UAE extends the validity of residence visas until December 31, 2020

On Monday, April 13th, 2020, the UAE government announced that residence visas and Entry Permits for expatriates, both those in the UAE and those abroad, will be valid until December 31, 2020. This extension applies to all visas that expire after March 1, 2020.

This announcement by the Emirati authorities leaves several questions: does this extension apply to visas for companies located in free zones or only for company visas in mainland? What if it has been more than 6 months since my last visit to the UAE , is my visa canceled ?, my visa expires in May and I want to travel to Spain in June, will I have any problems?

From RLD we have contacted the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to resolve these questions and contrast the information published in the media:

All Emirates IDs, residence visas and Entry Permits for all expatriates inside or outside the UAE, both companies located in the free zone and in the mainland, are automatically extended until December 31, 2020, as long as they expire dated. after March 1, 2020.
As a general rule, any residence visa in the UAE is automatically canceled if its holder has not been in the UAE in the last 180 calendar days. However, due to the current situation, if it is from March 1, 2020 when the 180 days outside the country are met, this automatic cancellation does not apply and a grace period is granted until December 31, 2020.
Any resident who is subject to this extension may travel abroad or enter the UAE, as their visa is considered to be valid until December 31, 2020.

However, due to the uncertainty generated by COVID-19, this information may change in the coming days or weeks. In the event of any relevant change, we will inform you about it.

RLD Team UAE

15/04/2020