UAE Digital Government Issues Advisory for Expats on Residence Visa Cancellation
UAE residence visa is cancelled properly when you decide to leave the country permanently, as failure to close the residency status may result in complications in case you want to return to the UAE in the future.
The advisory has been shared on the website of the UAE Digital Government.
Expats relocating to another country must also cancel the UAE visa of residents whom they have sponsored, such as family members.
The UAE Digital Government, through its website, states: “If you a have a [UAE] residence visa sponsored either by a family member or by your employer, and you decide to leave the country permanently, your residence visa must be cancelled officially.”
The website points out: “Normally, only the sponsor can cancel your residence visa. You cannot process the application on your own.”
If a company decides to cancel an employment visa of its employee, it must first approach Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) with an application to cancel the employee’s labour contract and labour card. The employee must also sign this application. Then, the employer should apply to ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security) for visa cancellation.
The company must also cancel the work permit. For this, it must submit a letter to MoHRE signed by the employee stating that he or she has already received all the dues, wages and end of services benefits from the employer.
What about individuals who are sponsors?
Individuals sponsoring their spouse, children and other dependents must cancel their dependents’ visas before they cancel their own visa. It normally costs around Dh110 to cancel the visa.
The UAE Digital Government explained that according to the procedures, only the sponsor or someone they delegate on their behalf (such as a PRO, for example, in the case of companies) can proceed with cancelling the residence visa of someone they have sponsored. The sponsored person cannot implement the request without the permission and signature of the sponsor.
