UAE Visa Status Check: How to Check Your Visa Online (ICP & GDRFA)

To check a UAE visa status online, first work out which authority issued it. Visas for Dubai are checked with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) on its Visa Status page. Visas for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are checked with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) through its Smart Services portal or the UAEICP app.

Both services are free. This guide explains which one to use, what details you need, and how to read the result.

Step 1: find out which authority issued your visa

The UAE has two immigration systems, and a status check only works on the right one.

GDRFA Dubai: visas sponsored in Dubai, including most Dubai tourist visas arranged by Dubai hotels, tour operators and airlines.
ICP: visas sponsored in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

If you are not sure, look at your visa document or the confirmation from whoever applied for you. A visa issued in Dubai normally shows Dubai as the place of issue. If a travel agent, airline or employer applied for you, ask them which authority processed it and for the application or file number.

How to check a Dubai visa status (GDRFA)

GDRFA Dubai lists a Visa Status service on its official website, which it describes as a way to verify entry permits, residence permits and related documents. The UAE government portal points Dubai applicants to the same GDRFA status inquiry page both to track an application and to check validity.

The status page lets you search in different ways, including:

By application: if you have applied but the visa has not been issued yet, use the application number from your receipt or confirmation, along with the other details the form asks for.
By file: once the visa has been issued, use the file number shown on your entry permit or residence visa, together with your first name in English, nationality and date of birth.

Enter the details exactly as they appear on your documents. A spelling difference in your name or a wrong date of birth is the most common reason a search returns nothing.

GDRFA Dubai also offers related services on its website, such as a fines inquiry and a tool to find your unified number, which can help if you are tracing an overstay or a record from a previous visa.

How to check a visa status in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates (ICP)

For visas issued outside Dubai, the UAE government portal directs you to ICP. There are two different checks:

Tracking an application: use the application tracking service on ICP's Smart Services portal. ICP's homepage also has a Check Application Status tool where you enter a reference such as the request number.
Checking validity of an issued visa: use ICP's file validity service, which shows issuance and expiry dates. The government portal notes this link goes through an ICP login page.

You can reach the same services through the official UAEICP smart app. ICP's website also lists a residence details report for residents who need a printed summary of their file.

Tracking an application versus checking validity

These are two different questions, and mixing them up causes a lot of confusion.

Application status tells you where a request is in the process, for example submitted, under review, approved or rejected. Use it while you are waiting for a visa.
Visa validity tells you whether an issued visa or residence permit is still valid and when it expires. Use it before travelling, before renewing, or if you are unsure whether a visa was cancelled.

An approved application is not the same as a valid visa in your hands. Once a visa is issued, check the document itself: name, passport number, visa type and validity dates should all match your passport.

What to have ready

Depending on the service and search type, you may be asked for:

the application or request number from your receipt
the file number on your entry permit or residence visa
your passport number
your first name in English as written on the visa
your nationality
your date of birth

If you have lost your file number, GDRFA's unified number service or the authority's call centre may help you trace your record.

Common problems and how to fix them

No result found: check that you are using the right authority for the emirate that issued the visa, and that names and dates match your documents exactly.
Application shows pending for a long time: contact whoever submitted it, such as your sponsor, hotel, airline or typing centre, before contacting the authority.
Details on the visa are wrong: do not travel on a visa with an incorrect passport number or name. Ask the sponsor to correct it through the issuing authority.
Visa appears cancelled or expired while you are in the UAE: act quickly, because overstay fines build up daily. Check the fines inquiry service and contact the authority.

Official contact numbers

The UAE government portal lists these numbers:

ICP: 600 522222 inside the UAE, or +971 600 522222 from abroad.
Dubai (GDRFA, through Amer): 800 5111 inside the UAE, or +971 4 313 9999 from outside the UAE.

Avoid fake visa status websites

Many commercial websites copy the look of government portals and ask for passport numbers, payments or both. A genuine status check is free. Only use pages on the official domains: gdrfad.gov.ae for Dubai, icp.gov.ae for ICP, or links from the UAE government portal, u.ae. Never pay a website to check a visa status, and do not send passport scans to anyone offering to check for you.

Frequently asked questions

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

Use the official service for the emirate that issued your visa. GDRFA Dubai's status page and ICP's services ask for a reference such as an application or file number together with personal details; have your passport number ready, as some searches use it.

How do I check if my Dubai visa is approved?

Use the Visa Status service on the GDRFA Dubai website, searching by application number while you are waiting. Once issued, you can search by file number to see the visa's details.

What is the ICP visa status check?

ICP is the federal authority for visas in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates. Its Smart Services portal and UAEICP app let you track an application and, after logging in, check the validity of an issued visa.

How can I check if my UAE visa is cancelled?

Check the validity of the visa with the issuing authority: the GDRFA status page for Dubai, or ICP's file validity service for other emirates. If the result is unclear, call the authority's official number.

Is there a fee to check UAE visa status?

No. Official status and validity checks on GDRFA, ICP and the UAE government portal are free.

Where do I find my UAE visa file number?

It appears on your entry permit or residence visa. If you cannot find it, ask your sponsor or use GDRFA's unified number service for Dubai records.

Online services and their names change from time to time. If a link or form looks different from this guide, start from the UAE government portal at u.ae, which links to the current official ICP and GDRFA services.