The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the most sought-after employment locations in the world, and overseas workers may be required to enter and depart the region on short notice. As an HR manager, you will be in charge of overseeing the visa processes and the associated paperwork, be it seeking visas or requesting visa cancellation. Here's everything you need to know about employment visa cancellation in the UAE including the visa cancellation letter format UAE, which is essential for foreign workers leaving the country.
In a hyperconnected and hyper-globalized world, employees need to move freely in and out of work destinations like the UAE. As an HR leader working with employees in the UAE, you will be responsible for keeping track of their visa status, and handling visa cancellations whenever necessary. This could involve a lot of paperwork and formalities that need to be done exactly as mandated by the authorities in the UAE.
Work Visa Cancellation in the UAE
Employers in the UAE sponsor the residence visas of their foreign workers. While leaving the country, they must cancel their visa by presenting their employer with a UAE work visa cancellation letter. This statement is a request that those who are considering leaving the country or altering their status not be subject to penalties for overstaying.
As the HR manager, it is your duty to guide the employee through the cancellation process.
The process begins with the worker submitting a visa cancellation letter. Workers should submit the company's cancellation statement in advance in order to give the HR team sufficient time to process the cancellation. If the employee gets their UAE visa terminated, they are allowed to apply for a new visa or leave the country.
Contrary to popular misconception, it is essential that employers revoke their visas upon completion of employment. Any organization that delays revoking a worker's visa risks severe repercussions, not to mention the worker's personal challenges. As a human resource professional, it is important to be familiar with all applicable legislation.
The cancellation of an employment resident visa for individuals working in the UAE on a work visa consists of two fundamental steps:
- Labor card revocation
- Resident visa cancellations
To revoke a labor card, the employee must file a separate application to the Ministry of Labor.
To revoke the work visa, a second application must then be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This process should be completed by the visa sponsors (the company) and cannot be done independently by workers – which is why the HR manager’s role is so important in the visa cancellation process.
The employee will submit the letter as per the employment visa cancellation letter format of the UAE.
The visa sponsor must then submit the following:
- An original identification card
- A copy of the employee's passport
- A copy of the resident visa
- An e-signature card of the authorized signatory
- A copy of the company's trade license
- A copy of the labor establishment card
- A copy of the immigration establishment card
The individual must follow the company's resignation process, while the HR manager streamlines the process of getting the work visa canceled in the UAE, adhering to the country's legal system.
While the sponsor (through the HR manager) is the entity that cancels the work visa, if the worker is supporting (or sponsoring) their family, it is imperative that the employee terminates their visa as well. Here too, the employment visa cancellation letter format of the UAE must be followed.
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What Does an Employment Visa Cancellation Process Mean for HR Managers?
The UAE has developed several visa regimes for tourists, workers, and professionals wishing to enter, reside, and work in the country. When people seek employment in the UAE, their prospective employer agrees to sponsor them. This is the beginning of the process by which the employee obtains an admission permit and eventually a resident visa.
It is also called an employment visa or, on occasion, an employment residency visa, and typically has the same duration as the job contract, which might be between one and two years. The employee must initiate the UAE work visa cancellation process as they approach the date when their contract expires.
As an HR manager, you could remind them when the letter is due and also provide them with the employment visa cancellation letter format in UAE.
The employee must seek a non-renewal of the agreement and cancellation of the employment visa in the UAE from the sponsor, the employer, and initiate the formalities necessary to terminate the work visa.
These formalities include:
- Printing the application at the appropriate service center (Tasheel or Amer centers or local typing center) or online (e-forms program of the Ministry – General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs or GDRFA/smart channel)
- Signing of the application by the sponsors (i.e., the employer)
- The HR manager submitting the necessary paperwork and commencing the procedure
- Cancellation of work card by the Ministry of Labor
- Transmitting the information electronically to GDRFA in order to terminate the resident visa permits
- The sponsor visiting the GDRFA, if necessary
- The GDRFA transmitting an electronic confirmation of the permanent cancellation of the work card and visa
How to Process the Work Visa Cancellation in UAE – Guide for HR Managers
The HR manager is also responsible for terminating the employee’s work permit (labor card) and employment contract with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. Here's the procedure for requesting the cancellation of a work permit:
- The employer submits an application to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (mohre.gov.ae).
- The employer electronically attaches the paperwork.
- The Ministry temporarily processes the application and transfers the data to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) - Dubai.
- The GDRFA terminates your resident visa and notifies the Ministry, which then cancels the employee's UAE work permit permanently, concluding the work visa cancellation in UAE.
In addition to the application for a UAE work permit cancellation, the company must include a letter signed by the employee attesting that they have received all wages, settlements, and perks outstanding. Workers have 30 days to leave the country, after the visa cancellation letter to HR is submitted and processed by the government.
Learn More: UAE's New Labor Law: A Smart Guide
Employment Visa Cancellation Letter Format UAE: Sample Letter Template
The sponsor and the company’s HR manager are responsible for revoking the UAE visa for full-time workers. One of the things the HR manager can do is to create an employment visa cancellation letter format or template that employees can use to submit their requests.
Here’s a sample letter requesting the cancellation of a visa.
