Visit Visa Extension UAE Without Exit: Fees and Rules

Yes, most UAE visit visas can be extended without leaving the country, as long as you apply before the visa expires. In Dubai, GDRFA charges an extension fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT, and lists extra in-country charges of AED 500 plus AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams. For the other emirates, ICP charges AED 100 to apply plus AED 500 to extend. A visit visa for a relative or friend can be extended one or more times up to 180 days in total, and a tourist visa up to 120 days.

Do this next to extend your visit visa

• Check the expiry date on your e-visa and apply well before it, because an expired visa starts overstay fines of AED 50 a day.
• Find out who issued the visa: Dubai visas go through GDRFA, the other six emirates through ICP.
• Ask your sponsor to apply: the relative, friend or tourism company that sponsored the visa submits the extension, not the visitor.
• Keep the passport copy and photo ready and make sure the passport stays valid for the whole extended stay.

Can you extend a UAE visit visa without exit?

Yes. “Without exit” simply means the visitor stays in the UAE while the sponsor extends the same entry permit online or at a service centre. There is no need for a visa change trip abroad, as long as the visa type allows an extension and the total stay stays within the limit for that type. GDRFA Dubai and ICP both publish extension services, and both expect the application to be completed while the current visa is still valid.

An extension is different from a renewal or a new visa. An extension adds time to the visa you already hold. A new visa means a fresh application, which usually requires leaving the country first or paying for a change of status inside the UAE.

Visit visa extension fees in 2026

Authority	Visa	Official fee	Extra charges listed
GDRFA Dubai	Relative or friend visit visa (single or multiple entry)	AED 600 plus 5% VAT	Inside the country: AED 500, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham
GDRFA Dubai	Tourist visa (single or multiple entry)	AED 600 plus 5% VAT	Same in-country charges as above
GDRFA Dubai	14-day visa on arrival for eligible Indian nationals	AED 600 plus 5% VAT	Same in-country charges as above
ICP (other emirates)	All extendable visa types	AED 100 application fee plus AED 500 extension fee	Service charges shown before payment
ICP	14-day visa for certain nationals living outside their home country	AED 250 (once, same period)	Application fee
ICP	6-month entry permit for Golden or Blue residence procedures	AED 1,000 (once)	Application fee
ICP	Extending an entry permit’s validity before arrival	AED 50	Only once, for an equivalent period

GDRFA notes that the total can vary with the sponsored person’s circumstances, and typing centres, Amer centres and travel agents add their own service charges. The amount the system shows at payment is the one that applies, so treat the figures above as the government base fees rather than a final quote.

How long can you extend a visit visa?

Visa type	Extension rule	Maximum total stay
Visit visa for a relative or friend	One or more times	180 days
Job seeker visit visa (explore job opportunities)	One or more times	180 days
Business establishment exploration visa	One or more times	180 days
Tourist visa from a tourism company	One or more times	120 days
5-year multiple-entry tourist visa	Each 90-day visit extendable once for another 90 days	180 days in a year
GCC resident eVisa	Once, for 30 days	60 days
14-day visa on arrival (eligible Indian nationals)	Once, for the same period	28 days

The extension is granted by decision of the issuing authority, so approval is not automatic. Extensions are normally added in blocks that match the original visa period, for example 30 more days on a 30-day visa, and each one is paid separately.

Visas that cannot be extended

• 60-day visa for certain nationals living outside their home country: ICP lists it as not extendable.
• Border area permits, and permits for truck drivers, tourist ship workers and pleasure boat crews.
• Visas that have already expired: once the validity has passed, the file is in overstay and fines run until the visitor regularises status or leaves.
• Visas that have reached the cap: a relative or friend visa that has already reached 180 days, or a tourist visa at 120 days, cannot be stretched further.

Visa-on-arrival stamps for visa-exempt nationalities follow their own rules, which change from time to time. If you entered on a visa on arrival, ask GDRFA or ICP whether your category can be extended before your stay ends.

