2 verified fees · checked 2026-11-14

Visa, residence and ID fees in UAE

What the government charges, taken from the official portal — not from a visa agency. Fees that depend on duration or applicant are explained rather than averaged.

UAE — official fees
ItemFeeBasisSource
Employment residence permit - private sector (ICP emirates)
residence
AED 100AED 100 issuance fee per year of residence; a 2-year private-sector permit therefore carries AED 200. Charged on top: AED 100 application fee, AED 100 smart service fee and (if converting status inside the UAE) AED 500 status adjustment. Dubai (GDRFA) publishes a separate fee schedule.Official ↗
Emirates ID card - new issuance for residents
id-card
AED 100AED 100 per year of residence, plus a flat AED 100 smart service fee. A 2-year residence therefore gives AED 200 for the card + AED 100 service fee; a 10-year UAE-national card is AED 200.Official ↗
Visa status check - application tracking and visa validity
other
Not publishedFree enquiry service - no fee is stated on the official page.Official ↗

Excludes medical tests, insurance and typing. Each row links the portal it was read from.

How the process runs

The steps as the official portal describes them.

  1. Employer (sponsor) submits the residence application through ICP eChannels or the UAEICP app, usually as part of the work bundle with MoHRE
  2. Applicant completes the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
  3. Residence permit is issued electronically (no passport sticker) and linked to the Emirates ID application
  4. Employee/employer checks issued visa validity and expiry on ICP or GDRFA Dubai

Frequently asked questions

How much does a residence permit cost in UAE?
Employment residence permit - private sector (ICP emirates) is AED 100 — AED 100 issuance fee per year of residence; a 2-year private-sector permit therefore carries AED 200. Charged on top: AED 100 application fee, AED 100 smart service fee and (if converting status inside the UAE) AED 500 status adjustment. Dubai (GDRFA) publishes a separate fee schedule.. The full table with the official source is above.
Do these fees include medical tests, insurance and typing?
No. Government fee schedules usually cover the permit, the ID card and the service charge only. Medical fitness tests, health insurance and typing centre charges are separate and vary by emirate, city and provider.
Who pays — the employer or the worker?
Under UAE labour law the employer normally bears the cost of the work permit and residence sponsorship for a sponsored worker. Some employers deduct ID or service fees; the law and the employment contract decide, and the official portal named on each row is the authority.

SourceOfficial government portalsUpdatedRead from the linked portal on the date shown. Fees change by decree — confirm before paying.