How to extend a visit or tourist visa in Dubai and the UAE from the official service cards: GDRFA Dubai's AED 600 fee plus VAT (and AED 520 more if the person is inside the country), ICP's AED 100 application and AED 500 extension fees, the 120-day and 180-day limits, work-mission visas, and the AED 50-a-day overstay fine.
A UAE visit visa can be extended, within a total stay limit that depends on the type of visa. This guide is built from GDRFA Dubai's visa-extension service cards (tourist, friend or relative, job and business exploration, study, business mission and visa on arrival) and ICP's federal Visa Extension card, read on 25 October 2026.
The quick answer
| GDRFA Dubai | ICP | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | Visa extension fee AED 600 plus 5% VAT; if the sponsored person is inside the country, AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and AED 500 "Fee inside the country" | An application fee ("Application fee for all types of visa extensions - 100 AED") and an extension fee ("Extend entry Fees - 500 AED") |
| Documents | Passport copy | Passport, personal photo and "the same documents submitted at the time of issuance, according to the type of visa" |
| Time | 48 hours | 2 days |
| Channels | GDRFA's website or app (UAE PASS or username) and Amer centres, depending on the card | ICP's smart app and website; UAE PASS login required |
Both GDRFA's and ICP's cards describe the extension as granted by the issuing authority, within the limits below.
Visit visa extension limits by visa type
The cards cap the total stay, extensions included:
| Visa type | GDRFA Dubai | ICP |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | "not exceeding (120) days in total" | "the total duration does not exceed 120 days" |
| Visit visa for a friend or relative | "a total of no more than (180) days" | "the total duration does not exceed 180 days" |
| Visit visa to explore job or business opportunities | "a total of no more than (180) days" | "the total duration does not exceed 180 days" |
| Study, training or qualification | "a total of no more than (180) days" | "the total duration does not exceed 180 days" |
| Medical treatment | Not among the GDRFA cards we read | "the total duration does not exceed 180 days" |
| Business (work mission) visit | Needs "The approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for the issuance and extension." | "may be extended once only, subject to the Ministry's approval of the extension" |
| Visa on arrival for Indian nationals | Extended "for the same period"; the card requires an Indian national holding a US visa or green card, or a UK or EU residence visa, with 14 days' stay from approval | |
| 14-day visa for nationals of certain countries residing abroad | "may be extended once for the same period", fee AED 250 | |
| 60-day visa for nationals of certain countries residing abroad | "is not extendable" |
GDRFA's tourist card adds: "Only accredited tourism offices in the emirate can issue this kind of visa." ICP also lists an AED 50 fee to extend an entry permit's validity before arriving in the UAE, and AED 1,000 to extend the 6-month multiple-entry permit for completing Golden or Blue Residence procedures.
How to apply
GDRFA Dubai (digital): log in to the smart services system with UAE PASS or a username, search for the service, fill in the application data and pay the fee. At an Amer centre: take a queue ticket, submit the application and documents to the customer service employee and pay. See our UAE PASS guide if you need an account.
ICP: submit the application through the app or website, review the pre-filled form, attach documents if data retrieval fails, pay, and receive an electronic notification of the extension. More on ICP's portal in our ICP smart services guide.
If the visa runs out
ICP's card lists a fine for "Expiry of the permitted stay period for the visa holder, or expiration of the entry visa (per day) - 50 AED". To check a fine, see our UAE visa status and fine check guide; to ask for a fine to be waived or reduced, see the visa fine waiver guide.
For employers: business mission visitors
If you bring someone in on a business (work mission) visit visa, GDRFA ties both issuance and extension to the approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), and ICP allows one extension only, subject to the Ministry's approval; ICP also allows a public-sector work mission visa one extension "for a period equal to the original visa duration". MOHRE's work mission permit is covered in our work permit guide; see also what our visa services cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does it cost to extend a visit visa in Dubai? A: GDRFA Dubai lists a visa extension fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT, with AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and an AED 500 fee inside the country if the sponsored person is inside the country.
Q: How much is a visa extension with ICP? A: ICP lists an application fee of AED 100 and an extension fee of AED 500 as separate lines; extending a 14-day visa is AED 250.
Q: How many times can I extend a tourist visa? A: One or more times, but GDRFA and ICP cap the total at 120 days for a tourist visa.
Q: What is the maximum stay on a relative's visit visa with extensions? A: 180 days in total, according to both GDRFA Dubai and ICP.
Q: Can a 60-day visa be extended? A: ICP says the 60-day visa issued to nationals of certain countries residing outside their country of nationality "is not extendable".
Q: How long does a visa extension take? A: GDRFA Dubai lists 48 hours; ICP lists 2 days.
Q: What happens if I overstay my visit visa? A: ICP's card lists AED 50 per day for the expiry of the permitted stay or of the entry visa.
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