Federal Law by Decree No. (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners (labour, residency and leberal professions law)

Article (1)  
Definitions  
In application of the provisions of this Law by Decree, the following words and phrases shall 
have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:  
 State  : United Arab Emirates.  
 ICA  : The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security.  
 Chairman  : Chairman of The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and 
Ports Security.  
 Foreigner  : : Anyone who does not hold the nationality of the State.  
 Visa  : An official document issued in accordance with the provisions of this Law 
by Decree that enables an Foreigner to enter the State and stay therein for  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  2 
 the period of permit granted thereto.  
 Residence 
Permit  : An official document issued in accordan ce with the provisions of this Law 
by Decree that enables an Foreigner to reside in the State for the period 
specified in the document.  
 Ports  : The State's official land, air and sea ports specified for the entry and exit of 
the Foreigner, which are dete rmined by a Cabinet resolution upon the 
proposal of the Chairman.

Article (2)  
Scope of Application  
1. The provisions of this Law by Decree shall apply to the Foreigner wishing to enter or 
reside in the State, including the Free Zones.  
2. The following shall be excluded from the application of the provisions of this Law by 
Decree:  
A. Heads of States and their family members.  
B. Heads and members of diplomatic and consular missions accredited to the State and 
their families.  
C. Those exempted under international agreements to which the State is a party, within 
the limits of those agreements.

Article (3)  
Implementing Body  
The ICA shall be solely responsible for implementing the provisions of this Law by Decree.

Article (4)  
Conditions for Foreigner's Entry to the State  
1. The following conditions are required for an Foreigner to enter the State:  
A. Possession of a valid and approved passport that authorises its holder to return to 
the country from which it was issued, or any approved documents that take its place.   
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  3 
 B. Obtaining a valid visa.  
C. Entry and exit through the approved ports in the State.  
D. Any other conditions stipulated by in the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree.  
2. Citizens of states countries for which a Cabinet resolution is issued upon the proposal of 
the Chairman are exempted from the requirement to obtain a valid visa.  
3. The Chairman or his authorised representative may, in case of necessity, make an exemptio n from all or some of the conditions stipulated in this Article, or whoever he 
deems to exempt by a special permission from obtaining a visa.

Article (5)  
Foreigner's Obligations  
The Foreigner shall:  
1. Enter or exit the State through the approved ports.  
2. Register his data when entering and exiting the country, in accordance with the procedures and controls specified in the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree.  
3. Notify the ICA in the event of any change in his entry, residence and work data, or in the event of a dispute between him and the contracting entity, in accordance with the procedures and periods specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree;  and 
the entity contracting with the Foreigner shall abide by the same obligation.  
4. Not to engage in any activity or work except in accordance with the legislation in force in the State.  
5. Leave the State upon the expiry or cancellation of his visa unless he has obtained a residence permit in the State in accordance with the provisions of this Law by Decree 
and its Executive Regulation.  
6. Leave the State upon the cancellation or expiry of the residence permit unless it is 
renewed. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall specify the period during 
which Foreigners must leave the State, as well as the terms and periods of the extension of the stay.  
7. Abide by any other obligations stipulated by the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree.   
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  4

Article (6)  
Obligations of Drivers of Mean of Transportation  
Captains of ships and planes, and drivers of cars, trains, and other means of transportation  
must, upon their arrival or departure from the State, provide the competent employee in the 
ICA with the documents and data specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law by 
Decree.

Article (7)  
Foreigner's Visas  
1. The ICA shall be responsible for issuing, renewing and cancelling visas in accordance 
with the provisions of this Law by Decree and its Executive Regulation.  
2. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall determine the types of visas in the 
State and the controls and conditions for their issuance, duration, renewal and cancellation, and the cases where they may be changed to residence permits.  
3. Embassies and consulates representing the State abroad may issue visas in accordance 
with the contr ols specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree.

Article (8)  
Residence Permits for Foreigners  
1. The ICA shall be responsible for issuing, renewing and cancelling residence permits in 
accordance with the provisions of this Law by Decree and its Executive Regulation.  
2. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall determine the types of resid ence 
permits in the State and the controls and conditions for their issuance, duration, renewal and cancellation.

Article (9)  
Foreigner's Bringing in His Family Members  
An Foreigner who has obtained a residence permit in the Stat e may bring in his family 
members, in accordance with the terms and conditions set by the Executive Regulation of  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  5 
 this Law by Decree.

Article (10)  
Cancellation of Visa or Residence Permit in Special Cases  
Without prejudice to any resolutions issued by t he Cabinet, the Chairman may, at any time, 
cancel any visa or residence permit prior to the expiry of its term, for reasons related to the 
public interest or in case the Foreigner violates the provisions of this Law by Decree, its 
Executive Regulation, or the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, excluding the 
violation of the provisions of Articles (22) and (24) of this Law by Decree.

Article (11)  
Cancellation and Expiry of Visa or Residency  
Every Foreigner whose visa or residence permit has been cancelled or expires, and has not 
renewed it -  in the cases where this is permissible -  or has not left the State within the 
periods specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree, shall be subject to an 
administrative for each day he resides illegally in the State as of the date of the expiry of 
these periods. The value of said fine shall be determined by a Cabinet resolution.

Article (12)  
Foreigner's New -Born  
If an Foreigner has a new -born in the State, he must do the following within four (4) months 
as of the date of birth:  
1. Obtaining documents to prove the identity of his new -born in accordance with the 
legislation and procedures in force in his country.  
2. Establishing the res idency of his new -born.  
In the event of non -compliance with Clauses (1) and (2) of this Article, an administrative fine 
shall be imposed on him for each day starting as of the expiry date of the aforementioned 
period. The value of said fine shall be determined by a Cabinet resolution.  
  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  6

Article (13) 
Exemption From Fine 
The Chairman or his authorised representative may decide  to exempt from all or part of the 
fine stipulated in Articles (11) and (12) of this Law by Decree.

Article (14)  
Foreigner's Documents  
1. During the period of his stay in the State, the Foreigner must submit, whenever 
requested to do so, the  passport or the document that takes its place, answer any 
questions asked to him about data, and, upon request, report to the ICA or the police 
headquarters at the time set for him.  
2. If the event of loss or damage of an Foreigner's passport, he must inform The ICA about 
the same within twenty -four (24) hours as of the date of the loss or damage.

Article (15)  
Deportation of Foreigners  
1. The Federal Public Prosecutor or his authorised representative and the Chairman or his 
authorised representative may order the deportation of the Foreigner even if he has a 
visa or residence permit, if such deportation is required by the public interest, public 
security, public morals, or public health, or if he has no apparent means of subsistence.  
2. The Foreigner's deportation order may include the Foreigner members of his family supported by him.  
3. The Chairman or his authorised representative may detain the Foreigner whose 
deportation order  is issued, after the approval of the Federal Public Prosecutor, and for a 
period not exceeding thirty (30) days, extendable for a similar period if such detention is 
necessary to implement the deportation order.  
 
 
 
  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  7

Article (16)  
Expenses of Deported Foreigner  
The Chairman may order that the expenses of deporting the Foreigner and his family and 
removing him from the State be from the money of said Foreigner if he has money or at the 
expense of his employer in violation of the prov isions of the Law by Decree; otherwise the 
ICA shall bear the expenses of deportation or expulsion.

Article (17)  
Settlement of the Interests of Deported Foreigner  
If an Foreigner who is ordered to be deported or expelled has interests in the State that 
require settlement, he shall be given a period of time to liquidate them after he submits a 
guarantee. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall specify th e controls for this 
period.

Article (18)  
Entry of Deported Foreigner  
1. The Foreigner who has previously been deported may not return to the State without a 
permission from the Chairman.  
2. Subject to the provisions of Articles (11) and (12) of this Law by Decree, the Foreigner 
shall be expelled from the State by an order of the ICA if he does not have a residence 
permit or the period of the permit has expired or has been cancelled. He may no t be 
given another permission to enter the State unless he fulfils the conditions and 
procedures necessary for entry in accordance with the provisions of this Law by Decree.

