Key takeaways
- The establishment card UAE companies need before they can sponsor anyone is the immigration establishment card. GDRFA issues it for establishments with a Dubai immigration file and ICP issues it everywhere else. It records the trade name, licence number, partners, activity and authorised signatories, and every entry permit, residence and cancellation the company lodges hangs off it.
- It is not the MOHRE establishment card. MOHRE issues a second card for the labour side, and asks for a copy of the immigration card before it will issue its own. This guide covers the immigration card only; the MOHRE card is in our labour card guide.
- Dubai (GDRFA) fees: AED 200 plus 5% VAT, AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and an AED 50 service fee, so AED 280 before any urgent fee (AED 100) or the AED 100 added when an issuance is lodged at an Amer centre. GDRFA publishes a 48-hour completion time.
- ICP fees are built differently. A private-sector renewal lists AED 100 a year, AED 1,000 to renew the establishment’s subscription to ICP’s electronic system and AED 100 smart services fee. A first issuance adds an AED 100 application fee, a AED 2,000 system subscription, a AED 1,000 subscription guarantee and a AED 20 guarantee deposit fee.
- There is a published establishment card renewal fine. ICP’s renewal card charges AED 100 for each month of delay once the card is more than 30 days past expiry, capped at AED 1,000. GDRFA’s Dubai renewal card lists no late fine. An earlier version of this guide said no fine was published anywhere; that was wrong for ICP and has been corrected.
- Renewal needs a valid trade licence and paid fines. ICP will not renew for an expired licence, and cancellation needs the commercial licence cancelled first, all fines paid and workers cleared. GDRFA will not cancel a card while any sponsored person remains on it.
- Changes cost money if you do not report them. ICP fines AED 1,000 for changing establishment information without notifying it, AED 2,000 for breaching its instructions or misusing smart services, and AED 20,000 where entry permits are issued for an establishment that is not trading.
An establishment card (UAE) is the immigration file card that GDRFA Dubai or ICP issues to a company, government body or free zone entity, recording its trade name, licence number, partners, activity and authorised signatories, so that the establishment can sponsor employees and apply for entry permits, residence visas and cancellations. People also call it the immigration establishment card, the immigration card or, on the UAE government portal, the firm card. It is renewed with the trade licence, carries its own fees and, at ICP, a late renewal fine, and it must be cancelled before a company closes.
This guide deals with the immigration side only: what the card is, which authority holds your file, how it is issued, what the establishment card fees and renewal cost are at GDRFA and at ICP, the late renewal fine, amendments, cancellation, the documents, and how the card links to your trade licence and your ability to hire. It is written for owners, managing partners and HR managers who carry the compliance calendar.
Everything here was checked on 24 September 2026 against the GDRFA Dubai service cards for issuing, renewing and cancelling establishment cards, ICP’s service cards for issuing, renewing, amending and cancelling them, the UAE government portal and MOHRE. Where an official page is silent or two pages disagree, we say so rather than fill the gap.
If your question is about the company’s registration at MOHRE (quota, work permits, e-signature), read our guide to the MOHRE card and labour cards. If you are trying to work out how many visas the company can hold, see our guide to company visa quota and how to increase it. If you only want the immigration establishment card renewed or amended for you, that is our establishment card service.
Establishment card UAE at a glance
The short answers business owners ask for most often. Each row is explained later in the guide, with its source.
| Question | Short answer | Where to confirm it |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | The company’s card at the immigration authority, showing licence, partners, activity and signatories | GDRFA and ICP establishment card service cards |
| Who issues it? | GDRFA for establishments with a Dubai immigration file; ICP for the other emirates and federal entities | gdrfad.gov.ae; icp.gov.ae |
| Establishment card fees in Dubai? | AED 280 standard (200 + 10 VAT + 10 + 10 + 50); AED 100 urgent; AED 100 more for an issuance lodged at Amer | GDRFA issuance and renewal cards |
| Establishment card fees at ICP? | Renewal (private sector): AED 100 a year + AED 1,000 system subscription + AED 100 smart fee. Issuance adds application, subscription and guarantee items | ICP issuance and renewal cards |
| How long does it take? | 48 hours at GDRFA; 2 days at ICP, once the file is complete | Service cards, completion time |
| Is there an establishment card renewal fine? | ICP: AED 100 a month after 30 days past expiry, capped at AED 1,000. GDRFA’s card lists none | ICP renewal card, service fines |
| What must be valid first? | The trade licence. ICP also requires fines on the establishment to be paid | ICP renewal card, terms |
| Can it be cancelled? | Yes, once no sponsored persons remain (GDRFA), and after licence cancellation, fines and worker clearance (ICP) | GDRFA and ICP cancellation cards |
| Is it the same as the MOHRE card? | No. Two cards, two authorities, two expiry dates. MOHRE asks for a copy of the immigration card | MOHRE Issuance of Establishment Card |
Establishment card renewal in Dubai: our service, fee and turnaround
Almost every company knows when its trade licence expires. Far fewer track the establishment card, which is a different document, issued by a different authority, on its own cycle. It is the document companies most often forget, and the discovery usually happens mid-hire: a work permit will not submit, a visa cannot be renewed, or a cancellation will not process, usually with a candidate waiting. Many companies can renew their own card online, and if yours can, we will say so. Owners and HR managers come to us when the file is not simple: the card has lapsed and hiring has stopped, partners or signatories have changed, a regulated activity needs third-party letters, or the business is closing. We are a PRO and visa services firm in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, working on GDRFA files in Dubai and ICP files in the other emirates.
What we do
- Track both expiry dates together. We diarise the card 60 days before its printed expiry, alongside the trade licence, so a licence delay or a notary appointment does not push the renewal into the fine period.
- Renew in the right order. Trade licence first where it is also due (our trade licence renewal service can run both together), then the immigration renewal as soon as the renewed licence is issued.
- Clear what would block the submission. Outstanding immigration fines, out-of-date partners or signatories, and the activity letters GDRFA lists for regulated businesses.
- Revive a lapsed card. Where the card has already expired, we deal with the penalty position and get the file live again so pending visa transactions can move. If an employee’s visa is already due, see our urgent employment visa renewal service.
- Issue, amend or cancel. New-company issuance, partner, name or signatory changes matched at MOHRE, and cancellation in the order the authority accepts when a company closes.
The sequence that avoids trouble
1. Ejari
The tenancy for the premises must be registered and current. It underpins both the licence and the card.
2. Trade licence
Renew this first. ICP will not renew the card against an expired licence.
