UAE announces major visa change for all nationalities

The rules and regulations are subject to change without notice, the UAE ICP reportedly said

The UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has launched a new service through its smart services, which allows visitors to extend the validity of all types of visas issued to them for 60 days.

However, this service can be availed only once, a report by Gulf Today said, citing the ICP. “They can do this only before entering the country,” ICP said.

The fee to extend a visa validity is reportedly priced at AED200, including AED100 for the smart services, AED50 for the application form and AED50 for the authority and the electronic services offered to customers.

New UAE visa reforms

To extend the visa validity, the applicant’s passport must be valid for not less than three months, and he/she should not be in UAE for the entry permit to be issued, the ICP said, adding that applicants can extend the validity through the authority’s official website and its smart application via the UAE PASS or username.

A confirmation email for extending a visa will be sent to the registered ID, the ICP said.

Applicants can also approach customer happiness centres and ICP-approved typing centres to avail the service.

In case the application is found to have missing or incomplete data, the request will be declined electronically 30 days after returning it, if the applicant does not complete the required details during this period.

“Furthermore, it will be declined, if it is returned three times due to incomplete data or documents. The fees and financial guarantees (if any) are refundable, if the request is declined,” the report said.

“The fees are refunded through the credit card within a period not exceeding six months from the date of submitting the application, or refunded through the procedures applicable to recover the fees by cheque or bank transfer to banks located within the country only and for a period not exceeding 5 years,” the ICP said, adding that the rules and regulations are subject to change without notice.