The fixed penalty for overstaying is now Dhs50…

If you overstay your visa in the UAE, you’ll now be charged a fixed penalty of Dhs50, UAE authorities have announced. The fixed fee was updated as part of sweeping changes to the UAE visa system on October 3.

Before, the penalty was calculated depending on the type of expired visa. For those on a tourist visa, this was previously Dhs100 per day, so the fine has been reduced by 50 per cent. However expired residency visas previously accrued a fine of Dhs25 per day, so this has now doubled.

“The overstay fine payment can be paid either by visiting happiness centres or online through the authority website and smart application,”  a spokesperson from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security told The National.

Tourists who travel to the UAE are now able to stay for 60 days on an entry visa on any one visit, double the previous 30-day allowance. This can be renewed for a further 60 days upon application, giving tourists up to 120 days to enjoy the UAE. Residents of the UAE whose visas are either cancelled or expired now have a six month grace period to either exit the country or get a new residency visa. Beyond these timelines, tourists and former residents become eligible for fines and can also face criminal cases.

Those applying for visas should take into account that the days spent filing information or documents are still counted as overstay days, and as such will contribute to the fined days.