- Choose Passport Information under Search By.
- Pick Residency or Visa.
- Enter your Passport Number and Passport Expire Date, and select your Nationality.
- Complete the check and press Search.
Type the passport number exactly as printed, without spaces, and use the passport your visa was issued on. When you check for a parent, spouse or child, you need their passport details, not yours. In practice, a typing error in the passport number or the wrong visa type explains most empty results.
Check a Dubai visa on the GDRFA website
GDRFA Dubai checks Dubai visas through its Visa Status page, which it describes as a way to verify entry permits, residence permits and establishment cards. For a UAE visa status check in Dubai, the form has no passport-only search for an issued visa: you need your file number.
- Open the GDRFA Dubai Visa Status page, also linked from the Visa Status tile on gdrfad.gov.ae.
- Choose what you are searching for: Application for a visa you have just applied for, or File for a visa that has already been issued.
- For a file search, enter your first name in English, the file number, your nationality and your date of birth.
- For an application search, enter the application number, the transaction number and the payment date.
- Complete the captcha and search. GDRFA asks for every field, so a blank one stops the search.
The file number is printed on your Dubai residence visa document, or on the entry permit if you are a visitor. For an application made at a counter, the page has a separate option that asks for the application number and mobile number.
Find your unified number (UID) in Dubai
The unified number, or UID, is the number that stays with you across every visa and permit you have held in the UAE. ICP’s File Validity form accepts it in place of a file number, which helps if you have lost the visa document.
GDRFA Dubai has a free Unified Number Inquiry that finds your UID from your passport number, nationality, date of birth and gender. It is linked as “Find my Unified Number” on the GDRFA homepage.
Track a visa application that is still in process
A UAE visa status check on File Validity only finds visas that have been issued, so a pending application will not show there. Use the application tracking tools instead.
- ICP Application Tracking. On the ICP smart services site, open Application Tracking and enter your Request Number with the email used on the application or the request submission date. ICP’s FAQ says the application number starts with 010.
- Your ICP account. If you applied yourself through the ICP website or the UAEICP app, open My Applications or My Requests to see the current status.
- GDRFA Dubai. Use the Application option on the Visa Status page with the application number, transaction number and payment date.
- Phone. ICP’s call centre on 600522222 can give an update on any application.
ICP’s FAQ says a visa is sent by email and can be downloaded as soon as it is issued, usually 48 hours after all requirements are met. If an employer or a typing centre applied for you, ask them for the request number so you can follow it yourself.
How to read your visa status result
A UAE visa status check on ICP returns your identification details and then the file information. The dates matter more than the status word, so read them first.
| Field on the ICP result | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| File Status | The current state of the visa file |
| File Issuance Date and File Expire Date | When the visa started and when it ends. A future expiry date means the file is still valid |
| File Cancellation Date | Shown only when the visa has been cancelled, for example by an employer or sponsor |
| Last Date of leaving the country | The last day you can stay on this visit visa |
| Number of days spent inside the country and Number of Remaining Days to Stay | How much of your permitted stay you have used |
| Number of Violated Days and Fine Status | Days you have overstayed and whether a fine is on the file |
| No Records Found | The details do not match a file with ICP. Check the passport, the visa type and the emirate |
Five-year multiple-entry tourist visas have their own wording. A status of Closed – Valid For Use means you are outside the UAE and can still visit while the visa is valid; ICP’s note on the page also says unused days do not carry over to the next year. A visit visa can also show as Used. If ICP offers a link to apply for a visa extension on the result, your visa type allows one.
The GDRFA Dubai result shows the visa details for your file. Look for the same three things: the expiry date, any cancellation date, and any fine.
Visit visa vs residence visa: what changes
A UAE visa status check works the same way for both, but you must pick the right type, and the numbers you hold are different.
| Visit or tourist visa | Residence visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Type to choose on ICP | Visa | Residency |
| Numbers you can search with | File number on the entry permit or e-visa, unified number, passport | File number, unified number, Emirates ID number, passport |
| Usual validity (ICP FAQ) | 30 to 90 days for most visit visas; 96 hours for transit; 5 years for some tourist visas | Set by the permit |
| Fine after expiry (ICP) | AED 50 a day after the grace period for that permit type | AED 50 a day after the residence grace period |
For a residence visa, your Emirates ID is tied to the same file. If you are waiting on the card itself, an Emirates ID status check uses a different ICP page and a different number.
What to do if your visa shows expired or cancelled
Act quickly: an expired or cancelled visa gives you a limited time to leave the UAE or change your status, and after that a daily fine builds up. ICP’s grace periods for residence visas depend on your category.
| Residence category (ICP) | Grace period after expiry or cancellation |
|---|---|
| Golden, Green and Blue residence holders and their families; widows or divorced women of residents; students after finishing their studies; foreign-passport relatives of UAE citizens | 180 days |
| Skilled workers (levels 1 to 3) and property owners | 90 days |
| Permits issued with a guarantor or host | 60 days |
| All other categories | 30 days |
GDRFA Dubai’s residence cancellation service states a grace period of 60 days after cancellation or expiry. Because the two authorities word this differently, check the exact last date on your own file or ask the issuing authority before you plan around it.