3. Establishment card
Then renew the card, which is issued against the licence. GDRFA publishes 48 hours and ICP 2 days once the file is complete; outstanding fines or an expired licence extend that considerably.
4. Then transact
Work permits, visas and cancellations will now process. Attempting them in a different order is where files stall.
What we need from you
- Valid trade licence (renew it first if both are due)
- The existing establishment card, or a screenshot of it
- Passport and Emirates ID of the owner or authorised signatory
- Registered Ejari for the premises
- Confirmation that outstanding immigration fines are settled, or permission for us to check
New work permits and entry permits, residence renewals for existing staff, visa cancellations, quota applications and sponsorship transfers. The cancellation case is the one to watch: an employee who has resigned cannot be cancelled cleanly while the company file is expired, which leaves their status unresolved and can start fines running against them for a failure that is not theirs.
What it costs with us
Government fees are passed on at cost and shown on the official receipt, whether that is GDRFA’s AED 280 stack in Dubai or ICP’s per-year, subscription and smart services items elsewhere. Set against the licence and other annual compliance costs, this is a small line; the cost of letting it lapse is not the fee, it is the hiring delay. Our own fee is fixed and agreed in writing before we start, with updates on WhatsApp until the file closes, and depends on the work: a clean renewal is simpler than a lapsed card with a change of partners. Our fees page explains how we price.
Why owners and HR managers use us
- We publish the source for every fee and fine in this guide, and we show the government receipt with our invoice.
- We work on both immigration authorities and on the MOHRE side, so the cards and the licence stay in step.
- Our office is in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, open by appointment; whatsApp us any time, 24 hours; office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 (Dubai time). Owners who are abroad can authorise us to act on the file.
For companies that want the card, licence renewal, quota and visas managed together on one calendar, see our corporate PRO service.
What the immigration establishment card is, and what it is not
Every private company, free zone entity and government body that wants to sponsor foreign employees needs a file at the immigration authority. The immigration establishment card is the visible face of that file. ICP describes it as an electronic card that “includes the registered establishment data such as trade name, license number, partners, and type of activity”. GDRFA’s card for private sector and free zone institutions says it lets a business “get an establishment card with information about the business on it”.
In practice the card, or the file number on it, is what an entry permit application, a residence application or a cancellation is attached to. A company that holds a trade licence but no immigration establishment card can trade, invoice and open a bank account. It cannot bring in a single employee on its own sponsorship.
The names people use
The same card goes by several names, which is half the reason owners lose track of it.
| Name you may hear | Where it comes from | Same card? |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment card | The official service name at GDRFA and ICP | Yes |
| Immigration establishment card / immigration card | Everyday usage, to tell it apart from the MOHRE card | Yes |
| Firm card | The UAE government portal: an employer “must request a firm card also from the respective General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs” | Yes |
| Facility card | A translation used on some GDRFA pages (for example “a letter cancelling the facility card from the sponsor”) | Yes |
| E-channel card or computer card | Older trade names for the immigration file and its electronic channel | Usually, but check what the speaker means |
| MOHRE establishment card | MOHRE’s service “Issuance of Establishment Card” | No. A separate labour-side card |
Two establishment cards, one sequence
Almost every mainland company holds both cards. The immigration establishment card lets it sponsor people for residence; the MOHRE card lets it obtain quota, work permits and employment contracts. MOHRE’s own service card lists a copy of the immigration establishment card, showing the owners and authorised signatories, among the documents for its card, and requires the authorised signatory at MOHRE to be authorised at ICP as well. So the immigration card comes first, and the signatories must match on both.
That is all this guide says about the MOHRE card. Its conditions, fees and checks are in our labour card guide, and opening the MOHRE file is our labour file opening service.
Where the card sits in the chain
- Trade licence from the economic department or free zone authority.
- Immigration establishment card from GDRFA or ICP.
- MOHRE establishment card and e-signature (mainland companies).
- Quota: at MOHRE for mainland companies, or under the free zone package.
- Work permit, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and residence for each employee.
A lapse at any step stops everything below it. That is why an expired immigration establishment card shows up as a refused entry permit or a residence renewal that will not submit, not as a message saying “your card has expired”. How quota is assessed and raised is covered in our visa quota guide; the card itself does not set your quota, but no quota can be used without it.
Who needs one
- Mainland private companies licensed by an economic department.
- Free zone companies. GDRFA’s issuance service is expressly for “the Private Sector/ Free Zone”, and ICP’s card covers free zone establishments, which must apply through their free zone authority.
- Government entities, under separate GDRFA and ICP variants that ask for the decree or resolution establishing the body.
- National businesses supported under a small projects programme, which GDRFA issues under its own “national companies – SME” variant.
GDRFA or ICP: which authority holds your establishment file
For an establishment card UAE rules depend on the authority. The UAE has two immigration authorities for residence purposes. GDRFA Dubai handles Dubai. ICP, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, handles the other emirates and federal matters. Your establishment file sits with the authority of the emirate where the company is licensed, and that decides which fee schedule, portal and rules apply.
| Item | GDRFA Dubai | ICP |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Establishments licensed in Dubai, mainland and Dubai free zones | Establishments in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, and federal entities |
| Services | Issuance (three variants), renewal, cancellation; representative’s card services | Issuing, renewal, amend or add, cancellation |
| Channels | GDRFA smart services (UAE PASS or username), Amer centres, main GDRFA building | ICP smart services website and app (UAE PASS), customer happiness centres, authorised service providers |
| Completion | 48 hours | 2 days |
| Fee logic | Flat card fee plus VAT, Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, service fee | Per-year fee plus application, smart services, system subscription and guarantees |
| Late renewal fine published | None on the renewal card | AED 100 a month after 30 days, maximum AED 1,000 |
| Helpline | 8005111 (+971 4 313 9999 from abroad) | 600522222 (+971 600 522222 from abroad) |
If you are not sure, look at an employee’s residence file number: the first digit shows the issuing emirate (2 for Dubai, 1 for Abu Dhabi, 3 for Sharjah, 4 Ajman, 5 Umm Al Quwain, 6 Ras Al Khaimah, 7 Fujairah). For the wider differences between the two authorities, see our guide on how ICP and GDRFA differ, and for Dubai’s service catalogue, GDRFA services explained.
Free zones
ICP’s issuance card is explicit: “For companies operating under a Free Zone Authority, the service request must be submitted through the respective Free Zone Authority to which the establishment belongs.” GDRFA’s Dubai cards do not carry an equivalent sentence, but in practice most Dubai free zones lodge immigration transactions for their companies through their own portals, on their own timetables and with their own charges on top of the government fees. Ask your zone which route it uses before assuming you can apply direct. What does not change is the dependency: no valid immigration establishment card, no visa transactions. Our guide to free zone and mainland visas sets out the wider differences.