To,
The Human Resource Manager,
__________ (Name of the organization)
Date: __/__/____
From,
__________ (The worker’s name),
__________ (Address)
Subject: Visa cancellation letter to HR
Respected Madam/Sir
My name is __________ (worker’s name) of division__________ (name of department to be mentioned here) with ID number __________ (employee ID details). I have been working in this organization for ________ (duration of service).
I am writing to inform you that I've tendered my resignation letter as of [date) __________ (resignation date). Consequently, I request that my visa be canceled since I must return to my home country _________ (reasons leading to resignation). I have submitted all company-related documents and information.
I would be extremely grateful if the necessary action is taken as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact me using the information listed below.
Yours Sincerely,
_________ (Employee name)
_________ (Contact detail)
Some people may believe that the UAE work visa cancellation letter format is a complex document that requires legal counsel. However, this is not true. This request for cancellation documentation is merely a formality, which the employee can easily complete with some assistance from the HR manager.
Therefore, there is no prescribed format for its composition. The most significant aspect is that it provides vital information so that the HR department may complete the procedure. The four key elements that a visa cancellation letter to HR should include are:
- Your employee’s personal information: The employee’s full official name, and address/location details.
- Organizational details and job information: The company's name and address, the employee's identification number, job title, years of service, and resignation or termination date.
- A formal request: A note where the employee explains why the visa cancellation is needed.
- The contact details section: Provide the employee's phone number as well as their email address so that the HR manager may readily reach them with any questions.
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Employment Visa Cancellation UAE FAQs
Now that we have gone through the employment visa cancellation letter format in UAE and what it entails, here are answers to some of the other frequently asked questions you may have.
What is the employee visa cost in the UAE?
The employee visa cost in the UAE has two parts. All categories/levels must pay AED 200 for the first authorization of a new digital work permit. The finalization of the new digital work permit (the worker's recruiting, hiring, and labour card) ranges in price from AED 300 to AED 5,000. This is split into tiers based on the company's ratio of skilled to unskilled employees. For foreign employees older than 65, the fee is 5,000 AED across all categories. In most instances, the employer is responsible for covering the costs.
How to sponsor an employee for a work visa in the UAE?
The UAE work visa application process has five stages. Firstly, the workers and their employers submit their papers. Next, the employer files a request towards the Department of Labor seeking “quota approval,” where the HR manager may have to draft a letter or be present in person. Subsequently, your organization will submit an Employment Entry visa application. Eventually, the UAE work visa is authorized and provided to the employee in return for a fee.
How do I get a visa cancellation letter?
An employee may terminate their visa in one of two ways: via a registered typing center or online. The sponsor/employer could visit any typing office accredited with the Federal Authority for Identification, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) in the particular emirate, and the typing office will complete the cancellation form for the employee.
Before this, the employee will have to submit a visa cancellation letter to the employer. It is the HR manager's responsibility to ensure that the letter adheres to the employment visa cancellation letter format of the UAE and contains all the information required to process it.
How long does it take to cancel the UAE employment visa?
It is a straightforward process that will not take more than 1 working day for the cancellation of the labor card, and 1-2 working days for the termination of the UAE visa.
Based on the type of visa, the process may take longer, but in any case, the HR department can guarantee the employee that it won't take more than a week.
In cases where an applicant files an incomplete application, they are given 30 days to provide the additional information before the application is canceled.
How much is the cancellation fee for the UAE visa?
Visa cancellation processes require applicants to pay between AED 100 and 200.
What are the documents required to cancel a UAE visa?
The list of documents required are:
- The UAE visa cancellation paperwork, signed by the sponsor
- The original passport of the employee
- The original ID card of the employee
- Clearance by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization
The UAE visa cancellation form must be signed and sealed with the corporate stamp.
If the individual doesn't live in the UAE on the date the sponsor cancels the visa, the sponsor may also provide an electronic copy of the residence visa. The UAE's Directorate of Naturalization and Residence is responsible for delivering computerized visa extracts.
Is an Emirates ID required for visa cancellation?
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) issues the Emirates ID card. All UAE nationals and residents are required by law to apply for and carry a valid ID card at all times.Employers are not permitted to withhold Emirates ID cards from their workers, customers, or visitors.
Unlike the passport, the employee's Emirates ID is not needed for visa cancellation. Nevertheless, the Emirates ID would be immediately canceled upon cancellation of a work permit or visa.
How to check the visa cancellation status in Dubai?
You need the employee's passport number and expiration date to verify the visa status. After that, simply follow the subsequent steps:
- Visit the ICP website
- Choose the passport information link and select the kind of visa
- Input the passport number but also expiration date, followed by the nationality
- The visa expiry date, visa cancellation status in Dubai, in case you've requested it, and other visa details will be presented.
What is the visa cancellation time in the UAE?
The visa cancellation time in the UAE is around 48 hours. However, the 48 hours begins only after the employee has submitted the visa cancellation letter to HR and the HR manager initiates the formalities with the UAE government.
Who is responsible for the UAE visa cancellation letter?
The employee is responsible for writing and submitting the employment visa cancellation letter. Basis this cancellation letter, the sponsor/employer will fill out the work visa cancellation form and submit it to the government.
Learn More: The Complete Guide to UAE’s New Labor Law
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