UAE waives visa overstay fines for travellers stranded by regional airspace closures

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security has announced a waiver of visa overstay fines for visitors and residents who were unable to leave the country due to ongoing regional airspace disruptions, according to a Khaleej Times report. Authorities said the exemption applies to travellers whose departures were delayed after flights were suspended or rescheduled because of “exceptional regional circumstances”.

Who the waiver applies to

The waiver covers fines incurred from February 28 and applies to:

• Visitors holding tourist visas
• Visitors on visit visas
• Individuals with exit permits
• Residents who had cancelled their residency permits while preparing to depart the country

Officials said the extension will help travellers affected by flight disruptions caused by the closure of airspace across parts of the region.

Support for stranded passengers

According to Khaleej Times report, authorities said specialised teams have been deployed at airports and Customer Happiness Centres to assist passengers whose travel plans were disrupted. These teams are operating under emergency and business continuity plans in coordination with relevant authorities.

Travellers have been advised to follow updates through official government channels and remain in contact with airlines for the latest flight information.

The disruption comes after several countries in the region closed their airspace following missile and drone attacks linked to escalating tensions involving Iran. While scheduled flights by UAE carriers remain largely suspended until at least March 7, special repatriation services coordinated with the General Civil Aviation Authority are continuing to operate for stranded passengers.

Authorities also said safe air corridors have been opened with Gulf countries, allowing capacity of up to 48 flights per hour as air traffic gradually resumes.