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UAE waives visa overstay fines for visitors, residents affected by airspace closure
This applies to all cases in which the person was unable to leave the country, including visitors holding visit visas, tourist visas, or exit permits, as well as residents who had cancelled their residency permits, preparing for departure
- PUBLISHED: Wed 4 Mar 2026, 9:31 PM UPDATED: Wed 4 Mar 2026, 11:37 PM
Tourists and select residents who were unable to leave the UAE after airspace closures and flight suspensions will not be fined for delayed departures, authorities announced.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security said the exemption applies to people who could not travel because flights were suspended or rescheduled due to the “exceptional regional circumstances”.
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The waiver covers fines incurred from February 28, 2026, and applies to:
Visitors on tourist visas
Visitors holding visit visas
Individuals with exit permits
Residents who had cancelled their residency permits in preparation for departure.
Specialised teams at airports and Customer Happiness Centres are continuing to assist travellers whose flights were delayed or rescheduled, the authority added. The teams are working under emergency and business continuity plans in coordination with relevant authorities.
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Officials urged affected travellers to follow updates through official channels and said support measures would remain in place to help passengers navigate the disruption.
The disruption comes after multiple countries in the region closed their airspace following Iranian attacks targeting several states, including the UAE.
Scheduled flights by UAE carriers have been suspended until at least Saturday, March 7, although special flights coordinated with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) are continuing to operate to repatriate stranded passengers.
Authorities have also opened safe air corridors with GCC countries, enabling capacity of up to 48 flights per hour as air traffic gradually resumes.
As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.