Issuing an immigration establishment card in Dubai (GDRFA)
GDRFA publishes the issuance service in three variants. Which one you fall under decides the document list; the fees are nearly identical.
| GDRFA variant | For | Core documents |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector / Free Zone | Almost every company, mainland or free zone | Copy of the partners’ names appendix; passport copies of the authorised signatories; notarised authorisation for the authorised persons where a manager signs |
| Establishment Card for Institutions in Government Sector | Government bodies | Decree from the Court of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid; signatory passport copies; letter from the government agency |
| Establishment Card for national companies – SME | Emirati-owned businesses supported under a small projects programme | Sponsor’s passport copy; trade licence copy; official letter from the Small Projects Support Program |
The three private-sector documents, and why the third one delays files
- Partners’ names appendix. The page from the economic department or free zone showing every partner. If the licence was amended recently, use the current appendix; an old one with a departed partner is a common reason for a return.
- Passport copies of the authorised signatories. Clear, current passports. Where a signatory has renewed a passport, use the new one, and expect the name to be matched against the licence.
- Notarised authorisation, where a manager signs. If the person who will sign for the company is a manager rather than an owner, GDRFA wants a copy of the authorisation certified by the notary public. This is the document that takes days, not minutes: it needs a notary appointment, the right parties and the right wording. Start with it.
Names, spellings and roles on these documents must agree with the licence and each other; most returned applications we see come from mismatches, not missing papers.
Extra documents for regulated activities
GDRFA attaches an activity-specific list to both the issuance and the renewal of the immigration establishment card. If your business is in one of these categories, the three standard documents are not enough. The table sets out what GDRFA’s card asks for, in our own words.
| Activity | Additional evidence GDRFA lists |
|---|---|
| Airlines | Trade licence copy |
| Fishing boats | A licence or statement from the ministry responsible for environment and fisheries |
| Excursion or commercial boats | Hunting licence |
| Abra or yacht | Ownership document from the transport authority |
| Yachts | Ownership from the Ministry of Transportation, and the expired establishment card |
| Stables | Owner’s passport copy and signature form; for a stable belonging to the Ruler, a letter from the engineering office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed at the Ruler’s Court; for a privately owned stable, a municipality letter with the number of horses, or the horses’ passports |
| Livestock farms | Owner’s passport copy and signature form; municipality letter confirming the owner keeps livestock |
| Farms | Owner’s passport copy with signature form; ownership document from the Land Department |
| Property | Ownership document from the Land Department; property map |
| Hotels | Department of Tourism letter with the hotel’s rating; the hotel’s own letter stating number of rooms and rating |
| Consulates | No-objection letter from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the consulate’s official letter about its members; consulate card |
| Organisations | Official letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Churches | Dubai Municipality no-objection letter to practise the activity |
| Charities | Licence from the Community Development Authority |
| Quran memorisation centres | Community Development Authority licence, and the expired establishment card |
| Clubs | Decree from the Court (Diwan) for cultural and social clubs; a federal decree for sports clubs |
The pattern is that GDRFA wants evidence from whichever authority regulates the activity. Yachts and Quran memorisation centres must also produce the expired card, so keep the old one.
Step by step at GDRFA
GDRFA describes two routes: digital, and in person at a customer happiness centre. The steps are the same in substance.
- Prepare the documents above, and any activity letters, as clear scans.
- Log in to GDRFA’s smart services with UAE PASS or a username, or take a ticket at a customer happiness centre or Amer centre.
- Search for the immigration establishment card service that matches your variant and fill in the application.
- Upload or hand in the documents and pay the fees.
- Wait for the decision. GDRFA’s stated completion time is 48 hours once a complete application is in.
A point of detail: on 24 September 2026 the issuance card’s “Service Availability Channels” listed the main GDRFA building and Amer centres, while its “Service Steps” also described the digital route. The renewal card lists the digital channels as available 24/7. If the digital route is not offered for your first issuance, the Amer route is the fallback.
GDRFA establishment card fees at issuance
| Component (GDRFA issuance) | Private sector / free zone | Government | National SME |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card issuance fee | AED 200 | AED 200 | AED 200 |
| VAT at 5% on the card fee | AED 10 | AED 10 | AED 10 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 | AED 10 | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 | AED 10 | AED 10 |
| Service fee | AED 50 | AED 50 | Not listed |
| Standard total | AED 280 | AED 280 | AED 230 |
| Urgent fee (optional) | + AED 100 | + AED 100 | + AED 100 |
| If lodged through an Amer centre | + AED 100 | + AED 100 | + AED 100 |
Totals are worked from GDRFA’s published components, with VAT applied at 5% to the AED 200 card fee as the card states. Every GDRFA establishment card also carries the note “The issuance or renewal fee is AED100 per year”, which we deal with in the renewal section below. An Amer or typing centre’s own charge is separate from these government items and appears on its own receipt line.
Issuing an immigration establishment card with ICP (other emirates and federal entities)
ICP’s “Issuing an Establishment Card” service describes the card as electronic and built largely from data retrieved from other government systems. Documents are attached only “in case data retrieval through integration fails”.
ICP’s conditions for private sector and free zone companies
- A valid trade (commercial) licence.
- A valid Emirates ID, or a unified number for a signatory not yet issued an Emirates ID, for at least one authorised signatory. ICP says the issuance “cannot begin without it”.
- The application for the initial approval and the card must be submitted exclusively through authorised service providers.
- Free zone companies must submit through their own free zone authority.
- The applicant completes whatever ICP asks for if the application is returned for modification.
For government entities, ICP asks for the official resolution, decree or law establishing the body, and uses the Emirates ID of the authorised signatories.
ICP documents for an immigration establishment card
- The trade licence; for a limited liability company, a copy showing the partners.
- A signature authorisation letter for the authorised signatories.
- The memorandum of association where the company is a partnership.
- Any requirements set by the local government of the emirate where the establishment is registered.
- For government bodies: the founding decree, the board resolution and an official letter to ICP requesting a file, signed by the chairman or an authorised representative.