Article (19)  
Penalties  
If an Foreigner arrives in the State by any means of transportation in violation of the 
provisions of this Law by Decree and its Executive Regulation, the ICA may order his 
deportation and assign the driver or captain of the means of transport in which he arrived or  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  8 
 the driver or captain of any other means belo nging to the same owner to expel that 
Foreigner from the State, and the owner of the means of transport shall bear the costs of 
deportation.

Article (20) 
The imposition of the penalties stipulated in this Law by Decree shall not prejudice any severer pen alty stipulated by any other law.

Article (21) 
Any Foreigner who is arrested in the State after illegally infiltrating or entering it shall be 
punished with imprisonment. The court shall order the deportation of the Foreigner and the 
confiscation of the funds obtained by the Foreigner from any activity or work carried out 
during that period.

Article (22) 
1. The driver or captain of any means of transportation who brings in or takes out or 
attempts to bring in or take out an Foreigner to or from the State in violation of the 
provisions of this Law by Decree shall be punished with temporary imprisonment.  
2. The same penalty stipulated in the preceding Clause shall be imposed on whoever 
guides, instructs, or assists in any form of assistance an infiltrator to get into or out of the State. In all cases, the court shall order the confiscation of the means of comm itting the 
crime without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, and the court shall also 
order the deportation of the Foreigner.

Article (23)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding six (6) months and/or a fine not less than five thousand (5,000) AED and not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) AED, shall be 
imposed on whoever gives a false statement with the intent of evading the provisions of this Law by Decree, and the court may order the deportation of the Foreigner.  
   
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  9

Article (24) 
1. A penalty of imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) years shall be imposed on whoever 
forges a visa or residence permit, or any official document on the basis of which these 
visas or permits are issued, with the intent of evading the provisions of this L aw by 
Decree.  
2. The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever uses any of the documents referred to in this Article knowing that it is forged.  
3. In all cases, the court must order the deportation of the Foreigner.

Article (25) 
1. A fine of fifty thousand (50,000) AED shall be imposed on anyone who employs, 
harbours or provides a place of residence to an Foreigner in violation of the provisions of 
this Law by Decree. The penalty shall be imprisonment and a fine of fifty thousand 
(50,000) AED in the event or repetition.  
2. Whoever recruits an Foreigner for the purpose of work in accordance with the provisions 
of this Law by Decree and does not employ him or leaves him to work for others without 
following the legal procedures stipulated in this regard, shall be punished with the same 
penalty stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article. In all cases, the fine shall be multiplied as 
per the number of violators.  
3. Anyone who recruits an Foreigner for the purpose of work in accordance with the 
provisions of this Law by Decree shall be exempted from the penalty if he reports that 
the Foreigner has left his work, in accordance with the provisions of the Executive 
Regul ation of this Law by Decree. In this case, he shall be compensated by an amount of 
ten thousand (10,000) AED as a deduction from the amount of the fine imposed in 
accordance with Clause (1) of this Article. The value of the Foreigner's travel ticket shall 
also be deducted from the amount of the fine.  
4. A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than two months and a fine of one hundred thousand (100,000) AED shall be imposed on whoever uses or harbours an 
infiltrator.  
5. The fine shall be multiplied as per the number of violators who are employed or  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  10 
 harboured, not exceeding five million (5,000,000) AED.  
6. Without prejudice to the penalties stipulated in the previous Clauses, if it is proven that a 
farm or estate or part of any of them has been allocated to harbour violating or 
infiltrating workers, the court shall order the demolition or removal of that part of the building.  
7. In all cases, the court shall order the deportation of the violating Foreigner, and shall also order the deportation o f the Foreigner who has employed him or harboured him upon 
repetition.  
8. The owner of the farm or estate shall be exempted from the determined penalty if it is proven that he has not been aware of the incident subject of the crime.  
9. The crimes stipulated in this Article shall be excluded from the application of the provisions of mitigating circumstances stipulated in the Penal Code.  
10. For the purposes of this Article, a farm is every land designated for the cultivation and growin g of plants, and an estate is every place designated for raising some types of 
animals.

