A time comes when you have to cancel your Dubai residence visa. In most cases, the reasons for cancellation differ from one person to another.
Regardless, it is important to understand the process. What should you do, and what do you need to complete the cancellation process?
Upon initiating the process, how long will it take for visa cancellation in Dubai? Let’s find out the answers and much more;
About Visa Cancellation in Dubai
It would be best if you had a residence visa to live or work in Dubai and the rest of the UAE. Otherwise, it will be illegal to work in this country.
Equally important, accessing the country’s standard services will be impossible. It also determines the period you will work or reside in any of its states.
However, a time may come when you no longer need to live or stay in UAE. Under such circumstances, you need to cancel your residence visa.
You can’t afford to overlook the cancellation process. That’s why it is advisable to cancel it before leaving,, especially if you were an employee when you decided to live in UAE.
People who have left Dubai without resigning and cancelling their residence visa have landed in hot soup afterwards. Some have faced legal repercussions and paid a hefty price.
Others haven’t been allowed to return to Dubai. These dire consequences show the importance of visa cancellation in Dubai and UAE at large.
How to Cancel Your UAE Visa
Given how important the process is, it is important to know how to go about it. You have two options and they are as follows;
How to Cancel Your UAE Visa Online
It involves visiting the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) website. Another website that can serve the same process is the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship one.
Your employer will visit one of these websites and initiate the application. Upon applying for visa cancellation online via GDRFA, ensure that you also visit its physical offices with an Emirates ID and a passport.
How to Cancel Your UAE Visa Via Typing Offices
Regarding typing offices, ensure that you visit one registered by the corresponding emirate’s GDRFA. Additionally, it should be the one that once processed your stamped residence visa.
The employer will submit the visa cancellation application to the appropriate typing centre. Then, it is up to the centre to fill it in and process that application.
How to Cancel the UAE Visa For Your Dependents
Whereas the employer applies for the visa cancellation of their employees, the responsibility of cancelling that of the dependents lies on the employee. It is important to process your dependents’ visa cancellation before your employer initiates yours.
The process is as follows;
- Typing the corresponding application form
- Submitting it together with other necessary documents in your respective GDRFA registered typing center
- Paying the required cancellation fee
- Expect the approval of the visa cancellation in less than an hour after submitting that application
- The typing center will give you a confirmation print of that visa cancellation
Your dependents are obliged to return the Emirates ID cards. On the other hand, officials will stamp passports and return them to you.
Documents Required for UAE Visa Cancellation
It depend you are an employee or a dependent. Regardless, each instance requires several documents and they are as follows;
Documents Required for UAE Visa Cancellation for Employees
The employer has to submit various documents and they include the following;
- A letter indicating that the employee has received the necessary wages, settlements and benefits and it should also have the employee’s signature as a confirmation
- MoHRE should also have issued a clearance certificate
- The UAE Visa cancellation form with the employer’s signature and the company’s signature and seal
- Employee’s Emirates ID Card (original)
- Employee’s passport (original)
Documents Required for UAE Visa Cancellation for Dependents
The sponsor should submit the following documents;
- Sponsor’s passport (copy)
- Cancellation form with the sponsor’s signature
- The dependent’s Emirates ID Card (original)
- The dependent’s Passport (original)
How Long Will the UAE Visa Cancellation Process Take?
Since the visa cancellation process is quite simple, it won’t take much time to conclude it. On average, this process takes between 1 and 2 working days.
However, there may also be another additional day which applies for employees. After all, their employees have the responsibility of cancelling their labor cards.
So, one can say that the process takes about 3 working days to complete the two crucial processes. Equally importance, an individual has up to 30 days to leave Dubai or UAE after visa cancellation.
Things to Consider Before Cancelling Your UAE Visa?
You don’t want to leave anything pending when leaving UAE, it is important to do a few things. Doing these things first also ensures that the departure is simple and they include the following;
- Initiate the visa cancellation process of any child or spouse you sponsor before starting yours
- Close any bank account you own in UAE
- For car owners, ensure that you sell it before you leave
- Consider cancelling the tenant contract too
- Calculate the amount of money your employer owes you in reference to your contract
- It is advisable to ensure that you receive any pending payment before signing any confirmed settlement statement
- Pay any pending utility bill before cancelling it
- You also have up to 30 days to complete visa cancellation upon the expiry or termination of your employment agreement
What’s the Grace Period of Leaving UAE After Visa Cancellation
Some people get a longer grace period ranging from 60 to 180 days depending on the different visa categories. For instance, skilled professionals including first and second levels, students upon completing their studies, widows, divorcees, green visa or golden visa holders and their dependents have up to 180 days to leave UAE once the visas are cancelled.
Similarly, skilled professionals in the third level and property owners have up to 90 days. Lastly, normal residencies enjoy a grace period of up to 60 days
What is the Cost of UAE Visa Cancellation?
On average, the cons of cancelling your UAE visa ranges from AED 100 to 200. The figure varies from one office to another and here is a detailed summary;
If you use the GDRFA office, you pay an urgent fee of AED 100 and an innovation fee of AED 10. There is also a printing fee of AED 100 if you submit through the ZAJEL Courier Centre.
On the other hand, the fees are different at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Custom $ Port Security. The order fee is AED 50 whereas its e-service fee is AED 10.