ICP establishment card fees at issuance
| Item on ICP’s issuance card | Private sector / free zone | Government |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Issuance fee per year | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Smart services fee | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Subscription to ICP’s electronic system for establishments | AED 2,000 | AED 2,000 |
| System subscription guarantee | AED 1,000 | Not listed |
| Financial guarantee deposit fee | AED 20 | Not listed |
| Total for a one-year card, as listed | AED 3,320 | AED 2,300 |
| Financial guarantee for a tourism establishment | AED 75,000 (tourism establishments only) | Not listed |
The AED 1,000 subscription guarantee and the AED 75,000 tourism guarantee are guarantees, not spent fees, but they are cash out of the business on the day. ICP’s card does not say how or when a guarantee is returned; ask before you budget. Where the card is issued for more than one year, the per-year item multiplies. ICP publishes a completion time of 2 days, and its smart services require a UAE PASS login.
What ICP will fine on a new immigration establishment card
ICP prints three fines on the issuance card for private-sector establishments. They are worth reading before the first entry permit is applied for:
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Violating ICP’s instructions or decisions, or breaching the establishment’s or individuals’ commitments to ICP | AED 2,000 |
| Entry permits issued for an establishment that is not conducting any business activity | AED 20,000 |
| Misuse of smart services | AED 2,000 |
The AED 20,000 line is the one that matters to anyone tempted to open a company only to sponsor visas. An immigration establishment card is a licence to sponsor for a real business, and ICP says so in its fees.
Establishment card renewal cost: GDRFA and ICP side by side
Establishment card renewal cost is the question most owners search for, and the answer depends entirely on which authority holds the file. The two authorities price the same card on different logic, and a figure quoted for one is wrong for the other.
| Establishment card renewal cost item | GDRFA Dubai (all categories) | ICP, private sector / free zone | ICP, government |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card renewal fee | AED 200 + 5% VAT (AED 10) | AED 100 per year | AED 100 per year |
| Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams | AED 10 + AED 10 | Not listed | Not listed |
| Service or smart services fee | AED 50 | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Application fee | Not listed | Not listed | AED 100 |
| Renewal of the establishment’s subscription in ICP’s electronic system | Not applicable | AED 1,000 | AED 1,000 |
| Standard total, one year | AED 280 | AED 1,200 | AED 1,300 |
| Urgent processing | + AED 100 | Not listed | Not listed |
| Completion time | 48 hours | 2 days | 2 days |
| Late renewal fine | None listed | AED 100 a month after 30 days, max AED 1,000 | Same |
Sources: GDRFA “Renewal of Establishment Card – all categories”; ICP “Renewal of Establishment Card”, read 24 September 2026. Totals are our arithmetic from the published lines. Neither figure includes a typing centre’s or PRO’s own charge.
The “AED 100 per year” note in Dubai
Every GDRFA establishment card, issuance and renewal, ends its fee block with: “Note: The issuance or renewal fee is AED100 per year.” Read next to a headline card fee of AED 200, there are two possible readings. One is that the card is priced at AED 100 for each year of validity and AED 200 is the fee for a two-year card. The other is that the note is a leftover from an older schedule. GDRFA does not state a validity period on the card, and it does not reconcile the two lines.
What we can say is that ICP, for the other emirates, prices its card explicitly per year. The practical rule for Dubai is simple: the amount shown on the GDRFA payment screen for your file is what is charged, and the expiry printed on your own card is the date that governs the next renewal. Read both, and do not rely on a round number from a website, including this one.
How long the immigration establishment card lasts
Neither authority publishes a fixed term on its service card. ICP charges per year, will only renew against a valid trade licence, and fines late renewal from the card’s own expiry date. In the files we handle, the card is normally issued or renewed for a period that does not run beyond the trade licence, which for most companies means one year at a time, renewed straight after the licence. Treat that as practice, not a published rule, and diarise the date on your card.
What else appears on a real receipt
Centre charges and PRO fees sit on top of the government lines. Lodging at an Amer or typing centre adds that centre’s own fee and VAT, shown as a separate line (a GDRFA receipt we reviewed on 4 September 2026, for a different service, showed Amer AED 50 plus AED 2.50 VAT). Some GDRFA establishment services, such as cancellation, list collection commissions instead of a fee: AED 20 through Commercial Bank of Dubai, or AED 50 for companies through Emaratec. A Dubai company renews for about AED 280 while an ICP company, on the published lines, pays about AED 1,200, so budget each entity from its own authority’s card. Our guide to what drives PRO pricing explains how to compare service quotes.
How to renew an immigration establishment card, step by step
Renewal is the same service whether the card is about to expire or already has. What changes after expiry is the fine at ICP and the list of things that have stopped working in the meantime.
Before you start: the renewal checklist
- Trade licence valid. ICP states the renewal “is granted only if a valid trade license is available”. Renew the licence first if it is also due; our guide on the trade licence renewal process and cost covers that step, and our licence renewal service can run both together.
- Fines paid. ICP requires “payment of the fines due on the establishment”. Check for immigration fines on the file, not only on the card.
- Partners and signatories current. If anyone has joined, left or changed role, amend first or in the same visit; renewing old data just carries the error forward.
- Documents ready for your sector (below), plus any activity letter GDRFA lists.
- Signatory access. The authorised signatory’s UAE PASS, or the username for GDRFA’s system, or a representative who can lodge for the company.
Immigration establishment card renewal documents at GDRFA
| Sector | Documents GDRFA lists for renewal |
|---|---|
| Private sector or free zone | Copy of the partners’ names appendix; copies of the authorised signatories’ passports; notarised authorisation for the authorised individuals where a manager signs |
| Government sector | A letter from the relevant government authority |
| National businesses (SME support) | Sponsor’s passport copy; copy of the business licence; formal letter from the Small Projects Support Program |
| Regulated activities | The same additional evidence as at issuance (table above), including the expired card for yachts and Quran memorisation centres |
Renewing the immigration establishment card at GDRFA (Dubai)
- Log in to GDRFA’s smart services with UAE PASS or a username. The renewal card lists the digital channel as available 24/7; Amer centres also accept it during their hours.
- Search for “Renewal of Establishment Card”.
- Check the data the system shows (trade name, licence, partners, signatories) and correct anything out of date through an amendment.
- Attach the documents for your sector.
- Pay: AED 280 standard, AED 380 urgent, plus any centre charge if you use one.
- Download or collect the renewed card once approved; the published completion time is 48 hours.
Renewing the immigration establishment card at ICP (other emirates)
- Log in to ICP’s smart services website or app with UAE PASS, or use an authorised service provider.
- Open “Renewal of Establishment Card” and submit the application.
- Review the form and adjust any data that was retrieved automatically.
- Attach documents only if the integration with the licensing authority has not pulled them through.
- Pay the fees shown (AED 1,200 for a private-sector one-year renewal on the published lines, plus any fine).
