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A UAE visit visa extension lets you stay longer without leaving the country. In Dubai, GDRFA charges AED 600 plus 5% VAT for each extension. ICP lists AED 100 for the application plus AED 500 for the extension. A tourist visa can be extended until you reach 120 days in total. GDRFA states 48 hours to process it and ICP states 2 days.
Extension fees at GDRFA and ICP
| Fee item | GDRFA Dubai | ICP (other emirates) |
|---|---|---|
| Extension | AED 600 plus 5% VAT | AED 100 application + AED 500 extension |
| Inside-country lines shown | AED 500 + AED 10 + AED 10 | Not listed |
| 14-day visa extension | Not listed | AED 250 |
| Moving the entry date before arrival | Not listed | AED 50, once |
| Processing time | 48 hours | 2 days |
Source: GDRFA tourist, relative, job seeker and medical extension pages and the ICP Visa Extension page, checked .
The GDRFA extension pages print an extra "inside country" block of AED 500 plus the Knowledge Dirham of AED 10 and the Innovation Dirham of AED 10. Since you are always inside the UAE when you extend, ask the person filing whether it applies to your case before you pay. Both portals say fees can change.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 1,100 to AED 1,200 for a 30-day extension done inside the UAE (published prices of 3 Dubai agencies, checked ). Those prices bundle the government fees with the agency's own service charge.
How long you can extend: the 120 and 180-day caps
The limit is a total number of days in the country, not a count of extensions. You can extend once or several times until you hit the cap.
- Tourist visa: up to 120 days in total.
- Relative or friend visit visa: up to 180 days in total on the ICP and GDRFA extension pages.
- Treatment visa: 180 days. GDRFA says the health facility applies.
- Study or training visa: 180 days.
- Job seeker and business exploration visas: 180 days.
- MOHRE work mission visa: once only.
- 14-day visa for certain nationalities: once, for the same period.
- 60-day visa for certain nationalities: cannot be extended.
- Transit visas: 48 and 96-hour visas cannot be extended.
There is a conflict you should know about. The ICP visa issuance page says a relative visit visa stay must not go over 120 days. The ICP and GDRFA extension pages say 180 days. If your plans depend on the extra 60 days, ask ICP or GDRFA to confirm for your file before you book anything.
The 5-year tourist visa follows its own rule: 90 days per stay, extendable once for the same period, with a ceiling of 180 days a year counted from your first entry.
Visa on arrival extensions
GDRFA runs a service called "Extending a visitor visa (upon arrival)". It adds the same period again for AED 600 plus VAT, online only, in 48 hours. The conditions printed on that page only describe the 14-day visa for Indian nationals who hold a US visa or green card, or UK or EU residence. If you came in on a 30 or 90-day visa on arrival as another nationality, the page does not say plainly whether you qualify. Ask GDRFA, or check our UAE visa for US, UK and EU visa holders page for the rules on that route.
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office describes its 30-day visa on arrival as valid "for 30 days with a 10-day period for extension". The wording is unclear: it may mean a short grace window rather than a paid extension.
Documents checklist
- Clear passport copy, valid at least 6 months.
- Copy of your current UAE visa or entry stamp.
- Health insurance valid in the UAE for the new dates.
- For relative visas: the sponsor's details and the visa file the guarantee deposit sits on.
- For medical visas: the medical report from the treating facility.
- UAE Pass if you apply on ICP yourself.
Processing time
GDRFA gives 48 hours for its extensions and ICP gives 2 days. Count working days and start early. GDRFA cancels requests if missing papers are not added within 30 days, so a half-finished file can leave you short of time.
Why extensions get refused
- You have reached the cap. A tourist visa at 120 days cannot go further. You need a new visa, a status change or an exit.
- The visa type is not extendable. The 60-day visa for certain nationalities and transit visas cannot be extended at all.
- Wrong person filing. Tourist extensions go through accredited tourism offices only. A friend cannot file one for you.
- Late application. Once your visa ends you start paying overstay fines of AED 50 a day, and these must be cleared first.
- Insurance not covering the new dates. Renew it before the extension goes in.
How it works with us
Message us on WhatsApp or use the form on this page with a copy of your passport and your current visa. A visa adviser looks at how many days you have used, which cap applies and whether an extension beats a new visa or leaving the country. You get one total price, confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay. The team then files the extension with the right sponsor, pays the government fees and watches the file until the new permit is ready. It is sent to you as soon as it is issued. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, not a government office. GDRFA or ICP approves or refuses every extension.
If the extension is refused, the authorities do not give government fees back. Before you pay, the adviser tells you in writing what part of the total, if any, would come back to you.
Tips before you extend
- Count your days from the entry stamp, not from the visa issue date.
- If you are near 120 days on a tourist visa, compare an extension with exit and re-entry on a new visa.
- Family hosting a parent for a long stay may get more room on a family visit visa.
Official sources
- GDRFA tourist visa extension: AED 600 fee, 120-day cap, accredited tourism offices only.
- GDRFA relative or friend visa extension: 180-day cap and inside-country lines.
- GDRFA extending a visitor visa upon arrival: same-period extension and its conditions.
- ICP Visa Extension: fees, the limit for each visa type, 2 days.
- ICP visa issuance: the 120-day line for relative visits.
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