Millions of people come to the UAE every year for work, study, leisure, or all of the above. There are visas depending on your purpose for entering the country. Of course, these visas come with validity periods, and there’s a process to follow if you want to extend your stay.
Once your visa expires, there’s a grace period during which you can either exit the country, or file an application to extend or change your status. Failure to do so would mean that you are overstaying, and there are fines for overstaying as a tourist or resident in the UAE. In this article, we will talk about how you can check your overstay visa fine, and how you can pay for it online.
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Validity Period of UAE Visas
As mentioned earlier, there is a validity period for each visa, depending on the type of visa you have and the purpose of your visit. These include tourist visas, eVisas, student visas, residence visas, investment visas, and retirement visas, among others.
The tourist visa allows you to stay in the UAE for up to 90 days, which may be extended for the same period or duration. Meanwhile, the eVisa, which is specifically for GCC residents, is valid for 30 days starting from the date of issue. It may be extended for up to 30 days.
Student visas are typically valid for one year beginning from the date of issue, and may be extended for the same period as well. On the other hand, residence visas are usually valid for one, two, or three years, depending on your purpose of travel.
As for investment visas and retirement visas, these are usually valid for five to 10 years — periods that may be extended, too. Once again, the validity period of your visa depends on your purpose for coming to the UAE.
What is Overstaying?
What exactly is overstaying? This happens when your visa expires, and you are not able to exit the country or extend your stay legally. There’s a grace period during which you can do so — 30 days for tourist visas, for example. Beyond this period, you would be considered overstaying if you’re still in the UAE.
For those who hold residence visas, the grace period to either exit the UAE or change visa status is six months after the visa expires. After this period, it would be considered as overstaying. This is illegal, and an arrest could be made if fines are not paid and legal steps are not taken.
How Much is Overstay Visa Fine?
As of November 2022, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) has standardised overstaying fines in the UAE, Gulf News reported.
For tourist and visit visa holders, the overstaying fine is AED 50 per day. Previously, it was AED 100 per day. That’s a reduction by half… a big difference, indeed!
Meanwhile, for residence visa holders, the overstaying fine is also AED 50 per day. This is actually an increase from the previous amount, which was AED 25 per day. In this case, the amount has doubled.
How to Check Overstay Visa Fine Online
If you have overstayed and you’d like to check your visa fine, you can do this online through the official website of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP). Below are the steps that you need to take:
- Go to the official website of ICP through this link.
- For “Select the Module,” choose either “File Number” or “Citizens of Certain Countries.”
- If you selected “File Number,” you’ll need to enter information regarding your visa file number, specifically the department, year, service, and sequence. On the other hand, if you selected “Citizens of Certain Countries,” you’ll need to provide your passport number, passport type, nationality, and date of birth.
- Solve the “Captcha” portion, then click “Search.”
- The following page will show all the important details, including how long you have overstayed, and how much you need to pay as overstay fine.
How to Pay Overstay Visa Fine Online
After checking your overstay fine, you have the option to pay for your visa fine online through the same website. Here’s how to do it:
- Follow the above steps, “How to Check Overstay Visa Fine Online.”
- After checking your overstay fine, click “Next.”
- Enter your banking information and mobile number. You will receive an OTP to proceed with the transaction. Please note that in addition to the overstay fine, there may also be a service fee that you need to pay.
- After making your payment, you will receive an SMS on your mobile phone as well as an email confirmation containing the receipt of your payment. That’s it!
Other Ways to Pay Overstay Visa Fine
Paying your overstay fine online is fast and convenient. However, there are other ways in which you can pay your overstay visa fines, depending on your preference. These include typing centers and local immigration offices.
In addition, you can also pay at airports, ports, and border crossings. For instance, before leaving the UAE, you can pay your fine at the airport so that your overstay fees may be settled.
Summary
No matter what type of visa you have, be it a tourist visa, residence visa, student visa, or others — it’s important to know its validity so that you would know whether you have overstayed or not. If you have overstayed in the UAE, then checking and paying for your visa fine is definitely a must. Otherwise, you might face serious legal consequences, even arrest! What’s more, you might get blacklisted and unable to return to the country. So be sure to pay your fines!
DISCLAIMER: We hope that the above guide has been helpful, especially if you or anyone you know has been overstaying in the UAE. Please keep in mind, however, that this guide is presented for general, information-sharing purposes only. In order to learn more about visa fees, overstaying, and how to pay your fines, please visit the official websites of the UAE Government Portal and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security or ICP.
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