Last updated: 29 October 2026
Visit visa extension UAE requests are made by your sponsor, not by you, and it must be approved before your current permit runs out. For visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, the extension goes through ICP; for Dubai visas, through GDRFA Dubai. Most visit and tourist visas can be extended once or several times, up to a total of 120 or 180 days depending on the visa type.
The fee is AED 600 per extension on ICP’s card, and AED 600 plus VAT on GDRFA’s card, with an extra AED 520 when a Dubai visitor is already inside the country. This guide covers which visas qualify, the caps, both fee tables, the steps for each authority, and what to do if the date is close or has already passed.
Visit visa extension UAE: rules at a glance
Extension rules depend on the type of entry permit, not on your nationality or how long you have stayed so far. Both authorities say an extension is granted by a decision of the issuing authority, one or more times, within a total cap.
| Visa type | Can it be extended? | Total cap (official card) | Who applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa (issued by a tourism company) | Yes, once or several times | 120 days (ICP and GDRFA) | The tourism company that issued it |
| Visit visa for a relative or friend | Yes, once or several times | 180 days on ICP’s extension card and GDRFA; 120 days on ICP’s visa issuance card | The resident who sponsored the visit |
| Visit visa to explore jobs or set up a business | Yes, once or several times | 180 days (ICP and GDRFA) | The sponsor on the visa |
| Medical treatment or patient companion visa | Yes, once or several times | 180 days (ICP) | The licensed healthcare facility |
| Study, training or qualification visa | Yes, once or several times | 180 days (ICP) | The university, institute or research entity |
| 14-day visa for certain nationals living outside their home country | Once, for the same period | One extension only | Not stated on the card |
| 60-day visa for certain nationals living outside their home country | No | Not extendable | Not applicable |
| Border area, truck driver, tourist ship and pleasure boat permits | No | Not extendable | Not applicable |
| 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa | Yes | 90 days per visit, extendable for a further 90 days (u.ae) | Not stated on u.ae |
| GCC resident entry permit | Once | 30 days, extendable once for 30 days (u.ae) | Not stated on u.ae |
ICP’s own cards disagree on one row. Its Visa Extension card allows a relative or friend visit visa to be extended to a total of 180 days, while its Issuance of a Visa card says the total stay on that visa must not exceed 120 days. Until ICP settles this, plan on 120 days for a non-Dubai family visit, and call ICP on 600522222 before you plan a longer stay.
Which authority handles your extension
The emirate that issued the visa decides where a visit visa extension request goes, not the emirate you are staying in. The same split applies to status checks and fines.
- ICP handles visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Applications go through the ICP Smart Services website or the ICP smart app, with a UAE Pass login, and ICP also lists its Customer Happiness Centres and service centres.
- GDRFA Dubai handles visas issued in Dubai. Applications go through the GDRFA website or smart app, with UAE Pass or a username, or at an Amer centre.
Not sure which emirate issued yours? A free UAE visa status check on ICP or GDRFA shows the file, the expiry date and the last date to leave. On ICP’s File Validity result, an eligible visa can also show a link to apply for an extension.
Visit visa extension UAE fees: ICP vs GDRFA Dubai
Extension fees are AED 600 with ICP and AED 630 with GDRFA including VAT, rising to AED 1,150 in Dubai if the visitor is inside the country. These are the official lines from each authority’s service card; a typing centre or Amer centre may add its own service charge on top.
| Fee line | ICP (six emirates) | GDRFA Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | AED 100 | Not listed separately |
| Extension fee | AED 500 | AED 600 plus 5% VAT (AED 30) |
| Knowledge Dirham (visitor inside the country) | Not listed | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham (visitor inside the country) | Not listed | AED 10 |
| Inside-the-country fee | Not listed | AED 500 |
| Total per extension | AED 600 | AED 630 outside the UAE, AED 1,150 inside |
ICP lists a few special fees on the same card:
- AED 250 to extend a 14-day visa for certain nationals living outside their country of nationality, once for the same period.
- AED 1,000 to extend the 6-month multiple-entry visa used to complete Golden or Blue residence procedures.
- AED 50 to extend the validity of an entry permit before you arrive in the UAE. This is not an extension of your stay; it gives you more time to enter on an unused permit.
GDRFA notes on each card that the total may change depending on the sponsored person’s circumstances. ICP does not publish an inside-country fee or a VAT line on its extension card. If your typing centre quotes far more than these figures, ask for the split between government fees and their own charge.
How to apply for a visit visa extension through ICP
For an extension through ICP, the sponsor applies online with a UAE Pass login, and ICP lists the service as taking 2 days. Start at least a week before the last date to leave so there is time to fix a rejected document.
- The sponsor logs in to the ICP Smart Services website or the ICP smart app with UAE Pass.
- Open the Visa Extension service and enter the visitor’s details. For a tourist visa, the tourism company that issued it applies instead.
- Review the form. ICP retrieves the data from the existing visa, and you correct anything that is wrong.
- Attach documents only if the system asks: a passport copy, a personal photo and the same documents used when the visa was first issued.
- Pay the fees, AED 100 plus AED 500 for a standard extension.
- Wait for the electronic notification that the entry permit has been extended, then check the new last date on File Validity.
If the sponsor cannot do it online, ICP’s card says you may also visit a service centre in the UAE. Many expats in the UAE use a typing centre for this; keep the receipt.
How to extend a Dubai visit visa through GDRFA
GDRFA Dubai splits visit visa extension requests into a separate service for each visa type, all with the same fee lines and an expected time of 48 hours. Pick the one that matches the visa you hold.
- Choose the right service: tourist visa for single or multiple trips, friend or relative’s visit visa, visit visa to explore job opportunities, or visit visa to explore business opportunities.
- Apply on the GDRFA website or smart app after logging in with UAE Pass or a username, or visit an Amer centre and take a queue ticket.
- Fill in the application data. GDRFA asks for a copy of the passport.
- Pay the extension fee of AED 600 plus VAT, plus AED 520 in extra fees if the visitor is inside the country.
- Keep the application number and check the result on GDRFA’s Visa Status page once it is approved.
A Dubai tourist visa can only be issued by an accredited tourism office in the emirate, so its extension also goes back to that office. If your tour operator has closed or will not reply, call GDRFA on 800 5111 before the visa expires and ask what your options are.
Who can apply and what the sponsor needs
The sponsor makes every extension request, and the sponsor’s own file must be in order for it to go through. For a family visit visa issued by ICP, the resident host must have an active sponsor file to use visa services at all.
- Family and friend visits: the resident who sponsored the visa. ICP’s issuance card sets the sponsor’s minimum monthly salary at AED 4,000 for first-degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second and third-degree relatives and AED 15,000 for friends.
- Tourist visas: the tourism company, travel agent or hotel that applied for the visa.
- Job or business exploration visas: the sponsor named on the visa.
- Treatment and study visas: the hospital, clinic, university or institute that sponsored the entry.
If the sponsor’s own residence visa is about to be cancelled, sort out the visitor first: once a visa cancellation in the UAE goes through on the sponsor’s file, they may lose the active file that sponsorship depends on.
Extending vs changing status
An approved extension keeps you on the same visa for longer; a change of status moves you to a different visa, usually a residence visa, without leaving the country. They are separate services with separate fees.
- Extension: same visa type, same sponsor, a new last date, within the 120 or 180-day cap.
- Change of status: the new sponsor applies for a residence entry permit, and the visit visa is closed when the status-adjustment request is submitted. ICP’s Visa Cancellation card says a tourist visa cannot be cancelled after entry unless the cancellation is linked to a status-adjustment application, and a new visa is then issued.
If a spouse or child is on a visit visa and you plan to keep them in the UAE, a family visa in the UAE is often the better route than a second or third extension. ICP lists a status adjustment fee of AED 500 for family residence, and GDRFA charges AED 500 when the family member is inside the country.
Visit visa extension UAE: timing and the overstay fine
The extension approval must be in place, not just submitted, before the last date to leave. If the date passes first, the visitor is in overstay and the fine starts.
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Extension approved before the last date | New last date shows on the file; no fine |
| Still waiting on the last date | Call ICP (600522222) or GDRFA (800 5111) the same day and ask whether the pending request protects the visitor |
| Last date passed with no extension | AED 50 for each day of overstay (ICP) |
| Visa type is not extendable | Leave before the last date, or apply for a new visa or a change of status |
ICP’s Visa Cancellation card says the AED 50 daily fine starts the day after the grace period for that type of entry permit ends, but ICP does not publish a day count for visit visas. Treat the expiry date as the deadline. If the visitor has already overstayed, read our guide to the overstay fine in the UAE to check and pay it before trying anything else.
