A worker at a table reviewing a document, with her passport beside her and a city view behind.

Cancelling your UAE residence visa: how it works, how long you can stay, and what to do if your employer has your passport

Leaving the UAE or changing jobs? Your employer cancels your work permit and visa, and the grace period starts. Your employer can't keep your passport.

By Kindoo teamPublished 2 min read

"Planning to leave the UAE, change employers, or switch visas?" Whatever the reason, your current residence visa usually has to be cancelled first. One reader's question shows why getting it right matters: "I don't have access to my passport." That's covered below too.

Who cancels it

For an employment visa, your employer does. You can't cancel your own employment visa. The sponsor has to.

For mainland jobs, it's a two-step process, in this order:

  1. The work permit is cancelled through MOHRE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
  2. The residence visa is cancelled through ICP, or GDRFA in Dubai.

Before cancelling, your employer should settle what you're owed: your final salary, end-of-service gratuity, unused leave and, where it applies, your ticket home. Don't sign anything confirming you've been paid until you have been.

The grace period

Cancellation doesn't mean you have to leave immediately. You get a grace period to either leave the UAE, start a new visa, or change your status, for example to a new employer's visa or a family visa.

  • For most residence visas, the grace period is currently around 60 days.
  • If you work on the mainland, count from the date your work permit was cancelled, not the residence visa.
  • If you work in a free zone, count from the residence visa cancellation.

Check your exact dates on the ICP or GDRFA website or app. If you stay past the grace period, you'll be fined for every day you overstay.

How a UAE visa cancellation works Cancelling a UAE employment visa: your final pay is settled, your work permit is cancelled through MOHRE, then your residence visa through ICP or GDRFA, and a grace period starts in which you leave, get a new visa or change status. Your employer can’t keep your passport. 1 2 3 4 Final pay settled: Work permit cancelled Residence visa cancelled Grace period: salary, gratuity, leave (MOHRE) (ICP / GDRFA) leave, new visa or change status Your employer can’t keep your passport. How a UAE visa cancellation works Cancelling a UAE employment visa: your final pay is settled, your work permit is cancelled through MOHRE, then your residence visa through ICP or GDRFA, and a grace period starts in which you leave, get a new visa or change status. Your employer can’t keep your passport. 1 2 3 4 Final pay settled: salary, gratuity, leave Work permit cancelled (MOHRE) Residence visa cancelled (ICP / GDRFA) Grace period: leave, new visa or change status Your employer can’t keep your passport.
How a UAE visa cancellation works, in order.

Your family's visas

If you sponsor your family, their visas are linked to yours. When yours is cancelled, theirs has to be transferred to your new visa, or cancelled with their own grace period. Don't forget this step, because you as the sponsor can be fined if their visas are left hanging.

"I don't have access to my passport"

In the UAE, your employer isn't allowed to keep your passport without your consent. It's your personal document, even if your employer is your visa sponsor.

If your employer is holding your passport:

  1. Ask for it back in writing, by message or email, so you have a record.
  2. File a complaint with MOHRE through its app, website or service centres.
  3. Contact the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. It helps Filipino workers with exactly this kind of problem, and can step in with your employer.

Don't leave the job without first getting advice, because walking out without following the proper steps can cause problems with your record.

Your cancellation checklist

  • Final salary, gratuity and leave paid, with receipts
  • Work permit cancellation confirmed (mainland)
  • Residence visa cancellation confirmed, and your grace period end date noted
  • Family visas transferred or cancelled
  • Your passport in your own hands
  • Your OWWA membership active if you're going home. See our guide to renewing it online.

Rules and grace periods can change. Check icp.gov.ae, gdrfad.gov.ae and mohre.gov.ae before acting.

Sources

This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Government rules and rates change; confirm current figures with the official agency before acting.

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