What Happens to Your UAE Visa If You Stay Outside UAE for 6 Months or more than180 days?

Residents or Expatriates staying Outside UAE for 6 months or more than 180 days

If you have a valid UAE employment or residence visa and for some reason you have to stay outside the UAE continuously over six(6) months the visa will become invalid or expired. An UAE residence permit holder who remains outside UAE for 6 months or 180 days or more more will not be able to re-enter on their existing residence permit . This is mentioned on the visa itself. However, a real reason, such as medical reasons or border closures that prevented them from re-entering the UAE in time, can be cited in writing to immigration authorities.

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Applying for New Entry Permit or Visas after staying outside UAE for 6 months or more than 180 days

The general rule is that if expatriates who hold UAE residence visas live outside the UAE for 6 months or more than180 days, their residency visas will be automatically nullified. However, if you have a valid residence from UAE and stay outside UAE for 6 months or more than180 days continuously, a special entry permit is required to be able to return to UAE which prevent the invalidation of residence visa. Your sponsor can apply for new permit through:

• the website of Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), the eChannel for residency and citizenship.
• the website of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) of the individual emirate.

This will help you in getting the visa validated and permit the visa holder to re-enter the UAE. The visa holder must enter Dubai within 14 days from the date of letter being issued. This would also prevent the automatic cancellation of residence visa.

You can also apply for a new entry permit after staying outside UAE for 6 months or more than 180 days through the authorised typing centre.

Procedure for applying new entry permit through the Typing Centre staying outside UAE for 6 months or more than 180 days:

• Visit the typing Centre and request for an Arabic letter address to Immigration stating the reason that resident has been away from UAE for 6 months or more for an entry permit
• Submit the letter, passport copy, visa page copy, and flight details at least 15 days before arrival in the UAE along with the salary certificate or trade licence
• Pay the necessary fees and receive the new entry permit

If you left the country without formally resigning, then your employer has the right to report you as absconding and request to cancel your visa without requesting your permission and without your passport . You may also face legal repercussions if you try to re-enter the UAE later.

Your employer may also cancel your residence/employment visa (after six months or more than180 days) by submitting a work permit cancellation and a report obtained from the GDRFA.

You can apply visit or tourist visa only after your employer cancels your visa officially after six months of your departure from UAE.

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Categories allowed to stay outside UAE for 6 months or more at the same time maintain the validity of his residence visa

If people with a UAE residence visa live outside the UAE for more than six months, their residence visa will automatically be invalid. There are, however, some exceptions to the rule, which allow residence visa holders to stay outside the UAE for more than six months while maintaining the validity of the visa: They include:

• Foreigner wife who is sponsored by her Emirati husband.
• Employees for a government body who are sent abroad for treatment provided they have a valid medical report approved by the Ministry of Health and Prevention or other approved health authorities in UAE.
• Servants accompanying UAE nationals delegated to study abroad.
• Domestic workers accompanying members of diplomatic and consular missions who represent the UAE abroad, employees of these missions who have a residence visa in the UAE,
• Public sector employees sent by their employer to attend training or specialised courses, employees at employers’ offices abroad and their families provided they have a valid residence visas in the UAE
• Expatriate students studying in universities or institutes abroad.

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Staying outside UAE for 6 months or more than 180 days UAE Golden Visa holder

As per the recent regulations, 10 year UAE Golden visa holder can stay outside the UAE for more than 6 months without any change to their residence permit status. You may contact the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs for further advice regarding the said matter.

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Staying outside for more than 6 months or 180 days: How to apply for the New Permit online ?

As per the new announcement by UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), a new permit has been introduced to enter the UAE if the residents have stayed outside UAE for 6 months provided that you have a valid reason for staying outside the country.

You can apply this service through the : 

1. ICP Smart Services website – icp.gov.ae
2. The ‘UAEICP’ smartphone application which is available for both Apple and Android devices.
3.  ICP Customer Happiness Centres.
4. Typing centres registered with ICP.

Steps to be followed while applying for the new permit through online to enter the UAE if you stayed outside UAE for more than 6 months or 180 days:

• Step 1. Visit icp.gov.ae

• Step 2: Choose the ‘E-channel Services’ button, from the menu you will see at the bottom of the screen.

• Step 3: Choose ‘Public services’.

• Step 4: You will see a list of services offered under this category. Select the service named “Residency – All residence types – permits for staying outside UAE over 6 months – New request”.
• Step 5: Click on ‘Start service’.

• Step 6: Fill out the form with the following details:
  • Your full name in English (the system will automatically fill in the next field, which requires your name to be entered in Arabic).
  • Mobile number (this can be a number issued outside the UAE as well).
  • Email address
  • Preferred language – English or Arabic.
  • Sponsor’s information – here you need to enter the ID number and passport number of the individual or organisation sponsoring your UAE residence visa.
  • Next, enter your details – Emirates ID number, full name, current nationality, gender, date of birth and reason for staying outside the UAE for more than six months.
  • Finally, you need to enter your passport details – passport number, issue date, expiry date and the country that has issued it.
• Step 7: Click on ‘Next’.

• Step 8: You will then be asked to attach the necessary documents supporting your request for the permit to be issued. This may include proof of the reason for staying outside the country for more than six months. The ICP website states that the mandatory and optional documents may vary depending on the data entered in the application.
• Step 9: Complete the fee payment, through a credit or debit card. However, the website also advises applicants to note that the service fees may vary depending on the data entered in the application.
• Step 10: Your application will then be submitted. According to the ICP, online applications will be processed within 48 hours of submission.
• Step 11: Once approved, you will receive the permit via email, on the address you have provided in the form.

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Fees:

The ICP website provides the following breakdown of service fees:

• E-services fees – Dh28
• ICP fees – Dh22
• Smart Services Fee – Dh100

Note:

• The application will be automatically cancelled after 30 days, in case the application is returned due to missing data or non-completion of the required documents.
• The application will be canceled if it is returned three times due to missing data or non-completion of the required documents.
• Issuance fees are refunded only if the application was rejected by ICP.
• All terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice.

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FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions on Staying Outside UAE for 6 months or more than180 days: