How To Cancel Employment Visa In UAE
Are you wondering how to cancel employment visa in Dubai? I have been in your shoes before where I had to leave the job I liked and was getting paid for the salary of the visa. My cousin who is now working in another country got me linked to this company which fights for your rights.
Nowadays, many expats in the Middle East and Europe prefer to cancel their employment visa and take up residence in the country they are employed in. For instance, many Indians prefer to convert their employment visa into a long term visa such as a resident/investor type visa or even apply for citizenship. However, there are rules that govern how someone can cancel his UAE Employment Visa and what procedure he needs to go through in order to do so.
Cancelling your employment visa in UAE may seem confusing at first but in this article, we will be explaining the process that you can follow to conclude successfully your employment contract.
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How To Cancel Employment Visa In UAE
Are you a worker holding an employment visa in Dubai looking for information on how to cancel your visa after your company won’t renew your residency?
All foreigners who live in the UAE on a Residence Visa must have it cancelled if they want to leave the country permanently. UAE visa cancellation has to be done by the sponsor on behalf of the expatriate, same as with a UAE Visa application.
Employer Not Cancelling Visa UAE
How to cancel a UAE visa?
It is your sponsor who has to cancel your UAE Visa – you cannot apply for UAE visa cancellation on your own. The application process for cancelling a UAE Residence Visa is as follows:
- If you are employed in the UAE: Your employer first applies to have your work permit cancelled (see below).
- Your sponsor applies for your UAE visa cancellation at the offices of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). The GDRFA that cancels your visa must be the same one that stamped it on your passport on the first place.
You have 30 days to leave the country after your UAE visa is cancelled.
The process for a visa cancellation and final settlement is generally simple. You will go through the following:
- Regardless of your intention to cancel your visa, you must inform your employer with a residence UAE visa cancellation paper.
- Your employer has to print the application form at a typing center or online through the GDRFA website.
- The sponsor and employee have to sign the application
- The sponsor needs to gather all the documents required for the process
- Following this, the employer has to cancel the labor card.
- Next, is the cancellation of the work permit. The employer has to submit a letter signed by the employee, stating that he or she has received all the wages and end-of-service benefits.
- If the employee is sponsoring their family, he or she has to cancel the family visa
- Lastly, the GDRFA issues the cancellation.
It is possible to carry out an electronic work permit cancellation. This way, it will be easier for employers.
After Visa Cancellation In UAE New Rules
Cancelling a UAE work permit and work visa
If you are on the UAE on a Work Visa, your employer must also cancel your work permit (Labour Card) and work contract at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The application process for cancelling a work permit is as follows:
- Your employer applies through the website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
- Your employer attaches the documents electronically
- The Ministry processes the application temporarily and forwards the information to the GDRFA
- The GDRFA cancels your Residence Visa and informs the Ministry, who then permanently cancel your UAE work permit
Along with the application for UAE work permit cancellation, your employer also has to submit a letter, signed by you confirming that you have received all the wages, settlements, and benefits you are due. Do not sign the letter unless you really have received them.
Cancelling your UAE work permit if you are changing jobs
If you are just changing jobs in the UAE, but you will not leave the country, then your employer must cancel your work permit for you. It is easiest to change employers if you have already spent two years working for the original employer (ie. your work contract has ended). If you work contract has not ended, but you wish to change employment, then your current employer has to sign a No Objection Certificate (NOC) transferring sponsorship to your new employer.
If your current employer does not agree to the premature termination of your contract, then you may face getting an employment ban. The employment ban can be from six months to one year.
If your employer does sign the NOC and cancels your work permit, you must give your future employer the UAE visa cancellation paper so they can submit a new work permit application on your behalf.
How To Cancel Work Visa In UAE
Where to cancel a UAE Residence Visa?
Your sponsor may cancel your UAE visa through one of the following ways:
- In-person, through one of the typing centers of the GDRFA in the emirate in which you live. The typing center then submits the application online and processes it.
