Q: I have overstayed my visit visa after my employer failed to arrange a work permit. What can I do?
I have a question about overstaying a visit visa. I came to work for a company, and although the team promised me a visa, it never happened. I don’t have a contract, and they have now said they do not want me to work for them anymore.
What can I do about this? I want to find another job and stay in the UAE. Will I get in trouble or have to pay a fine? MP, Dubai.
A: The important point here is that MP has been working illegally since arriving in the UAE.
From the outset, the employer should have given MP a proper offer of employment and a labour contract, and applied for a residence visa and a work permit. As this did not happen, the company has been employing MP illegally, so she has been working illegally. Sadly, this means that she has no protection under UAE law.
This means that MP is unable to make a legal complaint against the company, even if it has broken the law. No doubt the employer will know that this is not permitted, but the company can be reported for breaking the law. Any company that takes on staff without a visa can be fined up to Dh50,000 and may have difficulty obtaining visas in the future.
As MP has been in the UAE without a valid visa, MP will have overstay fines.
Since February 2026, the UAE has unified overstay fines across all visa types and emirates. They are now the same for all visas, whether tourist, visit or residence visas, and there is no variation by emirate. The fine is Dh50 per day.
If an overstay exceeds 30 days, an additional exit permit, known as an “outpass”, at a cost of Dh250 to Dh300, including base and service fees, is required before leaving the country.
It is possible to pay the overstay fines and stay in the UAE without leaving the country, provided a new employer initiates the visa process immediately. If not, MP will need to leave and return on an employment entry permit from a new employer.
MP should visit an Amer centre, a division of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, for advice and to find out how much MP owes. Once the overstay fine has been settled, MP can find a new job and be employed with a visa in order to stay legally in the UAE.