How to check UAE visa application and validity status?

Is your UAE visa expiration date in your mind? We all know that keeping track of the exact date can be hard when you have a busy schedule. But the UAE visa is one of the most important documents for expat residents. You probably memorize the exact expiration date of your visa at the beginning of your stay in the UAE. However, you might eventually forget about when your visa is due. Sure, you can always check your passport and remind yourself not to overstay your visit, but there is a better alternative to carrying your passport with you at all times. You just need your cellphone and an active internet connection. In this article, we are going to tell you how to check the UAE visa status online. Stay tuned! Table of Contents

• How to check the UAE visa status online
• How to Check UAE Visa Application and Validity Status
• How to Use ICA Portal to Check UAE Visa Status
• How to Use the GDRFA Portal to Check UAE Visa Status
• Checking UAE Visa Status With Passport Number

How to check the UAE visa status online?

Thanks to the new UAE nationality law, expatriates can become citizens if they meet certain criteria. If you want to obtain a UAE passport, you need to visit the UAE on a regular basis and having a valid residence visa is a prerequisite for being a resident of the UAE. In order to secure the validity of your visa, you will need to pay a visit to the UAE once every six months. If you think you might forget about your visa expiry date, you can always check your visa status through official online platforms. These online platforms can also help you check your application status in case you have applied for a visa to visit the UAE. Here is how you can use these platforms:

How to Check UAE Visa Application and Validity Status?

If you have any issues regarding your UAE visa or simply want to check your visa application and validity status, an easy way of doing so would be through user-friendly official online platforms. There are two main platforms for checking the UAE visa status. Depending on the emirate that has issued your visa, you can choose one for checking your visa status.

If your visa has been issued in Dubai, you can use the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). The GDRFA is an authority in Dubai in charge of visa-related matters and will respond to all the queries. The GDRFA platform is technically Dubai’s exclusive system for visa-related matters.

As for other emirates, however, you will need to check the website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA). The ICA platform allows you to check your visa application and validity status for emirates other than Dubai. Keeping a scanned copy of your passport in your phone is a smart way to go about it. Using this method, you can confirm your UAE residence visa validity whenever you like. Dubai visit visas can also be checked using the same process.

How to Use ICA Portal to Check UAE Visa Status?

ICA portal is for visas that have been or are going to be issued from emirates other than Dubai. It provides an online smart service and a mobile app both of which you can use to check the status of your visa validity or application online.

Using the ICA smart service:

1. In your browser, open the ICA’s official website at smartservices.ica.gov.ae.
2. On the web page, click on “Individual Service”.
3. Login with the required information. If you haven’t created an account, enter the necessary information accurately and register at the website.

At this step, you also have the option to use your UAE pass for signing in if you have one.

1. Enter your passport number.
2. Provide the required information and details in the corresponding blanks and click “submit”.

If all the fields are correctly filled, the status of your visa will be displayed for you.

Using the ICA mobile application:

1. You can download the application from Google Play or App Store and then install it. You can easily search the keywords “ICA UAE Smart”.
2. Select your language.
3. Specify whether you’re within or outside the UAE.
4. Login by entering the required information or register as a new user.
5. Enter your passport number.
6. Submit the information.

After submitting, your visa status will be displayed. Aside from these online platforms, you can also contact the ICA directly via their phone number at 600522222.

How to Use the GDRFA Portal to Check UAE Visa Status?

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) is responsible to assist with and provide answers to all UAE visa-related rules, applications, questions, and concerns. The GDRFA offers its online AMER-based services to UAE citizens, residents, and visitors only in Dubai. If you have applied for Dubai visa or already have an entry permit and want to check your visa validity status, follow these steps:

1. Open the link amer.gdrfad.gov.ae/visa-inquiry in your browser.
2. In the “General Inquiry” section, click on “File Type”.
3. Two options will be displayed for you; “Entry Permit” and “Residence”. Choose one depending on your situation. For example, if you are currently in Dubai and want to check your visa expiry date, click on “Residence”.
4. At this step, you are required to enter your name, nationality, visa number, and date of birth.
5. Click on “Submit”.

If all the info is correct, your visa status will be displayed for you. Just like ICA, GDRFA has a mobile application too. You can download the Dubai Now mobile app from Google Play or App Store and go through the same steps to check your UAE visa status. You also have the option to call GDRFA customer service. If you are in Dubai, dial the number 8005111 and if not, contact +9714313999.

Checking UAE Visa Status with Passport Number

If your visa has been or is going to be issued in Abu-Dhabi, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Ajman, there is another way to check its validity or application status. You will still be using the ICA smart services, though, by following a different set of steps.

1. Open the link smartservices.ica.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity in your browser.
2. On the website, a “Search Type” option will be displayed for you that features a radio button. From the buttons, select “Passport.”
3. If you are a GCC citizen, check the corresponding box.
4. From the service type, select “Visa.”
5. Enter your passport number, passport expiry date, and your nationality in the blank fields. These blank fields will be displayed only if you select “Passport” as your search type.
6. Check the captcha box and click on “Search.”

Your visa details, including the expiration date for the UAE visa, will be displayed if the information you provided is accurate.

How to Check Your Visa Status with Your Receipt Number or Reference Number?

You will need the application number and the reference number. in order to track the status of your United Arab Emirates visa application. Any service provider should be able to provide you with the application and reference numbers after you submit your UAE visa application. Once you have it, you will be able to track your UAE visa status. To check the status of your UAE visa, you can use a variety of channels.

Dubai visa status checks are different from those for other UAE visas. For instance, if you applied for a Dubai visa at the Amer center in Dubai. By visiting the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs-Dubai, you can track your application.

However, suppose you have applied for a visa to Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain. In that case, you’ll be able to track your visa application through the Federal Authorities for Identity and Citizenship, customer, and Port Security- ICP website.

If you have the recipient number, you can check your visa status online by following these steps:

1. Open the link ica.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidityin your browser.
2. On the website, a “Search Type” option will be displayed; select “Passport.”
3. From the service type, select “Visa.”
4. Enter your recipient number
5. Check the captcha box and click on “Search.”

UAE Visa Application Centres

Additionally, TT Services will send applicants an email informing them of the status of their application. The applicant can contact the specific UAE Visa application Centre directly if he/she does not have access to the online facility. Office hours at TT Services are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Takeaway

For expats living in the UAE, visas are extremely important documents. Besides proving your residency status, it is also required for buying property, applying for dependent visas, and many other purposes. This article concluded our guide on how to check UAE visa status online and offline. There are two official online platforms that allow you to check your visa status anytime you want pretty easily. Dubai has a separate system from other emirates of the UAE and if you have or want to check the application status for a Dubai visa, you should visit the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Checking visa validity and application status for other emirates can be done through the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) platform. Both of these platforms have mobile applications too and can also be contacted via their phone numbers.