Expired residency visa of some expats automatically extended until Dec 9

Many UAE resident's whose visas had expired have been granted the automatic visa renewal.

Some expatriates in Dubai, whose residency visas expired while they were stranded abroad amid Covid-19 travel restrictions, have been granted automatic visa extensions until December 9, 2021.

Many residents whose visas expired after the UAE put in place a suspension on inbound travellers from several countries, including India, have been granted the automatic visa renewal for three months, including the one-month grace period for reapplication, according to an Amer centre call employee.

Those wishing to travel into the UAE can check their visa status on the website https://amer.gdrfad.gov.ae/visa-inquiry.

Residents stranded abroad holding expired visas and travel agents have also confirmed these reports.

Pre-travel GDRFA approval is still mandatory

An Amer centre call employee in Dubai told Khaleejtimes that those stranded abroad with expired visas have been granted automatic renewal on their expired residency visas until December 9, including the one-month grace period.

"However, before travelling into the UAE, they need to apply for a pre-travel GDRFA approval and adhere to all other RT-PCR testing protocols set by the government," the call centre agent explained.

Travel agents who have been trying to get pre-travel approvals for residents stranded in India and Pakistan, for example, have also confirmed that their clients have been granted an automatic visa extension.

The agents have reiterated that the automatic extension has only been awarded to Dubai residency visa holders. The status of residents in other emirates is not immediately clear.

Residents who've stayed outside the UAE for over six months can also return.

In the case of expired visas, whose visas expired after June, July, and are holders of active visas are the only ones who are receiving the automatic three-month-long extension. Several passengers whose visas expired during the months of May to early June, for example, are yet to receive the exemptions.

Even those who have stayed outside of the UAE for over 180 days and have received Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship (ICA) or GDRFA approvals can return. Airlines are accepting these categories of passengers. However, it is important to note that these exemptions are only in place for Dubai residency visa holders.

The system was updated early Aug 11, Wednesday morning. While applying for the pre-travel GDRFA, the visa expiry date had been automatically extended to December 9.

Upon checking with the visa validity website, we found that many people's have been granted an extension. However, some visas continue to show an expired status. We hope that the exemption would eventually be granted to all those seeking re-entry into the UAE.

However, the clarity is still awaiting on those holding entry permits issued by Dubai. A lot of corporate customers who want to fly in their new employees with entry permits.

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