# How to check your UAE visa status online

> Check any UAE residence or visit visa online in two minutes with your passport number, file number or Emirates ID, using ICP for most emirates and GDRFA for Dubai.

- URL: https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/check-visa-status-uae/
- Author: [Harper Cross](https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/authors/harper-cross/), Business Analyst & Researcher
- Published: 25 September 2026
- Updated: 26 September 2026
- Facts last checked: 26 September 2026
- Section: Living & Working
- Publisher: Dubai Business Insight (https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/)

## Key takeaways

- Visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are checked on ICP's File Validity service.
- Dubai-issued visas are checked with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai.
- On ICP you can search by passport number, file number, unified number (UID) or Emirates ID number.
- The result shows the file status plus the issue and expiry dates.
- Checking is free. ICP's helpline is 600 522222; GDRFA Dubai's is 800 5111.

You can check your UAE visa status online for free in about two minutes. For visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah, use the File Validity service of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). For Dubai-issued visas, use the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai.

Both checks show whether your residence visa or visit visa is valid, along with its issue and expiry dates. You only need your passport details, or your file number, unified number (UID) or Emirates ID number.

If you have just applied and have no visa yet, you track the application instead. That uses a different service, covered below. If your Emirates ID is the thing you are waiting for, see our guide to the [Emirates ID status check](https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/emirates-id-status-check/).

## Which service should you use: ICP or GDRFA?

It depends on the emirate that issued your visa, not where you live now.

| Visa issued in | Where to check | Helpline |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah | ICP Smart Services (File Validity) | 600 522222 |
| Dubai | GDRFA Dubai (Status Inquiry) | 800 5111 (from abroad: +971 4 313 9999) |

Not sure which emirate issued it? Look at the place of issue on your visa or e-visa. If the ICP search returns nothing, try GDRFA, and the other way round.

## How to check visa status on ICP by passport number

This is the most common way, because everyone has their passport number to hand. It works for residence visas and visit visas (entry permits).

1. Open ICP's [File Validity service](https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity). You do not need to sign in.
2. Under **Search By**, choose **Passport Information**.
3. Under **Select the Type**, choose **Residency** for a residence visa or **Visa** for a visit or entry visa.
4. Enter your **Passport No.**, your **Passport Expire Date** and your **Nationality**.
5. Complete the **Verify** step and press **Search**.

The result shows your file status and the file's issue and expiry dates. Enter the passport that the visa was issued on. If you renewed your passport and did not transfer the visa, search with the old passport number.

## How to check visa status on ICP by file number, UID or Emirates ID

Use this route if you have your visa file number, your unified number (UID) or, for residents, your Emirates ID number.

1. Open the same [File Validity service](https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity).
2. Under **Search By**, keep **File No.** selected.
3. Choose the type: **Residency**, **Visa** or **Emirates ID**.
4. Under **File Type**, choose **Emirate Unified Number**, **File No.** or **Emirates ID Number**.
5. Enter the number, then your **Nationality** and **Date Of Birth**.
6. Verify and press **Search**.

The file number is printed on your e-visa or residence permit. Your unified number (UID) appears on your entry permit and visa documents too.

## How to check a Dubai visa status on GDRFA

Dubai visas sit on GDRFA Dubai's system rather than ICP's.

1. Go to GDRFA Dubai's [status inquiry page](https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Public_Th/StatusInquiry_New.aspx).
2. Choose what you are searching for. Use the file option to check an issued visa, or the request option to check an application.
3. Fill in every field the form asks for. Depending on the option, that means the file or request number plus your passport number, nationality and date of birth.
4. Submit to see the status.

GDRFA also offers a Fines Inquiry service. It lets you check residency fines on your own file or on people you sponsor.

## How to track a visa application that is still in progress

If your employer or sponsor has applied but the visa has not been issued, File Validity will not find it yet. Track the application instead.

- **Visas from ICP emirates:** use ICP's [Application Tracking](https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/guest/index.html#/applicationTracking) service. It asks for the **email** used on the application and the **request number**.
- **Dubai visas:** use the request option on GDRFA Dubai's status inquiry page.

Your sponsor, or the typing centre that submitted the application, has the request number.

## What your visa status result means

| Status you see | What it means | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Valid / Active, with an expiry date | Your visa is in force | Note the expiry date and renew in good time |
| Expired | The validity date has passed | Renew or leave. Overstaying adds daily fines: see [overstay fine check](https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/overstay-fine-check-uae/) |
| Cancelled | The sponsor has cancelled the visa | Check the grace period that applies to you and act before it ends |
| No record found | The details don't match, or it's the other authority's visa | Re-check the passport number and nationality, then try GDRFA or ICP |

A cancelled residence visa does not always mean you must leave the next day. Residents usually get a grace period to change status or exit. How long depends on the visa type, so confirm your own dates with ICP or GDRFA.

## Why the check shows "no record found"

Most failed searches come from one of these:

- **Wrong authority.** Dubai visas only show on GDRFA.
- **Wrong passport.** The visa is linked to the passport it was issued on.
- **Nationality mismatch.** Choose exactly the nationality on your passport.
- **Wrong type.** Choose Residency for a residence visa and Visa for a visit visa.
- **Too early.** A visa that is still being processed only appears in Application Tracking.

If you still get nothing, call ICP on 600 522222 (+971 600 522222 from abroad) or GDRFA Dubai on 800 5111.

## Checking your work permit status

Your visa and your work permit are separate records. A residence visa is issued by ICP or GDRFA. A private-sector work permit (the labour card) is issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Check the permit with MOHRE's online enquiry services, explained in our [MOHRE enquiry guide](https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/mohre-enquiry-services/) and our [UAE labour card guide](https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/uae-labour-card/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How can I check my UAE visa status with my passport number?

Use ICP's File Validity service. Choose Passport Information, then Residency or Visa. Enter your passport number, passport expiry date and nationality, then press Search. For a Dubai-issued visa, use GDRFA Dubai's status inquiry page instead.

### Is it free to check a UAE visa status?

Yes. Checking visa validity on ICP's File Validity service or GDRFA Dubai's status inquiry page costs nothing, and you do not need to sign in with UAE PASS. Paid services only come in when you apply for, renew or amend a visa.

### How do I check if my UAE visa has been cancelled?

Run a File Validity search on ICP, or a status inquiry on GDRFA for Dubai visas. If your sponsor has cancelled the visa, the status shows as cancelled. Then check your grace period before it runs out.

### How do I check my visit visa status in the UAE?

Choose Visa, not Residency, in ICP's File Validity form, and search with your passport details. For a Dubai visit visa, use GDRFA Dubai. If the visa is still being processed, use Application Tracking with your request number.

### Can I check my visa status with my Emirates ID?

Yes, for residence visas. In ICP's File Validity form, keep File No. selected and choose Emirates ID. Then pick Emirates ID Number as the file type and enter it with your nationality and date of birth.

### What is the ICP customer service number?

ICP's call centre is 600 522222 from inside the UAE and +971 600 522222 from abroad. GDRFA Dubai's number is 800 5111, or +971 4 313 9999 from outside the UAE.

## Sources

- [UAE Government portal: Track visa application and validity](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Apply-and-track-visa/track-visa-application-and-validity)
- [ICP Smart Services: File Validity](https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity)
- [ICP Smart Services: Application Tracking](https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/guest/index.html#/applicationTracking)
- [GDRFA Dubai: Status inquiry](https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Public_Th/StatusInquiry_New.aspx)

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Cite as: "How to check your UAE visa status online", Dubai Business Insight, updated 26 September 2026. https://dubaibusinessinsight.com/living-working/check-visa-status-uae/