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The Dubai immigration office is GDRFA, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. It has several service centres, not one counter. The main building is in Al Jafiliya. Other centres include Almanara on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Twar, Al Awir and a 24 hour centre at Dubai Airport Terminal 3. Amer centres take visa work too, and most services also run online.
Who runs immigration in Dubai
Dubai visas and residence permits belong to GDRFA. The other emirates belong to the federal authority ICP. u.ae splits it by emirate: Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah use ICP, and Dubai uses GDRFA. Each has its own online tracking and validity services.
This matters when you search for "uae immigration". A visa issued in Dubai is dealt with at GDRFA. A visa from Sharjah is not, even if you live in Dubai now. If you are not sure, the place of issue is on your e-visa or residence details. Our Dubai visa status check guide shows how to tell.
We are a private visa service. We are not GDRFA, ICP or any immigration office, and we cannot approve a visa. Only the authorities decide.
GDRFA centres in Dubai
| Centre | Where | Hours the authority lists |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Services Center | Dubai Airport Terminal 3 | 24/7 |
| Almanara Center | Almanara Municipality Building, Sheikh Zayed Road | Mon to Thu 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM; Fri 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM to 7:00 PM |
| Al Awir Centre | Al Awir | Longer hours announced for Ramadan: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days |
| Al Jafiliya main building, Al Twar Centre | Al Jafiliya, Al Twar | Ramadan hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday split; other hours not read |
Source: GDRFA centre pages and its Ramadan announcement of , checked . The Almanara page also lists Ramadan hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Opening hours move around holidays, so read the current notice on the GDRFA site before you go. GDRFA has also moved services between buildings before, so confirm the address on its centres page, not on an old map pin.
Amer centres
Amer centres are service centres that GDRFA authorises to take visa and residency work under one roof. The GDRFA service page for status amendment says the service runs at Amer centres during their normal hours. At the centre you take a ticket, hand in the documents and pay.
Amer also has a call centre. GDRFA describes it as running 24 hours all week, receiving inquiries and telling customers which documents are required. The number is on the GDRFA site.
What you can do online instead
GDRFA says its status amendment service is available 24/7 through the smart services website and app. You log in with UAE Pass, fill in the data and pay. The same page gives the fee as AED 500 plus AED 10 plus AED 10, and about 48 hours to complete. See change visa status in the UAE for the full steps.
Other services follow the same pattern. Visit visa work that your sponsor or a tourism company files, status checks and fines inquiries can all be done on screen. The GDRFA guide lists the channels.
ICP centres inside Dubai
ICP lists customer happiness centres in Dubai too: Al Barsha, Alghazal, Al Rashidiya, Al Nahda and Alyalyis, plus offices in Al Baraha (Deira) and Hatta. The ICP page gives locations without hours. These sit under the federal authority, so use them for ICP matters. Look at the service you need first: if the file is a Dubai GDRFA file, take it to GDRFA.
Before you go
- Take your passport, the Emirates ID if you have one, and the visa or application number.
- Check whether the service is online. Many are, and it saves a trip.
- Check the centre hours for the day. Friday hours are shorter and split.
- Pay any fine first. GDRFA and ICP pay fines through their own services.
Fines, cancellation and leaving the UAE
People searching "emigration uae" are often leaving. Cancel the residence visa, check for fines and watch the grace period. Overstay fines are AED 50 a day on ICP's payment service, with a smart services fee of AED 100 when you pay through ICP. Read UAE overstay fine, residence visa cancellation and exit and re-entry.
Australian, Philippine and Indian immigration in Dubai
Searches like "australian immigration dubai" or "india immigration dubai" usually mean the consulate. The Australian site says its Embassy in Abu Dhabi serves Abu Dhabi and its Consulate in Dubai serves the northern emirates, for passport and consular services. It does not say where visas are lodged, and links to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade instead.
The Consulate General of India in Dubai lists passport services, emergency certificates, police clearance, Indian visa categories, OCI applications and community help on its site. We did not find an official page that lists a Philippine immigration office in Dubai. Look at the consulate's own site for passport and documents.
None of these offices issue UAE visas. UAE entry and residence stay with GDRFA and ICP.
Official sources
- GDRFA Dubai: services and centre links.
- GDRFA Almanara Center: location and hours.
- GDRFA Airport Services Center: Terminal 3, 24/7.
- GDRFA Amer call centre: what the call centre does.
- GDRFA status amendment service: channels and fee.
- ICP customer happiness centres: ICP locations in every emirate.
- u.ae: track a visa application: GDRFA or ICP.
- ICP fine payment service: AED 50 a day.
- Australian Embassy and Consulate in the UAE: consular services.