For visit visas, ICP says the AED 50 daily fine starts the day after the grace period for that type of entry permit ends, but it does not publish a single day count for all visit visas. Do not assume you have spare days.
- Residence visa expired: renew it through your sponsor or employer before the grace period ends. Once the visa is renewed, renew your Emirates ID on the same file.
- Residence visa cancelled: during the grace period, either leave or move to a new visa, such as a new employer’s visa or a family visa. See how visa cancellation in the UAE works and what your sponsor must do first.
- Family members on your visa: their visas depend on yours. If you plan to keep them in the country, read the rules for a family visa in the UAE before your own visa lapses.
- Visit visa ending: if the ICP result offers a visa extension, apply before the last date to leave. ICP’s FAQ says most visas can be extended once or more, within the total allowed for the visa type.
- Already past the date: check the overstay days and fine on the result, then settle it. Our guide to the overstay fine in the UAE explains how to check and pay through ICP or GDRFA.
Common mistakes in a UAE visa status check
- Using the wrong authority. A Dubai visa will not show on ICP File Validity, and an Abu Dhabi or Sharjah visa will not show on GDRFA.
- Choosing the wrong type. Visit visas sit under Visa, residence visas under Residency. The wrong choice returns no record.
- Entering your own details for a relative. Each family member has a separate file, so search with their passport or file number.
- Typing the name differently in Dubai. GDRFA asks for the first name in English, so enter it exactly as it appears on the visa.
- Checking validity for an application that is still in process. Use application tracking until the visa is issued.
- Paying someone to check. Both official checks are free and open to anyone with the right details, so there is no need to pay an agent to run them.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check my UAE visa status online?
You can check your UAE visa status online on ICP’s File Validity page for visas from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, or on GDRFA Dubai’s Visa Status page for Dubai visas. Both are free and need no login. Choose residence or visit visa, enter your file or passport details, and the result shows the status and expiry date.
Can I check my UAE visa status with my passport number?
Yes, you can check a visa from the six non-Dubai emirates with your passport number on ICP’s File Validity page, using the Passport Information option with your passport expiry date and nationality. For a Dubai visa, the GDRFA status page needs the file number, but GDRFA’s Unified Number Inquiry finds your UID from your passport number, nationality, date of birth and gender.
How do I check my Dubai visa status?
You check a Dubai visa status on the GDRFA Dubai Visa Status page. For an issued visa, choose File and enter your first name in English, file number, nationality and date of birth. For a new application, choose Application and enter the application number, transaction number and payment date. GDRFA’s toll-free number is 800 5111 inside the UAE.
What does “No Records Found” mean on ICP?
“No Records Found” means ICP could not match your details to a visa file. The usual causes are a Dubai-issued visa, the wrong type selected (Visa instead of Residency, or the reverse), a typing error in the passport or file number, or a visa that is still being processed. Check each of these, then try GDRFA Dubai or ICP’s Application Tracking, or call ICP on 600522222.
What happens after my UAE residence visa expires?
After a UAE residence visa expires, you have a grace period to renew it, change status or leave, and then ICP charges AED 50 a day. ICP sets the grace period by category: 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue holders and some family groups, 90 days for skilled workers and property owners, 60 days for guarantor permits and 30 days for others.
Is the UAE visa status check free?
Yes, the UAE visa status check is free on both official websites. ICP’s File Validity service and GDRFA Dubai’s Visa Status page charge nothing and need no account. You only pay if the result shows a fine or if you then apply for a service such as a visa extension or renewal, which carries its own official fee.
Key takeaways
- For a UAE visa status check, use ICP File Validity for visas from six emirates and GDRFA Dubai Visa Status for Dubai visas.
- ICP lets you search by passport number, file number, unified number or, for residents, Emirates ID number.
- GDRFA Dubai needs your first name, file number, nationality and date of birth; its Unified Number Inquiry finds your UID from your passport.
- Read the expiry date, any cancellation date and the violated days first.
- After expiry or cancellation, ICP’s residence grace periods range from 30 to 180 days, then AED 50 a day applies.
- ICP’s line is 600522222; GDRFA Dubai’s is 800 5111 in the UAE or +971 4 313 9999 from abroad.
Sources
- Track visa application and validity, The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)
- File Validity, ICP smart services
- Frequently asked questions, Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
- Cancellation of residency permits, ICP
- Visa Status, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA)
- Unified Number Inquiry Service, GDRFA Dubai
