The United Arab Emirates’ 30-day grace period for visa holders affected by the recent regional situation is drawing to a close.
Running from Wednesday June 10 until Thursday July 9, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) introduced a grace period for those affected by the travel disruption.
The grace period will allow eligible individuals who wish to live and work in the UAE to regularise their visa status without being hit with any fines.
And those looking to depart the UAE will not need to undertake any additional procedures before doing so.
The ICP said that it introduced the visa grace period to reinforce a “culture of compliance” with the UAE’s laws and regulations, while also providing affected individuals with the opportunity to rectify their status and continue living and working in the UAE legally.
The most likely beneficiaries of this latest grace period are those who hold visit visas that recently benefited from the March overstay fine waiver. Those with expired residence visas are unlikely to benefit from this latest waiver period.
Earlier in March, the UAE had announced a special temporary rule to allow residents to return home without a new entry permit.
The rule allowed residents with expired residency permits abroad to return to the UAE without a new entry permit.
Those who were outside the country with an expired permit were able to return without a new one until the end of March.
Some residents may have been affected by flight disruption at Dubai International Airport, with several of the world’s largest airlines suspending flights to and from the UAE in recent months.