How to extend a visit visa in Dubai (GDRFA)

1. The sponsor logs in to the GDRFA Dubai smart services website or app with UAE PASS or a GDRFA username.
2. Search for Extend friend or relative’s visit visa, or Extending a tourist visa if a tourism company sponsored it.
3. Fill in the application. The only document GDRFA lists is a passport copy.
4. Pay the fee and VAT online, and keep the receipt with the application number.
5. Wait for the decision. GDRFA’s expected completion time is 48 hours, and the extended e-visa is sent electronically.

Prefer help in person? Any Amer centre in Dubai can submit the extension during its working hours. Tourist visa extensions are handled only by accredited tourism offices in Dubai, so a visitor on a tourist visa should go back to the travel agency or tour operator that issued it. You can follow the application with GDRFA’s status tools or on the Amer call centre, 800 5111 (+971 4 313 9999 from abroad).

Extending a visit visa outside Dubai (ICP)

1. Log in to ICP Smart Services or the UAEICP app with UAE PASS. ICP requires a UAE PASS login for this service.
2. Open Visa Extension and choose the visa to extend.
3. Review the data that is filled in automatically and correct anything that has changed.
4. Attach the passport, a personal photo and, if the system asks, the same documents used when the visa was issued.
5. Pay the fees and wait for the electronic notification. ICP’s completion time is 2 working days.

ICP’s call centre is 600 522222 (+971 600 522222 from abroad). This route covers visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Documents and checks before you apply

• Passport: GDRFA and ICP want a passport copy, and visitors generally need a passport valid for at least six months, so renew a passport that is close to expiry first.
• Photo: a recent colour photo with a white background, for ICP applications.
• Sponsor’s details: for a relative or friend visa, the sponsor’s residency must still be valid.
• Health insurance: visit visas require valid UAE health insurance, so extend the policy for the new dates too.
• Deposit: if a refundable deposit was paid for a relative or friend visa, it stays held until the visitor leaves and the visa is closed.

What happens if you do not extend in time?

ICP charges an overstay fine of AED 50 for each day after the permitted stay or the entry visa expires. Fines must be cleared before the visitor can leave or get a new visa, and long overstays can lead to further restrictions. Our UAE overstay fine check guide explains how to see the amount owed, and you can rule out other problems with the travel ban check and the absconding status check.

During the 2026 regional airspace closures, ICP temporarily waived overstay fines for people who could not leave. That waiver was later cancelled and replaced by a 30-day grace period that ended on 9 July 2026, so standard daily fines apply again to expired visit and tourist visas.

Extension, change of status or a new visa?

Option	When it fits	What to expect
Extend the current visa	You need more time on the same visit and are under the cap	Sponsor applies before expiry; one fee per extension
Change of status inside the UAE	You got a job or family residency sponsor	The new sponsor applies for an entry permit and pays the in-country fee
Exit and come back on a new visa	You reached the cap or the visa type is not extendable	Leave before expiry, then enter on a fresh visa issued by a sponsor

If a job offer arrives while you are on a visit visa, the employer can usually change your status without you leaving, which is often cheaper than repeated extensions. Residents who later cancel a visa should also understand their grace period after cancellation.

Tips for a smooth extension

• Apply at least a week before expiry. Weekends, public holidays and returned applications can eat into a 48-hour processing window.
• Use only official channels: the GDRFA or ICP websites and apps, Amer centres, typing centres or the accredited agency that issued the visa.
• Count the days from your entry date, not the issue date, when working out the 120 or 180 day cap.
• Keep every receipt and the extended e-visa until you have left the UAE.
• Staying longer? Keep your phone line active; see how to activate a du tourist SIM.

Official sources: GDRFA Dubai’s relative or friend visit visa extension and tourist visa extension pages, ICP’s Visa Extension service and the UAE government’s tourist visa page. Fees and rules can change, so check the amount shown when you apply.

This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.