For a UAE visa status check, first work out which emirate issued the visa. Dubai visas are checked on the GDRFA Dubai website (or call 800 5111), while visas from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are checked on ICP Smart Services using the File Validity service (or call 600 522222). Both checks are free and work with your passport number, nationality and date of birth or passport expiry date.
Do this next to check your visa
- Find the issuing emirate on your entry permit, visa email or Emirates ID.
- Dubai visa: use the GDRFA Dubai status inquiry on gdrfad.gov.ae or the GDRFA Dubai app.
- Other emirates: use ICP Smart Services, Public Services, then File Validity, or the UAEICP app.
- Visa still being processed? Track it with the application or transaction number instead of the passport number.
ICP or GDRFA: which authority checks your visa?
The UAE has two separate immigration systems. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) handles visas for six emirates, while the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) handles Dubai. Searching the wrong system is the most common reason people see “no record found” even when their visa is valid.
| Visa issued in | Authority | Online check | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | GDRFA Dubai | gdrfad.gov.ae status inquiry, GDRFA Dubai app | 800 5111 (inside UAE), +971 4 313 9999 (outside) |
| Abu Dhabi | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity, UAEICP app | 600 522222 |
| Sharjah | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity | 600 522222 |
| Ajman | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity | 600 522222 |
| Umm Al Quwain | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity | 600 522222 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity | 600 522222 |
| Fujairah | ICP | ICP Smart Services File Validity | 600 522222 |
In short, Dubai-issued visas live on GDRFA and all other visas on ICP. The issuing emirate is the one on your entry permit or residence file, not necessarily where you live today. A person working in Dubai on a visa sponsored by a Sharjah company must check on ICP.
How to check visa status on ICP Smart Services
Use this for an entry permit or residence visa that has already been issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah.
- Go to smartservices.icp.gov.ae and open Public Services.
- Choose File Validity.
- Select whether you are checking a residency or a visa, then choose to search by passport information. You can also search by file number or Unified Number (UID) if you have it.
- Enter your passport number and nationality, plus your date of birth or passport expiry date as the form asks, exactly as printed in your passport.
- Complete the captcha and search.
- Read the result: the visa or residency type, file number, issue date, expiry date and status.
The UAEICP mobile app offers the same check, and signing in with UAE PASS on ICP or GDRFA gives you access to your own files, service history and copies of issued e-visas. The same checks work for every visa type, from tourist visas to Golden Visa residency. For enquiries about visa issuance, types and validity, ICP’s toll-free number is 600 522222 (+971 600 522222 from abroad).
Tracking an ICP application that is still in progress
If you or your sponsor applied recently and the visa is not issued yet, File Validity may show nothing. Use ICP’s Application Tracking service instead, which follows the application through each stage. You need the application number from the payment receipt or email.
How to check a Dubai visa status on GDRFA
- Go to gdrfad.gov.ae and open the Visa Status or status inquiry service.
- To check validity, search with your passport number or file number, your nationality and your date of birth (the Dubai.ae guidance lists first name, file number, nationality and birth date for a file search).
- To track an application in progress, enter the application number, transaction number and payment date.
- Complete the captcha and submit to see the status, file number, issue date and expiry date.
The GDRFA Dubai app and the DubaiNow app also offer residency and visa services. For help, call GDRFA on 800 5111 inside the UAE or +971 4 313 9999 from outside, or visit an Amer centre in Dubai.
What your visa status result means
| Status you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Active or valid | The visa or residency is current | Note the expiry date and plan renewal in time |
| Under review or in process | An application has not been decided yet | Track it with the application number; ask your sponsor |
| Approved or issued | The entry permit is ready | Download it and check the entry deadline |
| Rejected | The application was refused | Ask your sponsor for the reason before reapplying |
| Cancelled | The visa or residency was cancelled | Check your grace period before it runs out |
| Expired | The validity date has passed | Renew or leave; overstaying adds daily fines (currently AED 50 a day) |
| No record found | Wrong portal, wrong details or an application not yet issued | Try the other authority and re-check every field |
After a cancellation, use our guides on checking your grace period and employment visa cancellation. If the visa has expired, check any fines with our UAE overstay fine check.
Why does the visa check say no record found?
- Wrong authority: a Dubai visa will not show on ICP, and a Sharjah or Abu Dhabi visa will not show on GDRFA.
- Typing errors: passport numbers mix letters and digits; check O and 0, I and 1.
- Old passport: if you renewed your passport, the file may still be linked to the old one until it is updated; search by file number or UID instead.
- Application not issued yet: use application tracking with your application number.
- Wrong nationality or date format: select the nationality on the passport used for the visa and enter the date exactly as asked.
Do UAE visas still have a passport sticker?
No. ICP stopped issuing residence stickers in passports from 11 April 2022 and made the Emirates ID the proof of residence, and Dubai followed later that year. That is why the online record is now the main way to confirm your status. Your Emirates ID details can be tracked with our Emirates ID status check, and our guides explain your residence visa number and EIDA number.
What a visa status check does not show
A basic status check confirms whether a visa is valid and when it expires. It does not show fines, travel bans or labour cases. For those, use the separate checks:
- Travel ban: how to check a travel ban in the UAE.
- Absconding report: how to check absconding status.
- Police cases: how to check a police case online.
- Work permit: find your labour card number through MOHRE.
Checking a visit visa or employment visa
The same two systems apply. A visit visa issued through a Dubai sponsor, airline or travel agent is checked on GDRFA, while one issued by an Abu Dhabi or Sharjah sponsor is checked on ICP. For an employment visa, your employer applies through MOHRE for the work permit and then through ICP or GDRFA for the entry permit and residency, so ask your employer which emirate the file is in. Employment and residence visas can take several working days at each stage, and medical fitness and Emirates ID biometrics come after you enter the UAE.
Official sources: the UAE government’s track visa application and validity page, ICP Smart Services and GDRFA Dubai.
How can I check my UAE visa status by passport number?
Use GDRFA Dubai’s status inquiry for visas issued in Dubai, and ICP Smart Services File Validity for visas from the other six emirates. Enter your passport number, nationality and date of birth or passport expiry date, then complete the captcha.
How do I check my Dubai visa status online?
Open the Visa Status or status inquiry service on gdrfad.gov.ae, search with your passport or file number, nationality and date of birth, and submit. You can also call GDRFA on 800 5111.
How do I check if my UAE visa is approved?
Track the application with the application number on ICP’s Application Tracking service, or on GDRFA with the application number, transaction number and payment date for Dubai visas.
Why does my visa status show no record found?
You may be searching the wrong authority, have a typing error, be using a renewed passport not yet linked to the file, or the visa may not be issued yet. Try the other portal and check every field.
What is the ICP phone number for visa enquiries?
ICP’s toll-free number is 600 522222 inside the UAE and +971 600 522222 from abroad.
Can I check my visa status with my Emirates ID?
ICP Smart Services lets you search by file number or Unified Number (UID) as well as passport details, and your Emirates ID status can be checked separately on ICP.
Is the UAE visa status check free?
Yes. Checking visa validity on ICP Smart Services or GDRFA Dubai is free of charge.
Do UAE residence visas still have a sticker in the passport?
No. Since 11 April 2022 the Emirates ID has been the proof of residence, so the online record replaces the passport sticker.
This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.
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Author: The DubaiHowto Editorial Team
DubaiHowto is an independent informational platform created to help UAE residents and visitors understand everyday services such as public transport, telecom, government procedures, visas, fines, and utility systems.
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Last reviewed: February 2026. Sources: Official UAE portals and service providers