- Online, through :
- The website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship; or
- The websites of the GDRFA of the relevant emirate:
- Abu Dhabi
- Dubai (see also Amer, a website which Dubai citizens and residents can use to apply for family reunion and visitors can use to extend their Visa On Arrival)
- Sharjah
- Ajman
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Fujairah
Can I Cancel My Employment Visa Before 6 Months
Your Residence Visa will automatically be cancelled if you remain out of the UAE for longer than six months. If your UAE visa is cancelled while you are abroad, you must re-apply for an Entry Permit to be allowed back in.
However, there are some complications arising from cancelling your visa this way. If you left the country without formally resigning, tying off all your loose ends in regards to your job, and getting a proper visa cancellation, then your employer has the right to report you as absconding, and you may face legal repercussions if you try to re-enter the UAE later.
What documents are required for a UAE visa cancellation?
When your sponsor applies to get your UAE visa cancelled, they must submit the following documents:
- UAE visa cancellation form, signed by the sponsor
- Your original passport
- If you are not in the UAE at the time your sponsor cancels your visa, they may also submit a computerised extract of your Residence Visa. The UAE’s Naturalisation and Residency Department is in charge of providing computerized extracts of visas.
- Your original ID card
- If your sponsor is also your employer:
- The approval from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
- The UAE visa cancellation form has to be signed and sealed by the company stamp
What’s the cost of a UAE visa cancellation?
The cost for a UAE visa cancellation may differ from the specific office in which you apply. However, it usually revolves around AED 100 – AED 200. It is your sponsor who’s in charge of covering the costs of cancelling your UAE visa.
How Many Days To Cancel Employment Visa In Dubai
How long does it take to get a UAE visa cancelled?
It usually does not take long for a UAE visa to be cancelled. In most cases, the process takes 1 or 2 working days. If your sponsor also has to cancel your Labour Card, that may take only 1 more working day, making it about three working days in total.
Things to keep in mind before cancelling your UAE visa
Before you get your UAE visa cancelled and leave the UAE, remember to settle some final details, such as:
- Closing your bank account
- Making sure you receive all your salaries, benefits, and settlements from your employer. Remember not to sign any confirmation letter if you have not.
- Paying all your utility bills
- Canceling your tenancy contract
- Selling your car (if you have one)
Visa Cancellation And Final Settlement
Which documents are required for a visa cancellation and final settlement?
The documents you need for visa cancellation and final settlement are the following:
- Duly filled visa cancellation application form by the sponsor
- Employer’s Emirates ID card
- Approval issued by the MoHRE
- Residence visa
- Cancellation fee
As we mentioned before, a passport is not required, and it is not necessary to receive a cancellation stamp on your visa page. However, if you want it, you will have to attend the immigration office with your cancellation receipt and request the stamp. This does not require paying any fee.
The visa cancellation and final settlement are mandatory for employees that want to leave the UAE. It is important to request the sponsor or employer to cancel the visa, otherwise, you may face legal consequences.
If you leave the UAE without proper cancellation of this permit, your employer will report you as an absconding person. This leads to a ban in the UAE. In other words, you will not be able to apply for a new visa and you may not travel to the UAE. In fact, you may get arrested when you arrive back at the airport.
So, it is always mandatory to request your employer or sponsor to cancel your employment visa.
“How can I check my visa cancellation status in the UAE?” If you have requested your sponsor to cancel your visa, you will want to know if they have completed the process or not. This is how to find out:
How to check your visa cancellation status in Dubai?
If you leave the UAE for more than six months, your UAE visa is going to get cancelled automatically. For this reason, you may ask yourself “how to check if my visa is cancelled” as you may not know if the process was completed or not.
So, how to check if a UAE visa is cancelled? The answer is simple, you just have to follow the next steps:
- Visit the ICA website
- Change the language to English
- Click on “Passport information”
- Click on your visa type
- Enter your passport number
- Select your nationality
- Click on search
By doing the above, you will know how to check if your visa is cancelled in the UAE. This will display all the information about your visa.
