The UAE Launches Entry Permit Service for Residents Who Overstayed Abroad

Published on: 31 January 2023

Today, January 31st, 2023, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) announced that it launched an entry permit application service for UAE residents who have been staying abroad for more than 6 months.

The service is available since last Friday, January 27th, 2023, and it is meant to help UAE residents with valid residence permits who spent more than 6 months abroad due to work, study, or medical treatment. 

Being outside the UAE for that long would normally imply that they would get their residence permits legally voided, but now, through the new entry permit application service, they can reactivate their residence permit and return to the UAE, provided that they get the ICP’s approval to do so.

In a statement, the ICP explained that the new entry permit application service is not intended for holders of the UAE Golden Visa, but for holders of all residence permits obtained through the system of services managed by the ICP.

To apply for a new entry permit, UAE residents who were outside the country for more than 6 months must provide a copy of their Emirates ID, a copy of their passport, and an explanation for the postponement of their return to the UAE. Residents must do this from abroad as they won’t be able to enter the UAE until they have obtained their entry permit.

The ICP highlighted that UAE residents who are staying abroad do not need to do this to go back to the UAE if they haven’t spent more than half a year in another country.

Finally, the ICP emphasized its commitment to enhancing their services by streamlining processes and incorporating digital technology to provide all services —and/or offer new ones— that meet customer needs and address exceptional circumstances.

Passport ranking

Rank: 1
Visa-free destinations: 195
Rank: 2
Visa-free destinations: 193
Rank: 4
Visa-free destinations: 191
Rank: 7
Visa-free destinations: 188
Rank: 8
Visa-free destinations: 187
Rank: 9
Visa-free destinations: 186
Rank: 10
Visa-free destinations: 185
Rank: 11
Visa-free destinations: 184
Rank: 12
Visa-free destinations: 182
Rank: 13
Visa-free destinations: 180
Rank: 14
Visa-free destinations: 178
Rank: 15
Visa-free destinations: 177
Rank: 16
Visa-free destinations: 176
Rank: 17
Visa-free destinations: 173
Rank: 18
Visa-free destinations: 172
Rank: 19
Visa-free destinations: 168
Rank: 20
Visa-free destinations: 166
Rank: 21
Visa-free destinations: 165
Rank: 22
Visa-free destinations: 160
Rank: 23
Visa-free destinations: 157
Rank: 24
Visa-free destinations: 156
Rank: 25
Visa-free destinations: 155
Rank: 26
Visa-free destinations: 154
Rank: 27
Visa-free destinations: 152
Rank: 28
Visa-free destinations: 150
Rank: 29
Visa-free destinations: 149
Rank: 30
Visa-free destinations: 147
Rank: 31
Visa-free destinations: 146
Rank: 32
Visa-free destinations: 144
Rank: 33
Visa-free destinations: 143
Rank: 34
Visa-free destinations: 141
Rank: 35
Visa-free destinations: 135
Rank: 36
Visa-free destinations: 134
Rank: 37
Visa-free destinations: 132
Rank: 38
Visa-free destinations: 130
Rank: 39
Visa-free destinations: 128
Rank: 40
Visa-free destinations: 125
Rank: 41
Visa-free destinations: 124
Rank: 42
Visa-free destinations: 123
Rank: 43
Visa-free destinations: 122
Rank: 44
Visa-free destinations: 121
Rank: 45
Visa-free destinations: 120
Rank: 46
Visa-free destinations: 119
Rank: 47
Visa-free destinations: 118
Rank: 48
Visa-free destinations: 116
Rank: 49
Visa-free destinations: 105
Rank: 50
Visa-free destinations: 103
Rank: 51
Visa-free destinations: 99
Rank: 52
Visa-free destinations: 97
Rank: 53
Visa-free destinations: 94
Rank: 54
Visa-free destinations: 92
Rank: 55
Visa-free destinations: 90
Rank: 56
Visa-free destinations: 89
Rank: 57
Visa-free destinations: 88
Rank: 58
Visa-free destinations: 87
Rank: 59
Visa-free destinations: 86
Rank: 60
Visa-free destinations: 84
Rank: 61
Visa-free destinations: 83
Rank: 62
Visa-free destinations: 82
Rank: 63
Visa-free destinations: 80
Rank: 64
Visa-free destinations: 79
Rank: 65
Visa-free destinations: 78
Rank: 66
Visa-free destinations: 77
Rank: 67
Visa-free destinations: 76
Rank: 68
Visa-free destinations: 75
Rank: 69
Visa-free destinations: 72
Rank: 70
Visa-free destinations: 71
Rank: 71
Visa-free destinations: 70
Rank: 72
Visa-free destinations: 69
Rank: 73
Visa-free destinations: 68
Rank: 74
Visa-free destinations: 67
Rank: 75
Visa-free destinations: 65
Rank: 76
Visa-free destinations: 64
Rank: 77
Visa-free destinations: 63
Rank: 78
Visa-free destinations: 62
Rank: 79
Visa-free destinations: 61
Rank: 80
Visa-free destinations: 60
Rank: 81
Visa-free destinations: 59
Rank: 82
Visa-free destinations: 58
Rank: 83
Visa-free destinations: 57
Rank: 85
Visa-free destinations: 55
Rank: 86
Visa-free destinations: 54
Rank: 87
Visa-free destinations: 53
Rank: 89
Visa-free destinations: 51
Rank: 90
Visa-free destinations: 50
Rank: 91
Visa-free destinations: 49
Rank: 92
Visa-free destinations: 48
Rank: 93
Visa-free destinations: 47
Rank: 94
Visa-free destinations: 45
Rank: 95
Visa-free destinations: 44
Rank: 96
Visa-free destinations: 43
Rank: 97
Visa-free destinations: 42
Rank: 98
Visa-free destinations: 41
Rank: 99
Visa-free destinations: 39
Rank: 100
Visa-free destinations: 37
Rank: 101
Visa-free destinations: 35
Rank: 102
Visa-free destinations: 34
Rank: 103
Visa-free destinations: 33
Rank: 104
Visa-free destinations: 30
Rank: 105
Visa-free destinations: 27
Rank: 106
Visa-free destinations: 26

Check if you need a visa for your next destination

I have a passport from
I want to travel to