Good (and bad) news: if your visit or tourist visa expired after 1 March 2020, you have less than three months to leave the UAE or change your status – that is, renew your visa or change to an employment visa – before you’ll be hit with hefty fines.

Earlier, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) had allowed holders of expired visit visas and entry permits a month from 11 August to 11 September to exit the country without paying fines. This grace period of one month was also renweable for another month upon request – after which a tourist or a visa holder needed to exit the UAE, or face overstay fines, if his visa status wouldn’t be changed to a residence visa.

The good news is the deadline has been extended. As per ICA’s latest update, the grace period to exit the UAE has been extended to 17 November 2020. This means if your visa expired after 1 March 2020, you are exempt from paying fines until 17 November.

The official tweet proclaimed: “The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) has announced the extension of the grace period granted to residency violators for another three months, along with fine exemptions.”

As for the fines? According to the UAE government’s official website, if a tourist or a visitor overstays beyond the grace period, he will be fined with Dhs200 for the first day of overstay and Dhs100 for each consecutive day. Those overstaying the grace period will also be fined an additonal Dhs100 service fee.

So, if you have an expired visa and you aren’t looking to leave anytime soon, it’s time to take action!

Photos: Unsplash and Twitter