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An Abu Dhabi residence visa is issued by ICP, the federal authority, not by Dubai's GDRFA. Whether you come as an employee, a family member, a retiree or an investor, ICP charges AED 100 to apply, AED 100 per year of residence and AED 100 for the smart service. It states 2 days to issue. You must finish the residence within 60 days of entering on an entry permit.
Most residence rules are federal, so they match Dubai. This page shows only the differences that the official pages actually state.
Which residence you need in Abu Dhabi
| You are | Sponsor | Read next |
|---|---|---|
| An employee | Your employer, through MOHRE and ICP | Work visa in Abu Dhabi |
| A spouse or child | A resident family member | Family visa in Abu Dhabi |
| Aged 55+ with savings, property or income | Yourself | Retirement visa in Abu Dhabi |
| An investor or talent at the top level | Yourself | Golden visa in Abu Dhabi |
| A skilled worker, freelancer or partner | Yourself | Green residence through ICP |
ICP's issuing residency card lists these categories: student, retiree, property owner, family of UAE or GCC nationals, green investor, golden, blue, employment, and educational institutions.
ICP fees for Abu Dhabi residence
| ICP fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application | AED 100 |
| Residence issuance or renewal | AED 100 per year |
| Smart service | AED 100 |
| Status adjustment inside the UAE | AED 500 |
| Financial deposit fee | AED 20 |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart service |
| Overstay after the grace period | AED 50 per day |
Source: ICP issuing residency, renewal and Emirates ID pages, checked . The ICP table is not split by category, so check the total on the payment screen. Medical test and insurance prices are not on the ICP page.
ICP also lists guarantees. For an investor's family it is AED 3,000 per family member, up to AED 15,000. A domestic worker carries an AED 5,000 guarantee.
What agencies charge
We found no published price range from Abu Dhabi agencies for a residence visa. Dubai firms publish AED 1,100 to AED 7,000 for residence visa renewals (published prices of 4 Dubai firms, checked ), mostly for Dubai files. Use that as a rough guide only.
Where Abu Dhabi differs from Dubai
| Point | Abu Dhabi (ICP) | Dubai (GDRFA) |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues | ICP smart services | GDRFA website, app, Amer centres |
| Main fee lines | AED 100 application, AED 100 a year, AED 100 smart | AED 200 permit, AED 10, AED 10, AED 500 inside, AED 20 delivery |
| Stated time | 2 days | 48 hours |
| Grace period | 30 to 180 days by category | 60 days for standard permits |
| 2-year property owner visa | No DLD route; the DLD visa covers Dubai property only | DLD, any value for a sole owner |
| Golden visa on property | AED 2,000,000 own capital; off-plan if AED 2,000,000 paid | AED 2,000,000; DLD silent on off-plan |
| Retirement visa | AED 240,000 income or AED 1,000,000 asset routes (ADDED) | AED 240,000 income or AED 1,000,000 asset routes (GDRFA) |
Sources: ICP, GDRFA, DLD, ADRO and ADDED pages, checked . On the Abu Dhabi golden property route, a mortgage is allowed only when your own money in the property is at least AED 2,000,000.
We found no Abu Dhabi rule for a standard (non-golden) property owner visa. ICP lists "property owner" as a category, but the conditions for Abu Dhabi property are not on the pages we read. Ask ICP before you buy with a visa in mind.
Grace periods on ICP's renewal page
- 180 days: golden, green and blue holders and their families, widows and divorcees of residents, foreign relatives of citizens.
- 90 days: skilled workers at levels 1 to 3, and property owners.
- 60 days: permits issued with a guarantor or host.
- 30 days: all other categories.
After that, the AED 50 daily fine starts. The UAE overstay fine page explains how to settle it.
Documents checklist
- Passport, with at least 6 months left when you renew
- Photo with a white background
- Proof of your category: work permit and contract, attested marriage or birth certificates, title deed, bank statements or a deposit letter
- Valid health insurance (ICP lists it for issue and renewal)
- Water or electricity bill and lease, for family files
- Medical test result if you are 18 or over
Processing time
ICP states 2 days for issue and for renewal, and the Emirates ID is sent by courier. The slow parts are outside ICP: work permit approval at MOHRE, attestation of foreign certificates, and the medical test.
Renewal and status
Renew before the permit expires. ICP lets non-UAE nationals renew the Emirates ID when less than six months remain. Renewing one to six months early for travel needs special ICP approval. Your original conditions must still be met. To check where your file stands, see visa status check, and use the ICP option, not GDRFA.
Common refusal reasons
- Filing a Dubai-issued residence with ICP, or an Abu Dhabi one with GDRFA.
- Passport under 6 months at renewal.
- Health insurance expired for one family member.
- Category proof out of date, such as a lapsed contract or a deposit withdrawn.
- Missing the 60-day window after entry.
How it works with us
Send your passport, current visa or entry permit and a line on what you do in Abu Dhabi, on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser works out which ICP category you fall under and what proof it needs. You get one total price before paying, with ICP's own fees shown on their own line. The team prepares and submits the ICP file, answers ICP's requests and tells you when the medical and Emirates ID are due. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. ICP makes every decision on the residence.
ICP keeps its fees if it refuses the application. Your adviser tells you in writing before you pay which part of our total, if any, comes back.
Official sources
- ICP issuing residency: categories, fees, guarantees, 60-day rule, 2 days.
- ICP residency renewal: renewal fees, conditions, grace periods.
- ICP Emirates ID: ID fees.
- ADRO Abu Dhabi golden visa for investors: property and mortgage rule.
- ADDED retirement visa: Abu Dhabi retiree conditions.
- u.ae residence rules: medical age, 180-day absence rule.
Checked . Check the ICP page before you pay.
