Emirates ID Renewal: Steps, Fees and Fines
An expatriate resident can renew an Emirates ID in the last six months of its validity or after it expires, has a 30-day grace period once it has expired, and is then fined AED 20 for every day of delay up to AED 1,000. The card is tied to the residence visa: when the visa expires, the card expires with it.
ICP publishes different rules for UAE nationals, GCC nationals and residents, and they are easy to mix up. Everything below is the resident position, and Dubai has one carve-out that matters.
When you can renew
ICP’s FAQ states that “GCC nationals and residents may renew their Emirates ID card upon its expiry or during the final six months of its validity”. So six months, not a year — the full year belongs to UAE nationals, and u.ae’s general six-month statement does not distinguish by category. Where the two differ, use ICP’s category split.
The grace period and the fine
Three sentences from ICP’s FAQ, which is the clearest statement of the penalty anywhere official:
- “A grace period of 30 days from the card’s expiration date is granted to complete the renewal procedures.”
- “A fine of AED 20 is imposed for each day of delay, up to a maximum of AED 1,000.”
- “The fine starts after 30 days from the ID card’s expiration date.”
At AED 20 a day the cap is reached after fifty days of delay — that is, roughly eighty days past expiry. u.ae describes the same grace period as “one month”; ICP says thirty days, and thirty days is the wording to work to.
The Dubai carve-out
ICP’s renewal service card states that the service is delivered “through the unified residence and identity form, in all emirates of the country except the Emirate of Dubai”.
That single sentence is the hinge of the whole procedure for anyone in Dubai, and ICP does not publish what replaces the unified form there. GDRFA Dubai handles residence permits, but ICP states that GDRFA’s role on Emirates ID is “limited to providing inquiry services only”. So: your residence visa work goes through GDRFA in Dubai; your Emirates ID stays with ICP; and the combined form used elsewhere in the country does not apply to you. If you are in Dubai, plan for two transactions rather than one.
What you need
ICP’s resident renewal card lists two documents — “passport” and “personal photo” — with one condition on the photo: it “must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the Emirates ID card”. A reused photo is a rejection.
Beyond the documents:
- Medical fitness. Residents renew on “passing the medical examination with a ‘fit’ result”.
- Biometrics. “Individuals who have completed 15 years of age are required to complete the fingerprint and signature procedures.”
- UAE Pass. ICP states that “this service requires you to login using UAE Pass”.
One rule that does not apply to you: the requirement for a passport with at least three months’ validity sits in ICP’s UAE-citizen block, not the resident one. Do not carry it across.
The fees
ICP’s resident fee tab gives two lines:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| “Renewal fees for the Identity Card of residents, for each year of residence” | AED 100 |
| “Smart Application Fees” | AED 100 |
The AED 100 smart application fee is higher than the figures circulating on unofficial sites, and it is correct. It appears in both the English and the Arabic versions of ICP’s own service card, and we re-checked it on the day this guide was published. If you have read a smaller number somewhere else, the smaller number is the wrong one.
There is no urgent service line on the resident fee tab. u.ae describes urgent service for expatriates as available only in the case of replacement, so do not plan a renewal around it.
The card expires when the visa does
u.ae puts it plainly: “remember that when the visa expires, your Emirates ID card issued by the ICP also expires”. In practice the Emirates ID renewal follows the visa renewal rather than standing on its own, which is why a change of employer or sponsor resets the whole sequence. Our guide to sponsoring family for a UAE residence visa covers the sponsorship side, and our UAE visas page sets out that service.
Note what is not published: no official page states that the card’s validity equals the residence visa’s duration. It is strongly implied by the per-year fee and by the sentence above, but implied is not stated, and we are leaving it there.
Where the official record stops
- Amer centres are not a published Emirates ID renewal channel. Amer appears on GDRFA pages for residence permit services, and ICP says GDRFA is inquiry-only on Emirates ID. Typing centres are named by u.ae for new applications, not renewals.
- ICP does not publish that it sends an SMS renewal reminder. Do not rely on one.
- What replaces the unified form in Dubai is not published. The carve-out is stated; the Dubai procedure is not.
- Whether the 30-day grace period differs by category is not published.
On the separate question of overstaying after a residence permit ends, the two authorities give different figures — u.ae describes a grace period of up to six months depending on category, GDRFA Dubai states sixty days. Check which applies to your category before counting on either.
Our advice — practical guidance, not a rule
Marked as advice because no official page prescribes it.
- Start the renewal inside the six-month window rather than at expiry. The medical fitness result and the biometrics are the slow parts, and neither is under the applicant’s control.
- Take a new photograph as a matter of course. ICP rejects one identical to the card’s current image, and that rejection costs a whole cycle.
- In Dubai, plan the visa transaction and the Emirates ID transaction as two errands — the unified form used in the other emirates does not apply here.
- Do not treat the thirty days as spare time. It is a grace period before a daily fine, not a renewal window.
Fees on this page were re-verified against ICP’s own service card in September 2026. ICP’s service cards carry content dates well behind the site’s own footer, so confirm before you rely on a figure.
Frequently asked questions
When can I renew my Emirates ID?
ICP states that GCC nationals and residents may renew upon expiry or during the final six months of the card’s validity.
What is the fine for a late Emirates ID renewal?
AED 20 for each day of delay, up to a maximum of AED 1,000. ICP states that the fine starts after 30 days from the card’s expiration date, following a 30-day grace period.
How much does it cost to renew an Emirates ID for a resident?
ICP’s resident fee tab gives AED 100 for each year of residence plus a AED 100 smart application fee. There is no urgent service line for resident renewals.
What documents do I need?
ICP lists a passport and a personal photo, and the photo must not be identical to the one currently printed on the card. Residents must also pass the medical examination with a “fit” result, and anyone aged 15 or over completes fingerprint and signature procedures.
Is the process different in Dubai?
Yes. ICP states that the unified residence and identity form applies in all emirates except Dubai. ICP does not publish what replaces it there, and states that GDRFA’s role on Emirates ID is limited to inquiry services.
Can I renew my Emirates ID at an Amer centre?
Amer is not listed as an Emirates ID renewal channel on any official page we could find. Amer appears on GDRFA pages for residence permit services, and ICP describes GDRFA’s Emirates ID role as inquiry only.
Does my Emirates ID expire when my visa does?
Yes. u.ae states that when the visa expires, the Emirates ID card issued by ICP also expires. No official page states that the card’s validity period equals the visa’s duration.