Guide · updated 02.09.2026 · 8 min read · Lucent Legal team
UAE overstay fine calculator — count it by dates, 2026
Key points
- One rate covers every visa — AED 50 for each day of overstay. The 2022 reform scrapped the old system where the first day cost more than the rest.
- Tourist and visit visas carry no buffer: the count starts the first day after expiry. A cancelled residence visa gets a standard 30 days, and certain long-term categories up to 180.
- Overstay longer than 30 days and an exit permit joins the fine, reportedly around AED 250–350.
- ICP Smart Services and GDRFA Fines Inquiry show the exact accrued amount free, by passport, Emirates ID, or file number.
- An overstay by itself is not a criminal case. It almost always ends with paying the fine and arranging the exit.
Your visa has expired and you are still in the country, so the meter is already running: AED 50 for every extra day. The whole trick is which day it starts on, and that depends on your visa type. Enter the dates and the calculator returns the overstayed days, the fine, and whether you need an exit permit.
Fine on that date
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Calculated at the AED 50 per day rate that applies to every visa type after the 2022 reform. The exact amount accrued on your file is shown free by ICP Smart Services and the GDRFA Fines Inquiry service — this calculator is here to show you the order of magnitude and the price of waiting.
What the calculation turns on
Days are counted as calendar days: weekends and public holidays do not stop the meter. The count runs from the visa expiry date, and for a cancelled residence visa from the cancellation date. That is where people slip most often — the passport stamp and the actual cancellation in the system can differ, and the charge follows the system date.
The second thing is the 30-day threshold. It does not change the rate, but it changes how you leave: below that mark paying the fine is enough, above it you need a separate permit. Visa types, grace periods and how to check your status are covered in "UAE overstay fine", and the portals themselves in "How to check your overstay fine online".
If the amount is already large
The sum grows in a straight line and never freezes on its own, so the strategy is one: fix a departure date and count back from it. People pay in advance through ICP or GDRFA, or at the airport before the flight. With a large amount, do not leave it to the last hour — a mismatch in the records surfaces at the desk, and the flight will not wait.
Check at the same time whether anything else is filed against you. An open overstay file often sits alongside an exit restriction on some other ground, and the UAE travel ban guide explains how to check. Amnesties are announced from time to time, but none is running now — count at the standard rate, from day one for visit and tourist visas. Past measures, and what to do instead of waiting for the next one, are in the UAE visa amnesty guide.
FAQ
Is the fine really the same for a tourist visa and a residence visa?
Yes, AED 50 a day is charged the same way across all visa types. The difference is not the amount but the moment the count begins: a cancelled residence visa has a grace period, a tourist visa has none.
Do the days count while I am applying for a new visa inside the country?
If the visa has expired and your status is unsettled, the days run. Not every category can switch status in-country, and that is worth establishing before the visa expires, not after.
What if I just leave and never pay?
Leaving will not work: the fine surfaces at passport control on departure, and you will not be let out until it is settled. An unpaid overstay also gets in the way of your next entry.
Do I need an exit permit for an overstay of under a month?
Usually not: the separate permit applies to overstays past 30 days. The calculator only shows that line once the threshold is crossed.
How accurate is this calculation?
It gives the right order of magnitude at the current rate, but the charge on your file can differ — because of the cancellation date in the system, older fines, or grace measures that were in force. For official figures, check ICP Smart Services and GDRFA Fines Inquiry.
Sources
Topic: UAE Visas & Residency 2026
This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.