Last updated
The Emirates ID is the identity card every UAE resident holds. It is tied to your residence visa: it expires when the visa expires and is cancelled when the visa is cancelled. For residents, ICP charges AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 to renew it. A lost or damaged card costs AED 300 plus AED 100. Renewal takes 5 days.
ICP issues the card for every emirate, Dubai included. GDRFA handles the Dubai visa itself, but the card is ICP's.
Emirates ID fees for residents
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Renewal | AED 100 per year of residence + AED 100 smart application fee |
| Replacement of a lost or damaged card | AED 300 + AED 100 smart service fee |
| Urgent replacement, at service centres only | AED 150 extra |
| Replacement after a data update | AED 150 |
| Late renewal fine, after 30 days from expiry | AED 20 per day, maximum AED 1,000 |
| Fine for not reporting a data change within 30 days | AED 20 per day, maximum AED 1,000 |
Source: ICP Emirates ID renewal and ICP lost or damaged card, checked .
The renewal fee is in your residence renewal costs. Our visa renewal cost page shows it next to the visa lines.
Why the card is tied to your visa
u.ae is direct about it. When your residence visa is cancelled, the Emirates ID is cancelled automatically. When the visa expires, so does the card.
That has practical effects:
- A new job or sponsor means a new residence and a new card.
- If your visa is cancelled and you stay on in the grace period, the old card no longer works as proof of residence.
- A family member's card ends with their own residence, which ends with yours.
So you rarely renew the card on its own. You renew the visa, and the card follows. See visa renewal in Dubai for the steps.
Renewing the card
ICP lets non-UAE nationals renew in the last six months before expiry, or after it. Once the visa renewal is approved, ICP sends the new card by courier.
Documents for a renewal
- A new photo, different from the one on your current card
- Passport valid for at least 3 more months
- The supporting papers for your residence category
The photo rule catches many people. ICP will not accept the same photo as last time.
Fingerprints
u.ae says holders aged 15 and over complete fingerprints and signature at an ICP centre when the system asks for it.
If your card is lost or damaged
- Report the loss within 7 days, as u.ae advises.
- Apply for a replacement on ICP smart services or at an ICP centre.
- Upload an ICAO photo, your passport and proof of residence.
- Pay AED 300 plus AED 100. Pay the AED 150 urgent fee only if you need it fast and can go to a centre.
- Wait for the new card. ICP lists 5 days for standard delivery.
Processing time
- Renewal: 5 days, delivered by courier
- Replacement: 5 days
- Urgent replacement: collected at a service centre
Using the Emirates ID to check your status
The GDRFA fines inquiry lets you search by Emirates ID, as well as by file number, UDB number or passport number. That tells you if fines sit on a Dubai file.
To track a card application, use ICP smart services application tracking with your application number. ICP's FAQ says it starts with 010. For the visa itself, use the visa status check.
Travel with an Emirates ID
Some countries ease visa rules for UAE residents. They look at your residence and passport, and the card is how you show the residence. Check our list of visa-free countries for UAE residents before you book.
Why renewals and replacements get held
- The same photo as the current card. ICP asks for a new one.
- Passport with under 3 months left. Renew the passport first.
- The residence itself has expired or been cancelled. There is no card without a valid visa.
- Unpaid fines. A late renewal or unreported data change adds AED 20 a day until paid.
- Fingerprints not done when ICP asked for them.
Tips
- Report any change to the data on your card within 30 days to avoid the daily fine.
- Keep a photo of both sides of your card, so a loss report is quick.
- Leaving the UAE for good? Cancel the residence and the card goes with it. See residence visa cancellation.
Official sources
- ICP Emirates ID renewal: renewal fee, late fine, documents, 5 days.
- ICP lost or damaged card: replacement fees, documents, 5 days.
- ICP FAQ: 30 days before the fine starts, renewal window, the 010 application number.
- u.ae Emirates ID: tied to the visa, report a loss in 7 days, fingerprints at 15.
All checked .
