Leaving the UAE checklist: visa, gratuity, tenancy, loans and documents
Give notice first, settle your end-of-service gratuity, have your sponsor cancel your visa, cancel your Ejari, clear loans and fines, and collect your attested documents before your Emirates ID stops working. After a cancellation the standard grace period is 30 days, and some categories get 60, 90 or 180 days; a fine of AED 50 a day starts when it ends. Dates and figures are from u.ae, MOHRE, ICP and the Dubai Land Department as at 22 October 2026.
Reviewed by the Cosmos case team, 22 October 2026. Rules and figures are as at 22 October 2026 unless a line says otherwise.
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Plan my moveThe checklist in order
| Step | What to do | What the official source says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Notice (about 90 days out) | Give notice under your contract and confirm your last working day in writing. | u.ae: the notice period must not be less than 30 days or more than 90. The contract continues during notice and you get your full wage. A party that does not serve notice must pay a notice allowance. |
| 2. Tenancy notice (about 90 days before lease expiry) | Tell your landlord in writing that you will not renew, and agree the move-out date. | Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), Article 14 (Dubai Land Department Tenancy Guide): 90 days' notice before expiry for non-renewal or changes, unless the parties agree otherwise. |
| 3. Final settlement (last month) | Get your gratuity figure in writing, check it, and ask for your experience certificate. | u.ae: wages, entitlements and gratuity are due within 14 days of termination, and the employer can deduct amounts you owe. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 13(11): on your request the employer gives a free experience certificate with start and end dates, service term, job title, last wage and the reason for termination. |
| 4. Visa cancellation (your last working days) | Your employer cancels your labour contract, work permit and residence. Dependants' visas first, or put on hold for a limited period under ICP's conditions. | u.ae and ICP: the sponsor cancels through MOHRE and ICP, using a registered typing centre or the ICP website or app. The employer needs a letter signed by you stating you received your wages and end-of-service benefits. Grace period after cancellation: 30 to 180 days by category. AED 50 a day after it ends. |
| 5. Ejari (after you vacate) | Cancel the tenancy contract registration once the property is vacated. | Dubai Land Department: the service cancels a tenancy contract that has expired for a vacated property. Free through the app or system. Via a trustee office you bring the original contract, your Emirates ID and, if the contract is still active, a letter from the owner requesting cancellation. |
| 6. Loans, cards and fines | Settle or close each facility, and get a written closure letter. Pay traffic fines. | u.ae: a pending legal case in the UAE can mean a travel ban. Check by the Dubai Police app or a smart police station. RTA Dubai requires fees and fines paid when you cancel a vehicle registration. |
| 7. Car | Dubai: cancel the vehicle registration through RTA, choosing an export, possession or transfer certificate, and hand over the plates. If the car is financed, the mortgage must be released first. | RTA Dubai, Cancel Vehicle Registration: if the vehicle is under mortgage you must release it electronically, and pay fines and fees; after completion the registration is cancelled and the vehicle is unfit for road circulation in Dubai. If your car is registered in another emirate, use that emirate’s authority. |
| 8. Pets | Apply for the export health certificate and check the destination’s entry rules first. | MOCCAE offers a veterinary health certificate service for exporting live animals. Fees and timing change, so read the current MOCCAE page. The destination country sets its own import rules. |
| 9. School, utilities and subscriptions | Give written notice, ask for final bills and closure confirmation, and request your child’s transfer records. | Practical steps. Notice periods and fees are set by your school contract and each provider’s terms, and we did not find a single UAE-wide rule, so read your own contract. |
| 10. Documents to carry | Attested originals and your UAE police clearance certificate. See the list below. | u.ae and Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the issuing government entity attests UAE-issued originals first, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its digital channels. |
Sources: u.ae (Terminating employment contracts, End of service benefits, General provisions for the residence visa, Preliminary checks, Attestation); ICP, Cancellation of residency permits; Dubai Land Department; RTA Dubai; Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. All read on 22 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm on the official page before you act.
End-of-service gratuity in plain numbers
| Years of continuous service | Gratuity for full-time workers |
|---|---|
| Under 1 year | None |
| 1 to 5 years | 21 days of basic salary for each year |
| More than 5 years | 21 days for each of the first 5 years, then 30 days for each further year |
| Part years | Pro rata, once the first year is complete |
| Ceiling | The total cannot exceed 2 years of wages |
The calculation uses your last basic salary only, so housing, transport and other allowances are left out. Days of unpaid absence do not count towards service. Part-time workers get a pro rata amount based on contracted hours against full-time hours. Example: 8 years of service is 5 years at 21 days plus 3 years at 30 days, which is 195 days of basic salary. Ask your employer for the day-rate method in writing, because the sources we read do not fix how to turn days into dirhams.
Some employers are on the voluntary end-of-service savings scheme instead. Under it, the employer pays 5.83 percent of basic monthly salary (under 5 years of service) or 8.33 percent (over 5 years) into an investment fund, and you receive your contributions and returns within 14 days of the end of employment.
