How to Reduce Dubai Overstay Fine (2026)

The UAE standardised all overstay fines when it removed the tiered system. The rates below have been in effect since the standardisation : the previous AED 200 first-day / AED 125 tiered structure no longer applies.

The fastest way to reduce the total fine is to act immediately. Every additional day adds AED 50. If you are inside the UAE with an expired visitor visa and cannot pay the fine now, apply for a UAE tourist visa extension before the fine grows further : note that the extension itself requires the accumulated fine to be paid first, but it stops future days adding to the total once a valid visa is in place.

GDRFA operates a Decision Committee that reviews applications to reduce or waive overstay fines. This is a formal appeal process for exceptional circumstances : it is not a general discount and is not available to everyone. Approval is entirely at the discretion of GDRFA and the Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs. Applying does not pause fine accumulation.

Minimum fine thresholds to apply
Family / personal visa sponsorship fines AED 1,500 minimum
Employment visa fines AED 3,500 minimum

Applications below these thresholds are not accepted. If your accumulated fine is below the minimum for your visa category, the standard route is to pay the fine in full at the airport or at an Amer Centre. See the UAE overstay fine payment guide for the full payment process.

Judicial / Legal

Passport detained by court or police

• Petition letter from the applicant's sponsor company or the applicant
• If passport is being held: a "To Whom It May Concern" letter from the court or police confirming detention

Medical

Hospitalisation or serious illness

• Petition letter from the company, sponsor or applicant
• Medical report in Arabic issued by the UAE Health Authority or Ministry of Health : must state both the date of hospital admission and date of discharge

Personal / Family

• Personal sponsorship circumstances
• Petition letter from the sponsor
• Passport and visa copy of the sponsor
• Sponsor's salary certificate, labour contract or Memorandum of Association
• Any supporting documents specific to the cause of the overstay

Company

Company sponsorship circumstances

• Original Emirates ID of the sponsor, partner or company PRO
• Petition letter from the company with company stamp
• Passport and visa copy of the applicant
• Establishment card copy
• Trade licence

Passport

Delay in passport issuing or renewal

• Petition letter from the company, sponsor or applicant

• Letter from the embassy or consulate confirming the date the visa renewal or passport application was submitted
• Visa copy
• Establishment card and trade licence (company sponsorship) or labour contract (personal sponsorship)

Death of Sponsor

• Petition letter from the sponsor, applicant or company with company stamp
• Visa and passport copy of the applicant
• Passport copy of the sponsor (family sponsorship)
• Establishment card and trade licence (company sponsorship)
• Death certificate of the sponsor

• Sponsor's original Emirates ID and passport with visa copy
• Applicant's passport and visa copy
• Visa file number that carries the fines
• New approved e-visa (if applying for a status change)
• Cancellation paper (if applicant intends to exit the UAE)
• Letter of exemption or NOC / petition letter in Arabic requesting fine reduction
• UID number from GDRFA (required for newborn cases only)

The petition letter must be in Arabic. A letter in English alone will not be accepted by the Decision Committee. Have the petition translated by a certified legal translator before submission.

1. Prepare all documents for your category (see above) including the Arabic petition letter
2. Submit the application to the Decision Committee Counter at a GDRFA Amer Centre in Dubai
3. The Committee employee processes the application. If documents are incomplete, the application is returned for resubmission
4. If approved: the application is forwarded to the Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs for final approval
5. If rejected: the rejection notes are recorded in the inquiry system. You may reapply, but a second application on the same grounds is unlikely to succeed
6. Processing time: 7 working days from complete submission

The UAE has issued overstay amnesties in the past, allowing undocumented residents to exit the country without paying accumulated fines or facing prosecution. These are not regular annual events. As of September 2026, no UAE-wide amnesty programme is active or confirmed for 2026.

Do not remain in the UAE with accumulated fines on the assumption that an amnesty will be announced. Pay the fine through the standard process or submit a waiver application if your circumstances qualify. Waiting for an amnesty that may not come increases the total fine every day.

For most people, the waiver route will not apply. The practical options are:

• Pay the fine and exit: pay at the airport immigration counter on departure, at any GDRFA Amer Centre, or online at gdrfad.gov.ae. See the full overstay fine payment guide.
• Pay the fine and change status: pay the accumulated fine, then apply for a new entry permit or status change to remain in the UAE legally. A licensed visa agent can process both simultaneously.
• Stop the fine from growing: if you are inside the UAE with an expired visitor visa and cannot pay immediately, the fine continues to accumulate. The only way to stop accumulation is to get a valid visa. Extending your visit visa or converting to a resident visa stops the clock once a new valid visa is issued.