What is an overstay fine?
A UAE overstay fine is the amount a visa holder may need to pay when they remain in the country after the permitted stay has ended. The permitted stay depends on the visa category, the event that started the timeline, and the grace period attached to that category. For one person the relevant date may be a tourist visa expiry date; for another it may be the date a residence visa was cancelled after employment ended.
This calculator is designed for practical planning. It separates the daily fine from related administrative costs, such as an exit permit for a cancellation-and-exit route or a possible Emirates ID delay fee for a residence renewal route. It is not an official government assessment. Before paying, travelling, or relying on the number, check the amount through the relevant UAE government portal.
Use the calculator to understand the moving parts, then use the official portal to confirm the exact payable balance and whether any file-specific blocks, approvals, or status updates apply.
How much is the UAE overstay fine per day?
The UAE overstay fine is AED 50 for each day you stay after your permitted stay or grace period ends. Since 11 February 2026 this flat daily rate applies in every emirate, so the penalty for overstaying in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or anywhere else in the country is the same AED 50 per day, with no separate emirate fee tables and no first-day surcharge. There is no upper cap: the fine adds AED 50 for every overstay day until it is paid and your status is settled.
On that rate, 10 overstay days is AED 500, 30 days is AED 1,500, and 90 days is AED 4,500. The grace period, not the daily rate, is usually what makes two people's totals differ, so enter your visa dates above to see how much your own fine would be.
When does the overstay fine start?
The overstay fine does not accrue during a valid grace period. The fineable period begins after that grace period ends. For example, if a residence visa is cancelled on June 1 and the person has a 30-day grace period, the grace window runs through June 30 and fines start from July 1. If the person exits 10 fineable days late, the daily fine estimate is 10 x AED 50, or AED 500.
Visit visas and entry permits can be much less forgiving because the calculator treats them as having zero grace days. In that scenario, the fineable count starts immediately from the expiry date. This is why two people who leave on the same target date can see very different estimates: the grace period is often the main difference, not the daily rate.
Grace periods by visa type
The calculator uses a simple matrix so the estimate stays transparent. Tourist visas and entry permits use zero grace days. A standard residence category uses a 30-day grace period. A skilled worker residence scenario for MOHRE skill levels 1 to 3 uses a 90-day grace period. Golden Visa holders use a 180-day grace period. These categories are planning assumptions and should be checked against the visa holder's official file.
How the fine is calculated
The main fine line is AED 50 for each fineable overstay day. The calculator first counts the calendar days between the expiry or cancellation date and the target exit or processing date. It then subtracts the grace period. If the result is zero or less, the estimate is AED 0 because the person is still inside the fine-free window.
Some cases have additional costs. For residence renewal or change-status routes, the calculator adds an Emirates ID delay estimate only after a 30-day buffer and caps that line at AED 1,000. For cancellation-and-exit routes, an exit permit or outpass estimate appears only when the fineable overstay is more than 30 days. Dubai uses a GDRFA estimate of AED 241, while other emirates use an ICP federal estimate of AED 300. If the Dubai case is handled through an Amer centre, the calculator adds AED 100 as a service charge.
Securing an Exit Permit (Outpass)
An exit permit, often called an outpass, is usually relevant when a person is leaving the UAE after a cancellation route and the overstay has crossed the threshold where an exit permit is needed. The sequence is straightforward: confirm the visa file, calculate or settle fines, apply through the relevant authority, receive the exit permit, and travel within the validity window.
- For Dubai-issued visas, start with GDRFA visa services or an authorized Amer centre.
- For other emirates, start with ICP Smart Services.
- Keep passport, visa cancellation or expiry details, travel booking information, and any authority reference numbers ready.
- After issuance, treat the exit permit as time-sensitive. A 7-day validity window is commonly used for travel planning, so do not apply too early unless the authority or centre advises otherwise.
Checking your official overstay status and fines
Calculator estimates are useful, but the official file is what matters. To check an overstay fine online you can usually search by passport number, Emirates ID, or unified (UID) number. Dubai visa files are checked through the GDRFA Dubai fines inquiry service; visa files from the other emirates are checked through ICP Smart Services (the federal authority formerly known as ICA). These portals can show file-specific issues that a general calculator cannot know, such as a pending status change, a previous application, a travel ban, an unresolved cancellation, or an authority instruction to visit a service centre.
Can an overstay fine be reduced or waived?
A reduction or waiver is sometimes possible, but it is not automatic and approval is never guaranteed. The relevant authority — GDRFA in Dubai or ICP in the other emirates — can consider a fine reduction request in genuine hardship or exceptional cases, such as a medical emergency, a documented inability to travel, or a visa cancellation caused by the employer rather than the visa holder. You typically submit a passport copy and a short letter explaining the circumstances, along with any supporting evidence the fines committee asks for. A separate service fee usually applies to the application itself.
Two cautions worth stating plainly: do not rely on an old visa amnesty, because past amnesty rounds have expired and are not a standing scheme; and reducing a fine does not on its own make your visa valid again, so the immigration status still has to be settled. Until a reduction is formally approved, plan around the full AED 50-per-day figure this calculator shows.
Overstay after end of service
Many overstay questions start with a job ending. When employment ends, the employee may be dealing with final salary, gratuity, leave encashment, visa cancellation, insurance, and travel bookings at the same time. The immigration deadline is separate from the employment settlement. Even if an employer is late paying final dues, the visa holder should still monitor the cancellation date and grace period.
If you are planning around a job exit, use the UAE gratuity calculator for the employment settlement and this overstay calculator for immigration timing. Keeping those two calculations separate helps avoid a common mistake: assuming that a payroll dispute automatically extends immigration permission.
How to exit fine-free
The best way to avoid fines is to work backward from the last fine-free date. Confirm the visa event date, identify the grace period, choose the exit or processing target date, and leave enough margin for weekends, public holidays, ticket changes, and application delays. If the plan involves renewal or change status, do not wait until the final day to submit documents.
For cancellation routes, keep evidence of the cancellation date and track the travel date. For renewal routes, keep application receipts and portal references. If the portal shows a different balance from the calculator, rely on the portal and ask the authority or service centre to explain the difference before making travel plans.
Long overstays and re-entry bans
A long overstay can become more than a daily fine problem. Depending on the file history and authority decision, the person may need an exit permit, may need to settle fines before travelling, and may face restrictions or additional checks before returning. The calculator therefore separates daily fines from exit-permit estimates instead of presenting one vague number.
If the overstay is long, do not rely only on mental arithmetic. Check the official file, confirm whether an outpass is required, and ask the relevant portal or service centre about next steps. For complex cases, especially where there is a dispute, missing passport, previous absconding report, or cancelled employment file, direct authority guidance matters more than any calculator estimate.