Quick answer: UAE passports are issued to citizens only through ICP or GDRFA. Adult passports cost AED 300, valid 5 years, processed in 2–5 working days. Visa-free access to 180+ destinations.
If you're a UAE national wondering how to get a passport, renew an expired one, or use it for visa-free travel, this is the short version. The passport of UAE process runs through ICP (the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) and, for Dubai residents, the GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs).
The passport of UAE is issued only to UAE citizens. You apply through the ICP app, ICP website, or in person at an ICP service centre (or GDRFA in Dubai). Standard adult passports cost AED 300 and are valid for 5 years; child passports cost AED 150. Processing usually takes 2–5 working days once biometrics are done. The UAE passport currently ranks among the world's strongest, giving visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 180+ destinations.[1][2]
Only UAE nationals. Citizenship is governed by Federal Law No. 17 of 1972 on Nationality and Passports, as amended. You qualify if you hold a Family Book (Khulasat Al Qaid) confirming UAE citizenship by descent, or if citizenship has been granted under the 2021 amendments allowing naturalisation for investors, doctors, scientists, and certain specialised professionals nominated by the Rulers' Courts or Cabinet.[3]
Long-term residents — even Golden Visa holders — don't get one. Frankly, this is the part most expats get wrong: a 10-year residency visa is not a path to UAE citizenship.
You have three realistic options:
Fees as published by ICP in 2024: AED 300 for adult issuance/renewal, AED 150 for under-21s, AED 50 urgent fee where offered, plus AED 50 knowledge and innovation fees.[1] Add courier charges if you want it delivered.
Watch out: A lost passport of UAE requires a police report before ICP will issue a replacement, and the new passport number will change — update it with your bank, airlines, and any embassy holding a visa.
Processing is typically 2–5 working days. In practice, app renewals often arrive faster than that. First-time issuance for a newborn takes longer because you need the birth certificate attested and the Family Book updated first.
Adult passports are valid for 5 years, not 10. Children's passports are also 5 years. Most countries require 6 months' validity from your date of entry, so renew early — don't wait until the month it expires.
On travel power: the passport of UAE consistently sits in the top 10 globally on the Henley and Arton indexes, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 180+ countries as of 2024, including the Schengen Area (90 days in any 180), the UK (6 months), Japan, South Korea, and most of Latin America.[2] The US still requires a B1/B2 visa — no ESTA equivalent yet.
A few practical points clients ask about constantly:
A lot of people search "passport of UAE" hoping to find out how to get one as an expat. You can't. What you can do as a resident is hold a UAE residence visa stamped or linked digitally to your home-country passport, plus an Emirates ID. For long-term options, look at the Golden Visa (10 years) or Green Visa (5 years) — both administered by ICP and GDRFA.
For citizenship-by-investment style questions, the UAE doesn't run a CBI programme in the Caribbean sense. The 2021 naturalisation pathway is nomination-based, not application-based. You don't apply; you get nominated.
Need this checked for your situation? Talk to a UAE-licensed lawyer →
[1] Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), "Passport Services — Fees and Requirements," icp.gov.ae (accessed 2024). [2] Henley Passport Index 2024, henleyglobal.com; Arton Capital Passport Index 2024. [3] Federal Law No. 17 of 1972 concerning Nationality and Passports, as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 16 of 2017 and the 2021 Cabinet amendments on naturalisation.
Sub-questions our research cluster pulls together — each links to its full Tier-B/C answer.
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Get your Emirates ID through ICP or a typing centre. Processing takes 5–10 working days. Fees: AED 100 per year validity plus AED 70 service charges. It's mandatory for all residents.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice tailored to your specific situation, consult a UAE-licensed lawyer.
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