GDRFA

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs — the emirate-level immigration authority handling entry permits, residence visas, status changes and cancellations. Every company sponsoring residence visas has a file with it.

Where it comes up

GDRFA is the emirate-level immigration authority handling entry permits, residence visas, status changes and cancellations. Every company sponsoring residence has a file with it, and that file is where visa problems surface.

What it costs

Per-transaction government fees for permits, visas and cancellations.

Who it applies to

Every company sponsoring residence visas, and every resident. It operates at emirate level, so the Dubai and Abu Dhabi processes differ in detail.

How it actually goes

1. Identify the right authorityEach emirate runs its own directorate. Dubai's GDRFA handles Dubai residence; the federal ICP covers other emirates and much of the online processing.
2. Apply for the entry permitThrough the free zone, a typing centre, or the authority's own portal.
3. Change status or enter on the permitThose already in the UAE change status without leaving; others enter on the permit and start the clock.
4. Complete medical, Emirates ID and stampingIn that order. The residence is then live.
5. Cancel properly on exitAn uncancelled visa follows the individual and the sponsoring company. This is the step people skip.

Overstay fines accrue daily and attach to the person, not the employer. They surface at the airport, which is the least convenient possible moment to resolve them.

In short

• Handles entry permits, residence and cancellations
• Operates at emirate level
• Your company's immigration file sits with it

Where this leads

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