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Updated January 2025
Key takeaways
UAE residence visas expire after 180 days abroad, except for exempted categories like students, investors, and more.
Expired visas can be renewed with proper documentation or a re-entry permit.
Residents have a 60 to 180-day grace period after visa expiry, depending on their visa category.
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Residence visa expiry after staying abroad
Most residence visa holders can only spend 180 days outside the UAE before they lose their residency.
However, the following categories of visa holders are exempt from this visa validity rule. These include:
- Foreign spouses of Emirati citizens
- Domestic helpers accompanying Emiratis with a scholarship for studying abroad
- Domestic helpers accompanying UAE patients traveling or sent abroad for treatment
- Expatriate residents and their companions sent abroad for treatment, provided they submit a medical report approved by UAE medical authorities
- Domestic helpers accompanying members of diplomatic and consular missions representing the UAE abroad and employees of such missions holding residence visas in the UAE
- Expatriate residents working in the public sector sent by their employers to attend training or specialist courses, or those working in their employers’ offices abroad and their families who hold valid UAE residence visas
- Expatriate students studying in universities or institutes abroad (per Dubai regulations; check with ICP for other emirates)
- Domestic helpers of members of ruling families working in the homes of the royal family abroad, holding valid UAE residence visas
- Students enrolled in educational institutions abroad, holding valid UAE residence visas
- Investors holding valid UAE residence visas
- Residents sponsored by UAE diplomatic and consular representatives and their dependents
- Any other person excluded by an ICP decision, provided they have a valid residence visa and pay the required fees
Please note that those who have lost their residence visas can seek a re-entry permit. They may be required to provide a reason for their absence from the country and sufficient documentation to support their claim.
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UAE visa grace period after expiry
Your sponsor must renew your residence visa before it expires to avoid fines or legal consequences. UAE residents have flexible grace periods of up to 6 months (depending on their category) to stay after their residence permit is canceled or expired.
Most categories now benefit from an extended grace period of 60 to 180 days.
Check out our dedicated article on Dubai and the UAE visa grace period to learn more.