- ICP approves and renews the electronic card; the published completion time is 2 days.
When to renew
Neither authority publishes an earliest date for renewal. What is published is the cost of being late at ICP. In practice we lodge the immigration renewal as soon as the renewed licence is issued, and we diarise the card 60 days before its printed expiry so that a licence delay, a notary appointment or an amendment does not push the renewal into the fine period.
Establishment card renewal fine: what late renewal costs
People often search for a daily establishment card renewal fine, by analogy with residence overstay. The published rules are different, and they differ between the two authorities.
ICP establishment card renewal fine: AED 100 a month, capped at AED 1,000
ICP’s renewal card lists, under “Service fines”, for both government and private-sector establishments: “A delay in renewing the establishment card for more than 30 days from its expiry date: AED 100 for each month of delay, up to a maximum of AED 1,000.”
| Time since the card expired | ICP establishment card renewal fine (published rule) |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 days | No fine |
| More than 30 days | AED 100 for each month of delay |
| Example: about 4 months late | Several hundred dirhams, as calculated by the system |
| Long delays | Capped at AED 1,000 |
ICP’s card does not say whether the first chargeable month is counted from the expiry date or from day 31, or how part-months are treated. The system calculates it at the time of renewal, so the only reliable figure is the one on the payment screen. What is not in doubt is the shape: a 30-day window, then AED 100 a month, then a ceiling.
GDRFA Dubai: no establishment card renewal fine on the card
GDRFA’s “Renewal of Establishment Card – all categories” lists the card fee, VAT, the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, the service fee and the urgent fee. It lists no late renewal fine. We have not found a published GDRFA late fine for the immigration establishment card on 24 September 2026, so we do not quote one. If a Dubai centre adds a “fine” line at renewal, ask for the name of the item on the receipt and check it against the service card.
The previous version of this guide said that no late renewal fine was published for the immigration establishment card and that “the cost is the freeze, not the fine”. That was accurate for GDRFA Dubai but wrong for ICP, whose renewal card publishes AED 100 a month after 30 days, up to AED 1,000. We have corrected it.
The bigger cost: what stops while the immigration establishment card is expired
Even where the establishment card renewal fine is small or nil, an expired immigration establishment card is expensive, because the company’s immigration file stops moving. This is what we see stop, in practice, until the card is renewed:
| What stops | What it costs the business |
|---|---|
| New entry permits | A hire you have made an offer to cannot travel or change status |
| Residence issuance and renewal for staff | Employees drift towards expiry; once a residence expires and any grace period ends, overstay fines of AED 50 a day can start for the individual |
| Residence cancellations | Leavers cannot be cancelled cleanly; their files stay open against the company |
| Dependants and domestic staff sponsored by employees | Unaffected directly, but an employee whose own residence cannot be renewed cannot renew theirs either |
| Amendments and new signatories | Held until the card is renewed or amended in the same transaction |
For what an expired residence means for an employee, see what happens when a UAE visa expires and the residence visa grace period. The company’s lapse becomes the employee’s problem quickly, and that is the conversation HR managers least want to have.
Other ICP fines on the immigration establishment card file
| Fine | Amount | Published on |
|---|---|---|
| Late renewal, more than 30 days after expiry | AED 100 a month, maximum AED 1,000 | ICP renewal card |
| Changing establishment information without notifying ICP | AED 1,000 | ICP amend/add card |
| Violating ICP instructions or decisions, or breaching commitments | AED 2,000 | ICP issuance and renewal cards |
| Misuse of smart services | AED 2,000 | ICP issuance and renewal cards |
| Entry permits issued for an establishment with no business activity | AED 20,000 | ICP issuance and renewal cards |
ICP’s cancellation and amendment cards both require the establishment’s fines to be paid first, so a fine left unpaid will surface again when you least want it. Waivers of immigration fines are exceptional and time-limited; our fine waiver and amnesty guide explains what has and has not been offered.
Amending the immigration establishment card
The immigration establishment card must match the licence. When the licence changes, the card has to follow, and at ICP not telling the authority is itself a fined offence.
Changes that need an amendment
- A new trade name.
- A partner added or removed, or a transfer of ownership.
- A change of activity.
- A new authorised signatory, or a signatory’s new passport.
- A new electronic service or service category added to the card, for example the privilege to apply for visit visas.
ICP: “Amend/Add To Establishment Card”
ICP publishes a dedicated service that “allows the amendment of establishment card data for government entities, private sector companies, and free zone establishments, to make changes such as modifying the trade name, transfer of ownership, or adding/removing a partner”. Its fees and conditions, as read on 24 September 2026:
| ICP amendment item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Modifying or adding any electronic service for establishments (application fee) | AED 200 |
| Adding a new service category to the establishment card (application fee) | AED 100 |
| Adding the visit entry visa service privilege (issuance fee) | AED 5,000 |
| Increasing the number of visit entry visas (application fee) | AED 500 |
| Smart services fee | AED 100 |
| Fine: changing establishment information without notifying ICP | AED 1,000 |
A typical data amendment (new partner, new name) therefore starts at AED 300 on the published lines: the AED 200 application fee and the AED 100 smart services fee. The visit visa items apply only to establishments that sponsor visitors.
Documents ICP lists: the trade licence (for an LLC, showing the partners); the preliminary approval where a partner is added or the activity changes; a signature authorisation letter; a copy of the power of attorney if someone else is authorised; for government bodies, the latest decree; and a letter from the authorised person asking ICP to amend the establishment file. ICP also requires fines to be paid and workers cleared before it will amend.
GDRFA: data changes in Dubai
GDRFA’s issuance and renewal cards list “Modify the establishment card data” as a related service. On 24 September 2026, however, GDRFA’s Establishments Support Services list showed issuance, renewal and cancellation of the establishment card, the representative’s card services and an “Amend Public Relations Officer (PRO) Card” service, but no standalone establishment card amendment card that we could open. GDRFA’s “Modify the establishment card data” service card, checked on 11 October 2026, lists digital channels only (the GDRFA website and smart app, 24/7), so Dubai data changes are made online through GDRFA, and the updated licence and partners’ appendix are the core documents. That card lists the amendment fee as AED 100 plus 5% VAT, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and an AED 50 service fee.
Signatory changes: update both authorities
MOHRE’s service card for its own establishment card requires the authorised signatory at MOHRE to be authorised at ICP as well. When a manager leaves or a new one is appointed, change the immigration establishment card and the MOHRE record together. A signatory recognised by one system and not the other is one of the commonest reasons a company’s transactions fail with no clear error. The notarised authorisation for a new manager is the step to start first.
