Re-entry permit now available for UAE Residency visa holders staying outside country

DUBAI - In a major policy shift, UAE residency visa holders who stay outside the Emirate for over six months can now apply for a permit to re-enter the country, it has emerged.

Those intending to come back will need to elaborate the reasons for having stayed outside the country for that period and may need to furnish proof to substantiate their claims.

The website of Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) can be explored for the permit in this regard and the tab under ‘smart services’ is the link for applying for the permit.

The approval process takes around 5 days only after which applicants can re-enter the country, Khaleej Times reported.

To avail the service, applicants must enter their details and that of their sponsors, as well as their passport and residency-related information while a mandatory field on the application relates to specifying the reason for staying outside the country for six months or more.

The travel agents based in United Arab Emirates have also confirmed receving notification in this regard. As far as UAE is concerned, residency is generally cancelled automatically if its holder has been outside the country for 180 days. The only exception in this regard is Golden Visa holders who are allowed to stay outside for as long as they wanted without affecting their residency status.

There has been a spate of changes relating to visa and immigration in the United Arab Emirates. Recently, the fees to avail ICP services were jacked up. For instance the fee for issuance of visa and Emirates IDs was increased by Dh100.

Another change which has been implemented recently is that visit visas can no longer be extended within the UAE, with holders compelled to exit the country and re-enter on a fresh visa.

The United Arab Emirates has been digitalizing its system and making the ICP platform more effective with each passing day to facilitate the citizens to the maximum possible level.