Article (26) 
Anyone who fails to pay the fine referred to in article (8) of this Law by Decree shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding three (3) months or a fine not exceeding ten 
thousand (10,000) AED, and the court may order his deportation.

Article (27) 
A penalty of imprisonment or a fine not less than ten thousand (10,000) AED shall be imposed on whoever exploits, assists, participates in or facilitates , by any means, a visa in a 
manner inconsistent with the purpose for which it has been granted in violation of the provisions of this Law by Decree and its Executive Regulation. The penalty shall be 
multiplied as per the number of violators, and the court shall order the deportation of the 
Foreigner.  
  
  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  11

Article (28) 
A fine not less than fifty hundred (50,000) AED shall be imposed on any legal person whose 
any of its represen tatives, directors, agents or employees have committed any of the crimes 
stipulated in this Law by Decree for it or under its name. The court may order the closure of 
the place in which he carries out his activity for a period not exceeding six (6) months,  and 
the fine shall be multiplied as per the number of violations.

Article (29) 
Anyone who fails to pay the fine referred to in Articles (11) and (12) of this Law by Decree 
shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding three (3) months or a fine not 
exceeding four thousand (4,000) AED, and the court may order his deportation.

Article (30) 
Except for the penalties determined for the crimes stipulated in this Law by Decree, whoever violates the provisions of this Law by Decree or its Executive Regulation or the resolutions 
issued in implementation thereof shall be punished with imprisonment f or a period not less 
than one month and/or a fine not less than ten thousand (10,000) AED. The fine shall be 
multiplied as per the number of violators.

Article (31) 
Whoever attempts to commit a crime punishable by virtue of this Law by Decree or 
particip ates therein by conspiring, aiding, inciting or tempting others to commit such crime 
shall be punished with the penalty determined for the perpetrator himself.

Article (32)  
In application of the penalties stipulated in the preceding Articles, the provision s of the 
Articles relating to suspension of execution, replacement of penalty, and judicial pardon, 
contained in the Penal Code, shall not apply.  
   
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  12

Article (33) 
The Federal Supreme Court shall decide on the crimes referred to in Articles (22) and (24) of 
this Law by Decree, and the other courts, each within the limits of its jurisdiction, shall 
decide on other crimes.

Article (34)  
Administrative Violations and Sanctions  
Without prejudice to the penalties stipulated in this Law by Decree, the Cabinet shall issue a resolution specifying the acts that constitute a violation of the provisions of this Law by 
Decree, its Executive Regulation, the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, and the 
administrative sanctions to be imposed.

Article (35)  
Settle ment of the Violators' Situations  
The Cabinet Ministers may, upon th e proposal of the Chairman, settle the situation of 
violators of the provisions of this Law by Decree, its Executive Regulation and the 
resolutions issued in implementation thereof, organise exemption cases, and impose fines 
on administrative violations.

Article (36)  
The Executive Regulation  
The Cabinet shall -  upon the proposal of the Chairman - issue the Executive Regulation of 
this Law by Decree.

Article (37)  
Repeals  
1. The aforementioned Federal Law No. (6) of 1973 shall be repealed, as well as any 
provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Law by Decree.  
2. The resolutions, systems, and rules in force prior to the entry into force of the provisions  
Federal Law by Decree No.  (29) of 2021 Concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners  13 
 of this Law by Decree shall remain in force in a manner that does not conflic t with its 
provisions until the issuance of their replacements in accordance with the provisions of 
this Law by Decree.

Article (38) 
Publication and Entry into Force of the Law by Decree  
This Law by Decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force thirty 
(30) days as of the date of its publication.  
  
 
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued by us at the Palace of the Presidency  in Abu Dhabi:  
On: 9 Safar 1443 H  
Corresponding to: 16 September 2021 AD