Cancelling the immigration establishment card
A company that closes, moves emirate or stops sponsoring staff must cancel its immigration establishment card. Both authorities publish the service, and both put conditions in front of it that decide the order of the whole closure.
| Item | GDRFA Dubai | ICP |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Cancellation of Establishment Card for all categories | Cancellation of Establishment Card |
| Requirements | The establishment card; a letter from the sponsor cancelling the card | Trade licence; a copy of the cancelled commercial licence (private sector); any local government requirements |
| Conditions | No sponsored persons may remain on the immigration establishment card | Commercial licence cancelled first; all fines paid; workers cleared |
| Fees | No card fee listed. Collection commission AED 20 (Commercial Bank of Dubai) or AED 50 for companies (Emaratec); AED 100 added if lodged at Amer | Card cancellation AED 50; cancellation of the e-system subscription (application) AED 50; smart services AED 100; total AED 200 |
| Channel | Digital, 24/7 | ICP smart services; depends on the card having been issued through ICP |
| Completion | Not stated | 2 days |
The order that works when a company closes
- Cancel every employee’s work permit at MOHRE (mainland) and every residence sponsored by the company. Our guide on how to cancel an employment visa covers each file.
- Cancel or transfer anyone else on the file, including investors or partners on company-sponsored residence.
- Pay every fine on the establishment: immigration, MOHRE and licensing.
- Close the MOHRE establishment file where the company has one.
- Cancel the trade licence; ICP requires this first.
- Cancel the immigration establishment card with the cancelled licence and the sponsor’s letter.
The order between steps 5 and 6 matters most outside Dubai: ICP asks for a copy of the cancelled commercial licence. GDRFA’s card asks only for the card and the sponsor’s letter, but still refuses while anyone is sponsored on it. If you want the whole closure handled, our company liquidation service runs these steps in sequence.
Employees who are still sponsored when the company tries to close are the most common cause of a stalled liquidation we see. If an employee has left the UAE without cancelling, or cannot be traced, deal with that file first; our guides on what employers can do when an employee absconds and cancelling a visa when the sponsor cannot be reached set out the routes.
The representative’s card on the establishment file
The immigration establishment card makes the company exist at immigration; a separate GDRFA representative’s card decides who may transact for it. GDRFA lists services to issue, renew, amend and cancel it. Its card asks for a letter from the authorised authority and a certificate of criminal investigation, requires the representative to be resident on the company’s own sponsorship, lists collection commissions rather than a fee (plus AED 100 at Amer) and publishes 48 hours. Cancel a departing PRO’s card the week they leave. What the PRO role covers is explained in our guide to what a company PRO does.
How to check your immigration establishment card status and expiry
There is no single public page that shows every company’s immigration establishment card. Use the channel that holds your file.
| What you want to know | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Expiry date and data on a Dubai card | GDRFA smart services, logged in as the establishment (UAE PASS or username); or an Amer centre; Amer call centre 800 5111 |
| Expiry date and data on an ICP card | ICP smart services website or app with UAE PASS; ICP 600522222 |
| Whether the MOHRE file is linked to the Dubai immigration file | “GDRFA Establishment Link Status” on MOHRE’s public enquiry portal (inquiry.mohre.gov.ae) |
| Fines or pending payments on the labour side | “Fine Calculator” and “Pending Payments” on MOHRE’s enquiry portal |
| Fines on the immigration side | The GDRFA or ICP establishment account; the renewal payment screen |
The MOHRE link check is the one most companies have never run. When work permits issue but visas will not, a broken link between the MOHRE file and the immigration file is a frequent cause, and the check costs nothing.
Establishment card fees in the company’s compliance calendar
The immigration establishment card is one of four or five dated documents that keep a company able to hire. They expire on different dates, from different authorities, and each one can stop the others.
| Document | Issued by | Set a reminder | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade licence | Economic department or free zone | 60 days before expiry | ICP will not renew the card without a valid licence |
| Immigration establishment card | GDRFA or ICP | 60 days before the printed expiry | Every visa transaction depends on it; ICP fines after 30 days |
| MOHRE establishment card | MOHRE | 60 days before its own expiry | Quota, work permits and contracts depend on it |
| Tenancy contract (Ejari or equivalent) | Landlord and land department | 60 days before expiry | Licence renewal and quota usually depend on premises |
| Representative’s card | GDRFA | At expiry, and the day the holder leaves | Controls who can transact for the company |
| Signatory and partner changes | All of the above | The day they happen | Unreported changes are fined at ICP (AED 1,000) |
Owners often diarise the licence and assume the rest follows. It does not; each document has its own clock. A quarterly ten-minute review of all five dates, plus pending fines and the MOHRE link status, removes most of the failures in this guide. For the full government fee picture across authorities, see our government fees list.
What circulates online that is not true
| What you may read | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| “There is no fine for renewing the immigration establishment card late” | ICP charges AED 100 a month after 30 days, up to AED 1,000. GDRFA’s Dubai card lists none |
| “The immigration establishment card costs AED 280 everywhere in the UAE” | AED 280 is Dubai’s GDRFA stack. ICP’s private-sector renewal lists AED 1,200 on its published lines |
| “Establishment card renewal cost is a flat AED 500” (or similar) | GDRFA publishes components: AED 200 + VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50, with AED 100 for urgent processing |
| “The MOHRE card and the immigration card are the same” | Two cards from two authorities; MOHRE asks for a copy of the immigration card |
| “Renewing the trade licence renews the immigration establishment card” | Separate application, separate fee, separate expiry date |
| “It takes weeks” | 48 hours at GDRFA and 2 days at ICP once complete; documents take the time |
| “You can cancel the company card and sort the staff out later” | GDRFA refuses while sponsored persons remain; ICP requires workers cleared and fines paid |
| “A company can be opened just to sponsor visas” | ICP fines AED 20,000 where entry permits are issued for an establishment not conducting business |
| “Free zone companies do not need an immigration establishment card” | They do; GDRFA’s service covers the private sector and free zones, and ICP routes free zone requests through the zone |
How to verify every figure in this guide
| Figure or fact | Official source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA issuance: AED 200 + 5% VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50; urgent AED 100; Amer + AED 100; 48 hours; private-sector documents; activity list | GDRFA, Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector / Free Zone | 24 Sep 2026 |
| GDRFA SME variant: no service fee line; sponsor passport, licence, SME programme letter | GDRFA, Establishment Card for national companies – SME | 24 Sep 2026 |
| GDRFA renewal fee stack, sector documents, digital 24/7, “AED 100 per year” note | GDRFA, Renewal of Establishment Card – all categories | 24 Sep 2026 |
| GDRFA cancellation: card and sponsor letter; no sponsored persons; collection commissions; Amer + AED 100 | GDRFA, Cancellation of Establishment Card for all categories | 24 Sep 2026 |
| ICP issuance fees (AED 100 / 100 / 100 / 2,000 / 1,000 / 20; tourism AED 75,000), conditions, fines AED 2,000 / 20,000 / 2,000, 2 days | ICP, Issuing an Establishment Card | 24 Sep 2026 |
| ICP renewal fees (AED 100 a year, AED 1,000 subscription, AED 100 smart); late fine AED 100 a month after 30 days, max AED 1,000 | ICP, Renewal of Establishment Card | 24 Sep 2026 |
| ICP amendment fees AED 200 / 100 / 5,000 / 500 / 100; AED 1,000 fine for unreported changes | ICP, Amend/Add To Establishment Card | 24 Sep 2026 |
| ICP cancellation AED 50 + 50 + 100; licence cancelled first; fines and workers cleared | ICP, Cancellation of Establishment Card | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Representative’s card requirements, commissions, 48 hours | GDRFA, Representative’s Card | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Employer must request a firm card from GDRFA | u.ae, Recruiting on the mainland | 24 Sep 2026 |
| MOHRE asks for the immigration card copy; signatory authorised at both | MOHRE, Issuance of Establishment Card | 23 Sep 2026 |
| Overstay AED 50 a day | ICP; u.ae | 23 Sep 2026 |
Worked cases
These cases are built from the situations we see most often. Names and identifying details are left out, and the figures are the published ones.
