Visa Cancellation

Visa cancellation is the formal administrative process by which a UAE residency visa is annulled before or at its natural expiry. It is normally initiated by the sponsor — typically an employer for work visas or a family head for dependent visas — through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or ICP. Cancellation is mandatory when employment ends, a dependent leaves the sponsorship, or the sponsored person permanently departs the country. Once cancelled, the holder has a statutory grace period (usually 30 to 60 days, and longer for some categories) to transfer status, obtain a new sponsor, or exit. Failure to cancel properly can trigger fines, an overstay record, or a labour ban.