Source: u.ae, End of service benefits for workers in the private sector (updated 15 October 2026), read 22 October 2026.
Visa cancellation: who does what
An employee cannot cancel their own sponsored visa. u.ae describes the order: the employer first asks MOHRE to cancel your labour contract and labour card, and you sign that application. The employer then applies to ICP to cancel the residence and cancels the work permit with a letter, signed by you, saying you have received your wages and end-of-service benefits. If you sponsor your spouse and children, their visas must be cancelled before yours.
That letter confirms you have received your wages and end-of-service benefits, so do not sign it until your final settlement has cleared. After cancellation the grace period starts, and the AED 50 daily fine starts the day after it ends. Your Emirates ID ends with the residence permit. Keep the cancellation confirmation, because immigration forms often ask for your UAE residence history.
Documents to carry before your residence ends
- Education: degree certificates and transcripts, with attestation if the destination asks for it.
- Work: experience letters with duties, salary certificate, labour contract and bank statements showing salary. See how to prove UAE work experience for what each assessing body needs.
- Civil documents: marriage and birth certificates, attested by the issuing government entity and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where required.
- Police clearance: the UAE police clearance certificate, if the destination asks for it. Check how long it stays valid on the issuing page and with the immigration authority, because some immigration offices want a recent one.
- Language and ID: English test results, passport copies, and the visa cancellation confirmation. For English test rules see English test exemptions by country.
Moving for Canada or the UK? Our Canada immigration guide and UK visa guide explain what to hold at the border or at your visa application.
Questions we get about leaving the UAE
What happens to my UAE residence visa when I leave for good?
It must be cancelled. u.ae says that if you are leaving the UAE permanently on a visa sponsored by your employer or a family member, the visa must be officially cancelled, and normally only the sponsor can do it. Your employer cancels it through MOHRE and ICP, and the cancellation also ends your Emirates ID. Dependants' visas must be cancelled before the sponsor's, or put on hold for a limited period under ICP's conditions.
How long can I stay after my visa is cancelled?
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) lists a 180-day grace period for Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and their families, 90 days for skilled workers in levels 1 to 3 and property owners, 60 days for permits issued with a guarantor or host, and 30 days for all other categories. After the grace period a fine of AED 50 a day applies.
How is end-of-service gratuity calculated?
Full-time workers with at least one year of continuous service get 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years and 30 days for each year after that, in proportion for part years once the first year is complete. It is calculated on basic salary only, not allowances, and the total cannot exceed two years of wages. For 8 years of service that is 195 days of basic salary: 5 years at 21 days plus 3 years at 30 days.
When must my employer pay my final settlement?
u.ae says employers must pay all outstanding wages, other entitlements and gratuity within 14 days of the termination of the contract, and that the employer may deduct amounts you owe from the gratuity. Do not sign any statement that you have received all dues until the money has reached your account.
Do I have to cancel my Ejari when I leave Dubai?
Yes, for a tenancy that has ended. The Dubai Land Department service cancels a tenancy contract that has expired for a property that has been vacated, and it is free through the system or app. Leaving before the lease ends depends on your lease terms and your landlord's agreement. Article 14 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008) requires 90 days' notice before expiry if either side does not want to renew, unless you agreed otherwise.
Can unpaid loans or credit cards stop me from leaving the UAE?
u.ae says you may have a travel ban if you have a pending legal case in the UAE, and tells you to check before you travel through the Dubai Police app or a smart police station. Settle or formally close every loan and card first, and ask the bank for a written closure or no-liability letter. We have not found an official rule that a debt alone blocks departure, so ask your bank about your own contract.
Which documents should I carry out of the UAE for immigration?
Carry originals of your degree certificates and transcripts, experience letters, salary certificates, bank statements, labour contract, marriage and birth certificates, and your UAE police clearance certificate if the destination asks for one. For UAE-issued personal documents the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the original after the issuing government entity has attested it. Check how long the police certificate stays valid on the issuing page and with the immigration authority.
Ask us to check your exit timeline
Reviewed by the Cosmos case team, 22 October 2026. Cosmos Immigration is a private consultancy, not a government body, and this is general information, not legal advice. UAE rules, fees and grace periods are set by the authorities and can change without notice. Cosmos works with affiliated lawyers and attorneys in every country we serve.
Sources
- u.ae: End of service benefits for workers in the private sector (updated 15 October 2026)
- u.ae: Terminating employment contracts (notice period; read 22 October 2026)
- u.ae: General provisions for the residence visa (cancelling your residence visa; read 22 October 2026)
- ICP: Cancellation of residency permits (grace periods and fine; read 22 October 2026)
- u.ae: Preliminary checks (travel ban) (updated 5 October 2026)
- Dubai Land Department: Cancel tenancy contract (read 22 October 2026)
- Dubai Land Department: Tenancy Guide (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14)
- RTA Dubai: Cancel Vehicle Registration (read 22 October 2026)
- MOHRE: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (Article 13(11), experience certificate)
- u.ae: Preparing to work (attestation of documents) (read 22 October 2026)
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