Employment Visa Renewal in the UAE: Timing, Fees and the Steps in Order

Start at 60 Days, Not at 60 Hours

MOHRE states that a work permit and employment contract renewal may proceed 60 days prior to its expiration date. That window exists because the steps run in sequence and each one can stall: a lapsed establishment card, a company violation, a passport with less than six months left. Sixty days is enough for all of it. Sixty hours is not.

The labour side comes first, because the residence renewal rests on a valid work permit and contract. See work permits and labour cards for the permit types and company categories.

What the Government Charges for a Renewal

Please note: these are the authority amounts only. Federal charges and the work permit fee vary by company category, and PROXPAT's service fee is separate and quoted before we start. The full picture sits on our government fee page.

Conditions That Quietly Block a Renewal

• The passport must be valid for no less than six months, which ICP lists as a condition of renewal.
• All the requirements that applied when the residence was first issued must still be met at renewal, including valid health insurance.
• MOHRE requires the establishment to hold a valid licence without any registered violations.
• The MOHRE application must be submitted by the establishment's authorised signatory.
• The company's establishment card must be valid, because immigration transactions run through it.

None of these are discovered at the counter in a good month. They are discovered on day 58 in a bad one, which is why the check belongs at the start of the window rather than the end.

Medical Fitness and Emirates ID at Renewal

A renewal is not only paperwork. Most employees repeat the medical fitness test, and the Emirates ID is renewed alongside the residence. ICP lists a medical report among the required documents for most residency categories.

Practically, this is the part that needs the employee physically present, so it is worth booking early in the 60 days rather than assuming a free slot exists in the last week. See medical and biometrics coordination for the centres and what the visit involves.

Urgent Employment Visa Renewal in Dubai

Companies usually search for an urgent renewal when the expiry is days away. What actually shortens the timeline is narrower than most people expect, because the authority service times are already short: MOHRE lists 2 working days and ICP lists 2 days. The delay is almost never the authority.

Please note: no one can guarantee a renewal date. Approvals and timelines are decided by the relevant authority. What can be controlled is whether the file is complete and the conditions are met on the first attempt.

If the Visa Has Already Expired

If the residence permit has already lapsed, the renewal becomes a different conversation. ICP lists grace periods of 30 to 180 days depending on the residency type, and a fine of AED 50 for each day of stay in the country after the visa has expired.

Fines have to be settled before a new status is issued. For an employee who is leaving rather than staying, see visa cancellation services and what happens after cancellation.

A Realistic Renewal Timeline

Two working days plus two days is a short official timeline. The 60-day window exists for everything around it.

How PROXPAT Handles Renewals for Employers

Companies renewing more than a handful of visas a year usually move this onto a monthly PRO retainer, which covers new visas, renewals, cancellations and licence work for a fixed fee instead of a separate quote each time. For a single renewal, our per-transaction fee applies.