Case 1: a new Dubai trading company with a hire waiting
Two partners receive their mainland licence from Dubai’s economic department and have already made an offer to a sales manager abroad. Their set-up agent tries to open the MOHRE file first so the work permit can start. It is returned.
What decides it: MOHRE asks for a copy of the immigration establishment card among its documents. The order is licence, then GDRFA’s immigration establishment card (partners’ appendix, both partners’ passports; no notarised authorisation needed because an owner signs), then the MOHRE card, then quota and the work permit, then the entry permit. The GDRFA card costs AED 280 standard or AED 380 urgent, lodged online, with a published completion time of 48 hours.
The lesson: the immigration card is the first card, not the second. A week lost here is a week before anyone can be hired.
Case 2: a Sharjah company five months late
A small logistics company licensed in Sharjah discovers at a residence renewal that its immigration establishment card expired about five months earlier. The owner has read online that “there is no fine” and budgets AED 280.
What decides it: the file is with ICP, not GDRFA. ICP’s renewal card lists AED 100 a year, AED 1,000 to renew the system subscription and AED 100 smart services fee, so about AED 1,200 before any fine. Because the card is more than 30 days past expiry, ICP’s late fine of AED 100 a month applies, calculated by the system and capped at AED 1,000. ICP also requires the trade licence to be valid, and the licence had lapsed too, so that was renewed first.
The lesson: Dubai figures do not apply to an ICP file, and establishment card fees plus the fine are small next to five months of stalled renewals.
Case 3: a new managing partner who cannot sign
A Dubai consultancy brings in a new partner as manager after the founder steps back. The licence is amended at the economic department. A month later, every immigration transaction the new manager approves is rejected, while MOHRE accepts his signature.
What decides it: the immigration establishment card still showed the old partners and signatory. The company needed the updated partners’ appendix, the new manager’s passport and a notarised authorisation for him as manager, then a data change at GDRFA. MOHRE’s condition that its signatory must also be authorised at the immigration authority explains why one system accepted him and the other did not.
The lesson: a licence amendment is not complete until both establishment cards show the same people. Outside Dubai, ICP adds an AED 1,000 fine for changing establishment information without notifying it.
Case 4: closing a company with one employee still sponsored
An Ajman trading company is winding up. The owner cancels the trade licence and asks for the immigration establishment card to be cancelled the same week. ICP returns the application.
What decides it: ICP requires the commercial licence cancelled first (done), all fines paid and workers cleared. One warehouse worker’s residence had not been cancelled because he had left the UAE months earlier without signing. That file had to be resolved, and an old unpaid establishment fine settled, before the AED 200 cancellation (AED 50 card, AED 50 subscription cancellation, AED 100 smart fee) would go through.
The lesson: close the people first, then the licence, then the card. A single forgotten file stops the whole liquidation.
Case 5: a hotel renewing its Dubai card
A Dubai hotel’s HR team lodges the immigration establishment card renewal with the standard three documents. It is returned.
What decides it: GDRFA’s renewal card adds activity-specific requirements. For hotels, that is a Department of Tourism letter with the hotel’s rating and the hotel’s own letter stating the number of rooms and its rating. With those attached, the renewal went through at the standard AED 280.
The lesson: read the activity list before lodging. The third-party letter is the slow document, so request it first.
What we will and will not do
We will
- Tell you which authority holds your file and which of the two establishment cards your problem actually concerns, the immigration card or the MOHRE card.
- Show GDRFA or ICP fees and our fee as separate lines, with the official receipt.
- Check the licence, signatories, fines and MOHRE link before lodging anything, so the application is not returned.
- Keep the immigration card, the MOHRE card and the licence on one calendar, if you want us to.
- Tell you when your own authorised signatory can renew online without us.
We will not
- Quote Dubai figures for an ICP file, or a single round number for a fee published in components.
- Invent a late fine the authority does not publish, or hide one it does.
- Register partners, signatories or activities that do not match the licence to get a card through.
- Help set up an establishment only to sponsor visas. ICP fines AED 20,000 where entry permits are issued for an establishment that is not trading, and we will not take that work.
Related guides
- Labour cards and the MOHRE establishment card
- How visa quota works and how to increase it
- Trade licence renewal: process and cost
- What happens when a trade licence expires
- Free zone or mainland: visas and set-up compared
- What a company PRO does and why it matters
- ICP smart services explained
- GDRFA services explained
- Amer and Tasheel: which centre does what
- Government fees list for 2026
- Emiratisation rules for private companies
Establishment card UAE: frequently asked questions
What is an immigration establishment card in the UAE?
It is the company’s card at the immigration authority, issued by GDRFA in Dubai or ICP elsewhere. It records the trade name, licence number, partners, activity and authorised signatories, and it is what entry permits, residence visas and cancellations are attached to. Without a valid immigration establishment card, a company cannot sponsor employees, even if its trade licence is valid.
