How to Cancel a Dubai Entry Permit Through GDRFA
Identify the correct permit and authorised applicant, submit the official cancellation request, and confirm the immigration record is closed before starting an incompatible application.
To cancel a Dubai entry permit, use GDRFA Dubai’s Entry Permit/Visa Cancellation service. Cancellation may be needed when an issued permit will not be used, circumstances change or an existing immigration record prevents the next appropriate application. It is not the same as cancelling a residence permit, and submitting a request does not prove that the record has already been closed.
Confirm the permit and its status first
Collect the permit or application number, passport details, sponsor or host information and any GDRFA correspondence. Check whether the permit was issued by Dubai’s GDRFA or another emirate’s federal ICP system. Using the wrong authority can delay the request.
Also establish whether the sponsored person is outside or inside the UAE and whether they entered using the permit. GDRFA’s cancellation service lists additional Knowledge and Innovation fees when the sponsored person is inside the country. A person who already holds residence, has overstayed or has another active case may need a different or additional procedure.
Who should submit the cancellation?
The correct applicant depends on the permit category and sponsorship record. For a tourist visa, GDRFA’s conditions identify the UAE guarantor or host as a tourism-industry agency. Medical and other sponsored permits may have a different host, establishment or authorised representative. Do not assume the traveller can always cancel a sponsor-filed permit independently.
Contact the issuing agency, employer, family sponsor or authorised representative shown on the file. Ask for the official transaction reference and cancellation result—not merely a message saying the request was sent. If the relationship has broken down or the sponsor will not cooperate, use GDRFA or an authorised Amer centre for case-specific direction.
Current fee and official channels
As reviewed on 27 October 2026, GDRFA lists a AED 50 cancellation fee. When the sponsored person is inside the UAE, the service page also lists AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham. The final amount presented by the official service controls because case-specific charges can change.
GDRFA lists its smart application and Amer service centres as channels. In the app, register or sign in, select the cancellation service, attach the requested documents, pay the charges and submit. At an Amer centre, select the service, provide the documents to the employee and pay the applicable fees.
Step-by-step checklist
- Identify the issuing authority. Match the permit number and issuing emirate before starting.
- Confirm the authorised party. Use the sponsor, establishment, agency or representative tied to the permit.
- Prepare the live requirements. GDRFA’s service page does not present one universal public document list for every category, so follow the documents shown for the specific file and applicant role.
- Submit through GDRFA or Amer. Review names, passport number and permit reference before payment.
- Answer document requests promptly. GDRFA says it sends status updates by SMS and email. If documents are missing, the customer is given 30 days to attach them; otherwise the application is cancelled.
- Save the result. Retain the payment receipt, application number and cancellation confirmation.
- Recheck before applying again. Confirm the old record no longer blocks the next correct application.
Important distinctions
- Entry permit versus residence: a residence cancellation is a separate GDRFA service.
- Request versus completed cancellation: an application acknowledgement is not the final result.
- Inside versus outside the UAE: location can affect fees and the correct procedure.
- Permit cancellation versus refund: cancelling a permit does not automatically prove that every paid amount is refundable.
Related guidance explains how to check a Dubai visa record, extend an eligible UAE entry permit, apply for a relative or friend visit visa and track an ICP-issued application.
Never pay an unofficial agent who promises immediate cancellation or asks for an OTP, banking password or unrestricted UAE Pass approval.
Official source and review note
Dubai Daily Guide reviewed this article on 27 October 2026 against GDRFA Dubai’s Entry Permit/Visa Cancellation service ↗. The correct applicant, documents and total payment depend on the live record, so verify the official service before acting.