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Visa cancellation in Dubai costs AED 100 plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham at GDRFA, and takes 48 hours. The sponsor files it. For employees, the employer cancels the MOHRE work permit first. After cancellation you get a grace period to leave or start a new visa: 30 to 180 days by category under ICP rules, while GDRFA's Dubai pages state 60 days.
Who files the cancellation
The sponsor cancels, never the sponsored person. That means:
- Employees: the employer, through its establishment file.
- Spouse and children: the family sponsor.
- Maids, nannies and drivers: the household sponsor.
- Self-sponsored residents such as golden or green visa holders: themselves.
If you are leaving a job, ask your employer for the cancellation date in writing. Your grace period starts from that date, not from your last day in the office.
The employee route: MOHRE first, then GDRFA
For anyone on a private-sector work visa there are two cancellations, in this order.
- MOHRE work permit. The employer cancels the labour side, online or through a Tasheel center. GDRFA asks for the MOHRE work permit cancellation extract as a document, so the residence cannot go first. Price lists put the MOHRE labour cancellation at about AED 100 to 200 through a center.
- GDRFA residence. With the extract, the employer files the residence cancellation with the sponsor's passport and the employee's passport.
You can follow the MOHRE side on MOHRE's inquiry service and the GDRFA side on GDRFA's visa status tool. Our guide to Tasheel centers covers where the MOHRE part is done in person.
Official cancellation fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| GDRFA residence cancellation, any residence type | AED 100 + AED 10 + AED 10 |
| GDRFA entry permit cancellation, person outside the UAE | AED 50 |
| GDRFA entry permit cancellation, person inside the UAE | AED 50 + AED 10 + AED 10 |
| ICP cancellation application | AED 50 |
| ICP exceptional cancellation | AED 100 |
| ICP smart services fee | AED 100 |
| ICP guarantee, sponsor cancelled but family kept | AED 5,000 |
Source: GDRFA residence and entry permit cancellation pages and the ICP cancellation service page, checked . GDRFA handles visas issued in Dubai. ICP handles visas from the other emirates.
The entry permit lines matter when a new hire or family member got an entry permit but never finished the residence. It is cancelled through its own GDRFA service, at the lower fee shown.
What people usually pay
| Situation | Usual total |
|---|---|
| Cancellation inside the UAE, with typing or Amer | AED 120 to 250 |
| Cancellation after the person left the UAE | AED 290 to 350 + Amer charges |
| Family member, per dependant | AED 180 to 250 |
| Agency doing both MOHRE and GDRFA for an employee | AED 500 to 1,500 |
Source: published price lists of Dubai typing centers, PRO firms and free zones, checked .
How long you can stay after cancelling
The cancellation date starts your grace period, and the AED 50 a day overstay fine begins when it ends. GDRFA and ICP give different lengths depending on your category; overstay fines in Dubai has the full table and a calculator, so agree the cancellation date with your plans in mind.
What else ends with the visa
- Emirates ID: cancelled automatically with the residence.
- Dependants: their visas must be cancelled with the sponsor's. Move them to another sponsor first if they are staying.
- Domestic workers: their visa sits on your file, so deal with it in the same round.
- Fines: check for open fines on the GDRFA fines inquiry before the person flies.
Leaving the UAE after cancellation
If you are flying out for good, fly before the grace period ends and keep a copy of the cancellation paper. Close the things that hang on your residence: your Emirates ID ends with it, and your family's visas must be cancelled with yours, so file theirs in the same round. A person who already overstayed pays the fines first; ICP then issues a departure permit for violators at AED 200 plus AED 100 smart services fee, with 7 days to leave.
After cancellation: your options
Staying in the UAE means a new visa inside the grace period. A new job usually means a fresh entry permit and a status change, see visa change in Dubai. Skilled graduates can look for work on the job seeker visa. Everyone else leaves, or moves to a visit visa.
Doing it yourself
A family sponsor can cancel a spouse's or child's visa on the GDRFA app with UAE Pass. An employee cannot do it alone: the employer holds both files. If your employer is slow, ask HR for the MOHRE cancellation extract, because nothing moves at GDRFA without it.
Cancelling a visa without loose ends
Tell us whose visa needs cancelling, who sponsors it and whether the person is still in the UAE. Send the passport copy and the residence or Emirates ID. The partner team checks for open fines and for dependants or domestic workers linked to the file, the two things that most often block a cancellation. They cancel the MOHRE work permit where there is one, then type and file the GDRFA or ICP cancellation and send you the paper with the date your grace period runs from. You get one total price first, with GDRFA fees and the service charge on separate lines.
