Renewing Emirates ID: Fees, Deadlines & Process in 2025

If you're staring at an expired Emirates ID and wondering how much trouble you're in, relax — slightly. Renewing Emirates ID is one of the more forgiving processes the ICP runs, but the fines stack up fast and the grace period isn't as generous as people assume.

Quick answer

You have 30 days from your Emirates ID expiry (or residence visa expiry, whichever comes first) to renew before the AED 20-per-day late fine kicks in, capped at AED 1,000. Renewing Emirates ID costs roughly AED 170–390 depending on validity length, plus typing centre and delivery fees. Apply through the ICP smart app, ICP website, or an authorised typing centre. Biometrics are usually waived for renewals unless your photo is outdated. Card delivery takes 5–10 working days via Emirates Post.

When you actually need to renew

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP, formerly ICA) ties your Emirates ID validity to your residence visa. So if your visa is valid for two years, your ID is too. UAE nationals get longer cards — usually 5 or 10 years.

Here's where most clients get this wrong: they think the 30-day grace period starts when they notice the card expired. It doesn't. It starts on the printed expiry date.[1]

Renewals open 30 days before expiry. Honestly, do it the day you get the SMS reminder. The system pushes a notification to the mobile number registered against your Unified ID Number — if you've changed your number and never updated it, you'll miss the warning entirely.

Watch out: If your residence visa expired before your Emirates ID, the ID is automatically invalid regardless of the printed date. You'll need to renew the visa first, then the ID.

What renewing Emirates ID actually costs in 2025

The ICP fee structure for renewing Emirates ID hasn't changed much, but the add-ons trip people up. Here's the breakdown:[2]

• Card fee (residents): AED 100 per year of validity. So a 2-year renewal is AED 200, 3-year is AED 300.
• Card fee (UAE nationals): AED 100 for 5 years, AED 200 for 10 years.
• Service fee: AED 40 if you apply via the ICP smart app or website. AED 70 if you go through a typing centre.
• Express service (Fawri): AED 150 extra for 24-hour processing at ICP customer happiness centres.
• Late fine: AED 20 per day after the 30-day grace period, capped at AED 1,000.

Costs example: A resident renewing a 2-year ID through a typing centre pays AED 200 (card) + AED 70 (service) + roughly AED 30 (typing fees) = around AED 300 total.

The express option is worth it if you're flying out and need the card urgently. Otherwise, the standard 5–10 day delivery is fine — and yes, you can travel using your passport while you wait.

How to renew: three routes, ranked

Option 1: ICP smart app or ICP website (icp.gov.ae)

The cheapest and fastest for straightforward cases. Log in with UAE Pass, select "Renew ID Card," confirm your details, pay, done. You don't need to visit anywhere unless biometrics are flagged. Frankly, this is the only route I'd recommend if your details haven't changed.

Option 2: Authorised typing centre (Tas-heel or Amer)

Useful if you're not comfortable with the app or your case is messier — name change, marital status update, dependent renewals bundled together. The typist handles the form, you pay the service fee on top. Expect to spend 20–40 minutes at the centre.

Option 3: ICP customer happiness centre

For express renewals or cases the system rejects. The main centres in Abu Dhabi (Al Jazeera), Dubai (Al Barsha and Karama), and Sharjah handle walk-ins, but book a slot through the app to skip the queue.

After payment, you'll get an application number. Track it on the ICP portal. Once approved, Emirates Post delivers the card to your registered address — make sure someone can sign for it, or it goes back to the post office and you'll be chasing it for a week.

Biometrics, photos, and when you have to show up

For most renewals, you skip the biometrics step entirely. The ICP reuses your existing fingerprints and photo. But you'll be asked to attend an ICP centre if:

• Your last biometrics were captured more than 5 years ago
• The system flags a quality issue with your photo
• You're renewing after a long expiry gap (over 6 months)
• You're a child whose features have changed significantly (kids under 15 typically need new photos every renewal)

If biometrics are required, the app or typing centre will generate an appointment slot. Bring your passport, current Emirates ID (even if expired), and the application printout.

One thing worth mentioning: women wearing make-up for the photo will be asked to remove it. The ICP system runs facial recognition matching, and heavy contouring throws it off. Not a rule I love, but it's the rule.

What if you've already missed the deadline

So the card expired six months ago and you've been quietly using your passport. What happens?

First, the fine is capped at AED 1,000, so the bleeding stops after 50 days. You won't be deported over an expired ID alone — but you will struggle to do anything that requires identity verification: opening bank accounts, signing tenancy contracts through Ejari (the Dubai rental registration system), accessing government services, or processing any visa-linked transaction.

If your residence visa also expired, that's a different conversation. Overstaying carries its own fines (AED 50 per day under the current schedule)[3] and can affect future entry. You'd need to either renew the visa, transfer sponsorship, or exit on a grace period — and only then deal with the ID.

For employees, an expired Emirates ID can also block salary transfers under the Wage Protection System (WPS), the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation system that monitors salary payments. Your employer's HR will start chasing you fast.

The fix is the same regardless: apply for renewal, pay the fines at the same time, and the new card issues normally. There's no separate "amnesty" process — you just pay and move on.

Special situations worth flagging

Lost or damaged card during renewal: Report it through the ICP app first (AED 300 replacement fee), then proceed with renewal. Don't try to renew a card you can't physically produce — the system will reject it.

Renewing while abroad: You can start the application online, but you'll need to return to the UAE to collect the card or complete biometrics if required. Some clients ask whether a relative can collect on their behalf — yes, with a notarised authorisation, but it's rarely worth the hassle.

Dependents and domestic workers: The sponsor handles the renewal, but each person needs their own application. Bundling them through a typing centre saves time. Children's renewals tied to a parent's visa renewal should be processed together to avoid the ID expiring before the visa does.

Golden Visa holders: Your Emirates ID validity matches your 5 or 10-year residence. Renewal process is identical, just longer card fees (AED 500 for 5 years, AED 1,000 for 10).

For more on residency timelines and visa categories, see our visa category page.

The realistic timeline

Start the application 30 days before expiry. Online payment clears instantly. If no biometrics needed, approval lands within 24–48 hours. Card delivery is 5–10 working days. Total: roughly two weeks, comfortably within the renewal window.

If you wait until expiry day, you're cutting it fine but still safe — the 30-day grace period buys you breathing room. Past that, you're paying daily fines and explaining gaps to anyone who checks your ID.

The smart move? Set a calendar reminder 45 days before expiry. Renewing Emirates ID is genuinely simple when you do it on time, and genuinely annoying when you don't.

---

Citations

[1] Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, "Emirates ID Renewal Services," icp.gov.ae [2] ICP Service Card – ID Card Issuance and Renewal Fees Schedule, icp.gov.ae/en/services [3] UAE Government Portal, "Overstay fines and penalties," u.ae

Need this checked for your situation? Talk to a UAE-licensed lawyer →