Common visit visa extension mistakes
- Applying through the wrong authority. A Dubai visa cannot be extended on ICP, and a Sharjah or Abu Dhabi visa cannot be extended on GDRFA.
- Waiting until the last day. ICP lists 2 days and GDRFA 48 hours, and a missing document resets the clock.
- Assuming every visit visa can be extended. Border area, truck driver, ship and boat permits, and the 60-day visa for certain nationals living outside their home country, cannot.
- Counting on 180 days for a family visit outside Dubai. ICP’s own cards give both 120 and 180 days for this visa.
- Paying for the before-arrival extension by mistake. The AED 50 fee extends the time to enter on an unused permit, not your stay.
- Not checking the new date. After approval, run a status check and confirm the last date to leave on the file itself.
Frequently asked questions
Can I extend my UAE visit visa without leaving the country?
Yes, most UAE visit and tourist visas can be extended without leaving the country, as long as your sponsor applies before the visa expires. ICP handles visas from six emirates and GDRFA Dubai handles Dubai visas. GDRFA charges an extra AED 520 when the visitor is inside the country, on top of the AED 600 extension fee plus VAT. Some permits, such as border area permits, cannot be extended.
How many times can a UAE visit visa be extended?
A UAE visit visa can be extended once or several times, as long as the total stays within the cap for that visa type. ICP and GDRFA set 120 days for tourist visas and 180 days for job or business exploration visas. For relative or friend visits, GDRFA says 180 days, while ICP’s cards give both 120 and 180 days, so plan on 120 outside Dubai.
How much does a visit visa extension cost in the UAE?
A visit visa extension costs AED 600 through ICP, made up of an AED 100 application fee and an AED 500 extension fee. In Dubai, GDRFA charges AED 600 plus 5% VAT, and adds AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and AED 500 if the visitor is inside the country, about AED 1,150 in total. Typing centres may add a service charge.
Can I extend my visit visa myself?
No, in most cases the sponsor applies for the extension, not the visitor. For a family visit, that is the resident who sponsored you; for a tourist visa, the tourism company, travel agent or hotel that issued it; for treatment or study visas, the hospital or institute. Ask your sponsor to apply through ICP or GDRFA Dubai well before your last date to leave.
What happens if my UAE visit visa expires before the extension is approved?
If your UAE visit visa expires before the extension is approved, you are in overstay and ICP charges AED 50 for each extra day. ICP does not publish a grace period for visit visas, so treat the expiry date as the deadline. Call ICP on 600522222 or GDRFA on 800 5111 the same day, and settle any fine before you leave or change status.
Is a visit visa extension the same as a change of status?
No, a visit visa extension keeps you on the same visa for longer, while a change of status moves you to a new visa, usually a residence visa, without leaving the UAE. The new sponsor applies for the change, and the visit visa is closed when the status-adjustment request goes in. ICP lists an AED 500 status adjustment fee for family residence.
Key takeaways
- A visit visa extension UAE request is made by the sponsor and must be approved before the last date to leave.
- ICP handles extension requests for visas from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah; GDRFA Dubai handles Dubai visas.
- Caps: 120 days for tourist visas, 180 days for job, business, treatment and study visas; 180 days for family visits in Dubai and 120 or 180 on ICP’s cards.
- Fees: AED 600 with ICP; AED 600 plus VAT with GDRFA, plus AED 520 if the visitor is inside the country.
- Border area, truck driver, ship and boat permits and the 60-day visa for certain nationals cannot be extended.
- After the last date, ICP charges AED 50 a day, and there is no general grace period for visit visas.
Sources
- Visa Extension, Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
- Issuance of a Visa, ICP
- Visa Cancellation, ICP
- Frequently asked questions, ICP
- Extending a tourist visa for a single or multiple trips, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA)
- Extend friend or relative’s visit visa (single or multiple trips), GDRFA Dubai
- Extending visit visa to explore job opportunities, GDRFA Dubai
- Extending visit visa to explore business opportunities, GDRFA Dubai
- Tourist visa, The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)