What is the establishment card renewal cost in Dubai?
GDRFA’s renewal card lists AED 200 plus 5% VAT, a AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, a AED 10 Innovation Dirham and a AED 50 service fee, which comes to AED 280. Urgent processing adds AED 100. Any typing or Amer centre charge, and any PRO fee, is on top and should appear as a separate line. GDRFA publishes a 48-hour completion time.
What are the establishment card fees at ICP?
For a private-sector or free zone company, ICP’s renewal card lists AED 100 per year, AED 1,000 to renew the establishment’s subscription to ICP’s electronic system and a AED 100 smart services fee, about AED 1,200 for one year. First issuance lists an AED 100 application fee, AED 100 per year, AED 100 smart fee, AED 2,000 system subscription, AED 1,000 guarantee and AED 20 guarantee deposit fee.
Is there an establishment card renewal fine?
At ICP, yes. Its renewal card fines a delay of more than 30 days after expiry at AED 100 for each month, up to a maximum of AED 1,000. GDRFA’s Dubai renewal card lists no late fine. In both cases the larger cost is usually that visa transactions stop until the immigration establishment card is renewed.
Can I renew the immigration establishment card after it has expired?
Yes. Establishment card renewal is the same service before or after expiry, through the same channels and with the same documents. At ICP the late fine will be added if you are more than 30 days past expiry, and ICP requires the trade licence to be valid and fines on the establishment paid. GDRFA even asks some activities, such as yachts, for the expired card itself.
How long is the immigration establishment card valid?
Neither GDRFA nor ICP states a fixed term for the immigration establishment card on its service card. ICP charges AED 100 per year and GDRFA’s card notes a fee of AED 100 per year. In practice the card is normally issued or renewed for a period that does not run beyond the trade licence, usually one year. The expiry printed on your immigration establishment card is the date that counts.
What happens if our immigration establishment card expires?
The company’s immigration file stops. New entry permits, residence issuance and renewals, and cancellations are held until the card is renewed. At ICP a fine accrues after 30 days. Staff whose residences cannot be renewed can end up overstaying once any grace period ends, at AED 50 a day, so renew the immigration establishment card before it becomes the reason an employee is fined.
How do we change partners or the trade name on the card?
Amend the immigration establishment card after the licence is amended. At ICP, the “Amend/Add To Establishment Card” service lists an AED 200 application fee and AED 100 smart fee, with the updated licence, preliminary approval for a new partner or activity, and a signature authorisation. ICP fines AED 1,000 for changing establishment information without notifying it. In Dubai, the change is made through GDRFA’s establishment services.
How do we cancel the immigration establishment card when closing the company?
First cancel every employee’s permit and residence and anyone else sponsored on the file, pay all fines, then cancel the licence. GDRFA will not cancel while sponsored persons remain and asks for the card and a sponsor’s cancellation letter. ICP requires the licence cancelled first, fines paid and workers cleared, and lists AED 200 in fees.
Do free zone companies need an immigration establishment card?
Yes. GDRFA’s issuance service covers the private sector and free zones, and ICP’s card covers free zone establishments. ICP states that free zone companies must apply through their own free zone authority, and in Dubai most zones lodge immigration transactions through their own portals. The zone’s charges are added to the government fees.
Can MIRDXB PRO renew our immigration establishment card for us?
Yes. We confirm which authority holds your file, check the licence, signatories and fines, prepare the documents for your sector and lodge the renewal with GDRFA or ICP. Government fees are passed on at cost with the official receipt, and our fee is quoted in writing before we start. Send the licence and card copy on WhatsApp to begin.
Can you fix a lapsed card and the visas stuck behind it?
Yes. We renew the licence if needed, renew or amend the immigration establishment card, check the MOHRE link and fines, then clear the held entry permits, renewals and cancellations in the order that protects your staff from overstay. You receive the government receipts and a written quote for our fee before we start.
Can I renew the establishment card without renewing the trade licence?
No. The card is issued against a valid licence, and ICP states that renewal is granted only if a valid trade licence is available. If both are due, renew the licence first, then lodge the establishment card renewal as soon as the renewed licence is issued.
Does an expired establishment card stop quota applications and sponsorship transfers?
Yes. Alongside new work permits, entry permits, residence renewals and cancellations, quota applications and sponsorship transfers are held until the card is renewed. That is why we renew the card together with the trade licence, not when something breaks.
Keeping the immigration establishment card, the MOHRE file, the licence and your staff visas in step is what our PRO services in Dubai team handles.
This guide was rewritten and re-verified against the current GDRFA and ICP service cards. The earlier version said no late renewal fine was published for the immigration establishment card; ICP’s renewal card publishes AED 100 a month after 30 days past expiry, capped at AED 1,000, and we have corrected that. The earlier version also declined to give ICP figures; ICP’s issuance, renewal, amendment and cancellation fees are now itemised. It gave the minimum age for a MOHRE licensee as 18 and listed a rental contract and two-day completion for the MOHRE card; MOHRE’s current card says 21 and the MOHRE detail now sits in our labour card guide. We removed an unsourced illustration of the cost of a delayed hire, added the GDRFA and ICP cancellation rules and the ICP establishment fines, and noted that GDRFA’s issuance card lists the main building and Amer centres as its channels.
- GDRFA Dubai: Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector / Free Zone
- GDRFA Dubai: Establishment Card for Institutions in Government Sector
- GDRFA Dubai: Establishment Card for national companies – SME
- GDRFA Dubai: Renewal of Establishment Card – all categories
- GDRFA Dubai: Cancellation of Establishment Card for all categories
- GDRFA Dubai: Representative’s Card
- GDRFA Dubai: Establishments Support Services
- ICP: Issuing an Establishment Card
- ICP: Renewal of Establishment Card
- ICP: Amend/Add To Establishment Card
- ICP: Cancellation of Establishment Card
- The Official Portal of the UAE Government: Recruiting on the mainland (firm card)
- MOHRE: Issuance of Establishment Card (service card)
- MOHRE enquiry services (GDRFA Establishment Link Status, Fine Calculator, Pending Payments)
Please note. This guide sets out the fees, fines, documents and conditions published by GDRFA Dubai, ICP and MOHRE, verified 23 and 24 September 2026. Totals are our arithmetic from the published lines and exclude typing, service centre, free zone and PRO charges. Neither authority states a validity period on its establishment card service pages, and GDRFA’s card does not reconcile its AED 200 fee with its “AED 100 per year” note, so the payment screen for your file is final. The cases are built from common situations and are illustrative, not records of named clients. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
