How to get exemption from automatic visa cancellation

As per the UAE law which regulates residence visas, a residence visa becomes invalid if the permit holder of the visa is living outside the country for a continuous period of more than six months.

The case of staying outside UAE for more than 6 months occur mostly for persons like pregnant women and their accompanied children who are living in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or other emirates and holding a residence visa.

If you have gone for a short vacation and later decided to come back only after more than six months due to pregnancy or medical reasons. This means that a person will be outside the UAE for more than six months.

Then Is it possible to avoid the residence visa being automatically cancelled? If yes, how can you do that?

Staying outside the UAE for a continuous period of more than six months is possible if the request for re entry permit is approved by immigration department. However, in normal conditions staying outside the UAE for more than six months will invalidate the permit and the person cannot enter without a reentry permit.

As per the uae visa rules, a residence permit becomes invalid if the holder of the visa stays outside the country for a continuous period of over six months.

However, it is possible to avoid the invalidation of a residence visa even if the holder stays outside the UAE for over six months or 180 days continuously, provided the visa period is still valid.

In order to obtain this exemption from automatic invalidation of residence visa, the sponsor of the visa must apply to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners� Affairs and get a re-entry permit from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

This procedure will help you to avoid the invalidation of visa and will allow the visa holder to re-enter the UAE. The applicable fees to be paid at GDRFA is Dirhams.130 for first and then Dirhams.100 for each month of living outside the UAE after completion of six months of continuous stay outside the UAE.

The approval for the exemption is strictly made by the decision of GDRFA.  For example if you have lived outside the country for a total of 289 days then you will have to pay aed.530 to get a re-entry permit.