UAE Overstay Fine 2026: The AED 50/Day Rule Explained
Since 11 February 2026, the UAE charges a flat overstay fine of AED 50 a day on every visa type. Tourist and visit visas have no grace period, so the fine starts the day after expiry; cancelled residence visas get 30 to 180 days’ grace depending on the category. You check and pay through ICP, or through GDRFA for Dubai visas.
- Find your visa’s grace period in the table below.
- Check any fine on ICP, or GDRFA for Dubai visas.
- Pay before you travel or renew, it blocks both.
The 2026 overstay fine: what changed?
On 11 February 2026, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) unified overstay fines into a single, flat rate of AED 50 per day. It applies the same way regardless of your visa type, the emirate, or your nationality, replacing the older system of different tariffs that escalated over time. In practice this made overstay penalties simpler and, for many people, lower than the old graduated fines.
The change that catches people out is on tourist and visit visas: the old 10-day grace period was removed, so the fine now begins the very first day after the visa expires. If you are on a visit or tourist visa, there is no longer any buffer.
Grace period by visa type
How long you have before the AED 50 a day starts depends entirely on your visa. Residence visas keep a grace period after cancellation; short-stay visas do not. This is the figure to check first.
| Visa type | Grace period before the fine starts |
|---|---|
| Tourist visa | None, fine from the day after expiry |
| Visit visa | None |
| Standard employment (residence) visa | 30 days |
| Family / dependent visa | 30 to 60 days |
| Investor visa (2-year) | 60 days |
| Retirement visa | 60 days |
| Green Visa (5-year) | Up to 180 days |
| Golden Visa (10-year) | Up to 180 days |
| Student visa | Up to 180 days |
For residence visas, the grace period runs from the date the visa is cancelled, not from your last working day, which is why getting your visa cancelled on time matters. Once the grace period ends, the AED 50 a day accrues continuously until you pay it or leave.
How to check and pay your overstay fine?
Which authority you use depends on where your visa was issued. For Dubai visas, that is the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA); for everywhere else, it is ICP.
- Check the amount on the ICP smart services portal or app, or the GDRFA Dubai portal for Dubai visas, using your passport or Emirates ID.
- Pay online through the same portal or the UAE Pass app.
- Or pay in person at an Amer centre, a typing office, or the immigration counter at the airport.
An unpaid overstay fine must be cleared before you can leave the country or be issued a new visa, so it does not simply disappear if you ignore it. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to check your overstay fine online, and if you have overstayed for a long time you may need an exit permit to leave.
The 2026 fine waiver, and why it no longer applies
You may have read that overstay fines were waived in 2026, that is now out of date, and it is worth being clear about. In March 2026, the ICP granted a temporary waiver covering fines accrued between 28 February and 31 March 2026 for people who could not depart because of regional airspace disruptions and suspended flights. That waiver expired on 31 March 2026, and the standard AED 50 a day regime has been fully reinstated since.
In other words, there is no active overstay amnesty at the moment. If your circumstances were genuinely exceptional, you can still apply to have a fine waived on a case-by-case basis, our guide on the overstay fine waiver explains who qualifies and how to apply. Beyond that, the only reliable way to avoid the fine is to renew or exit within your grace period.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the UAE overstay fine in 2026?
It is a flat AED 50 per day, applied from 11 February 2026 to all visa types, tourist, visit, and residence, regardless of emirate or nationality. The fine accrues for each day you remain after your grace period ends, and it must be paid before you can leave the UAE or obtain a new visa.
Is there a grace period on a UAE tourist or visit visa?
No. Tourist and visit visas no longer have any grace period, the previous 10-day tourist grace was removed in 2026. The AED 50-a-day fine begins the day after the visa expires. Only residence-based visas keep a grace period after cancellation, ranging from 30 to 180 days depending on the category.
How do I check and pay an overstay fine?
Check it on the ICP smart services portal or app using your passport or Emirates ID, or on the GDRFA Dubai portal if your visa is a Dubai visa. You can pay online through the portal or UAE Pass, or in person at an Amer centre, a typing office, or the airport immigration counter.
Is there an overstay fine waiver in 2026?
Not currently. A temporary waiver applied only to fines accrued between 28 February and 31 March 2026 for people stranded by airspace disruptions, and it expired on 31 March 2026. There is no active amnesty now, though you can still apply for a discretionary waiver if your circumstances were genuinely exceptional.
Last verified: July 2026
Written by Roman Shah ยท Reviewed by the UAEexplained editorial team
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP); GDRFA
