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The Abu Dhabi immigration office is the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, part of the federal authority ICP. It is in the Al Mushrif district on Shakhbut Bin Sultan Street. ICP lists it open Monday to Thursday 7:30 am to 3:30 pm and Friday 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. Abu Dhabi does not use GDRFA, which only covers Dubai.
What the Al Mushrif directorate does
ICP names three departments: Identity and Passports, Entry Visas and Residency, and Establishments Registration and Follow-up. The center issues, renews and replaces ID cards, captures biometric fingerprints, and answers questions on family data, passports, visas, residency permits and establishment registration.
The site also lists typing offices, a digital services corner, a knowledge corner, a children's play area, parking, a cafeteria and a mosque. ICP also says the directorate holds a 5-star rating in the UAE Program for Excellence in Government Services.
Other ICP centres in the emirate
| Centre | Where | What ICP says |
|---|---|---|
| Al Mushrif directorate | Shakhbut Bin Sultan Street | Mon to Thu 7:30 am to 3:30 pm; Fri 7:30 am to 12:00 pm |
| Khalifa Medical City | Hazaa Bin Zayed Street | Fingerprint capture only; Mon to Thu 7:00 am to 5:00 pm; Fri 7:30 am to 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 7:00 pm |
| Mussafah | Industrial Area, behind the Preventive Medicine Center | Fingerprints for Emirates ID, male customers only; Mon to Thu 7:00 am to 5:00 pm; Fri 7:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm |
| Al Ain | Administrative Center; customer happiness centre on Al Jimi Street | Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department, hours not read |
| Al Dhafra | Madinat Zayed, next to the TAMM Integrated Services Center | Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department, hours not read |
| Khalifa City A, AlQoa | Listed by ICP | Customer happiness centres, hours not read |
| Ghayathi, Dalma, AlMarfa, Alsela | Integrated services centers | Customer happiness offices, hours not read |
Source: ICP customer happiness centre pages, checked .
Which place for which job
Use Al Mushrif for visa and residency questions about your file. The medical city and Mussafah centres are for fingerprints on Emirates ID work, not for visas. If you live in Al Ain or Madinat Zayed, use the local department rather than driving to the capital.
Online services
ICP asks customers to use its official and authorised channels, and runs a smart services platform and the UAEICP app. Services you are likely to need:
- Application tracking and file validity. See ICP visa status check.
- Visa cancellation. ICP lists the fee as AED 50 plus a smart services fee of AED 100.
- Payment of violation fines. AED 50 a day plus AED 100 for smart services, 24/7, with UAE Pass.
A visa issued in Dubai is not on the ICP system. Use the GDRFA tool for those, as set out in Dubai visa status check.
Overstay and cancellation
ICP says that after paying a visa or residence fine you must adjust your status or leave the UAE. For visit visa extensions in the emirate, read Abu Dhabi visa extension. For the fine rules, grace periods and what applies outside Dubai, read Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and northern emirates overstay fine and the full UAE overstay fine guide.
A short checklist for the trip
- Work out which authority issued the file. Abu Dhabi files are ICP. Dubai files are GDRFA, see Dubai immigration office.
- Look for the service on the ICP smart services platform. If it is there, do it from your phone.
- If you must attend, take the passport, the Emirates ID and the application or file number.
- Plan around Friday. The main directorate closes at noon, and the medical city centres reopen in the afternoon.
- Pay fines through the ICP service before you plan to travel.
People in Sharjah or the northern emirates use their own ICP directorate, see Sharjah immigration office. If you are moving to the capital for work or family, see Abu Dhabi residence visa and Abu Dhabi work visa.
We are a private visa service. We are not ICP and cannot approve a visa. The authorities make that decision.
Official sources
- ICP, Abu Dhabi directorate: location, hours, services.
- ICP customer happiness centres: the list for every emirate.
- ICP, Khalifa Medical City centre: fingerprints and hours.
- ICP, Mussafah centre: fingerprints and hours.
- ICP fine payment service: AED 50 a day, AED 100 smart services fee.
- ICP homepage: smart services platform and app.
- u.ae: track a visa application: GDRFA or ICP.
