Key step It blocks other steps, or costs money if you miss it.

How to cancel your own residence visa: Golden, Green, investor or freelance

With a Golden, Green, investor or freelance visa you arrange the cancellation yourself: through GDRFA Dubai smart services or an Amer centre, or through your free zone’s portal if a free zone issued it. Cancel any visas you sponsor first, and ask your licensing authority how the licence and the visa are closed. A Golden Visa can be kept after you leave.

When
12 days to 7 days before your flight
Time
1 to 2 hours
Cost
AED 120 in GDRFA fees (AED 100 + AED 20), plus Amer centre charges if you use one

Do it on GDRFA DubaiAlso: ICP

Have ready

  • Passport
  • Emirates ID
  • Licence closure documents if any

How to do it

  1. If your visa sits under your own company or freelance permit, ask your licensing authority for its order. ICP asks investors and partners for a licence cancellation or share transfer certificate. Free zones cancel the visa through their own portal as part of closing the licence.
  2. Cancel any visas you sponsor first.
  3. Golden and Green: apply through GDRFA Dubai’s website or app with UAE PASS, or at an Amer centre. Free zone visas: apply through the free zone’s portal.
  4. Keep the cancellation paper. It shows the last day you can stay. ICP lists 180 days for Golden and Green residence holders.

Watch out

  • A Golden Visa stays valid while you live outside the UAE, even for more than six months, so you can leave without cancelling it. If yours is based on property, call Amer on 8005111 before you cancel or sell.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to cancel a self-sponsored visa?

AED 120 in GDRFA fees (AED 100 plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees), plus Amer centre charges if you use one.

My Golden Visa is linked to a property I’m keeping. What happens?

A Golden Visa stays valid while you live outside the UAE, so you do not have to cancel it to leave. For a property-based visa, call Amer on 8005111 before you cancel or sell.

Sources

Official: GDRFA Dubai: Cancellation of all types of residence permits · ICP: Cancellation of residency permits · GDRFA Dubai: contact and Amer numbers

Also checked against: u.ae: Golden visa · u.ae: General provisions for the residence visa

Outro is an independent guide, not a government service or legal advice. If an official page says something different, follow it and .