UAE citizens can now renew passports a year before the end, ICP announces. world News

The UAE passport now offers visa-free or visa-on-back access to 185 countries, ranks 8th worldwide in 2025/ representative image.

From August 18, 2025, UAE citizens will be allowed to renew their passports until one year before the expiry date, which is a change from the earlier six -month window. The new rule issued by the ICP is part of a comprehensive initiative to enhance the flexibility of the travel, streamline official processes and strengthen the global status of the UAE passport.

New schedule for passport renewal

The Federal Authority has revised the policy controlling passport renewal for UAE citizens for identification, citizenship, customs and port security (ICP). According to the latest decision of ICP President Ali Mohammad Al Shamsi, the Emirates will now be allowed to renew his passport after one year or less of the remaining validity. This is a change from the previous rule that was left before the end of six months or less. This change will be effective on Monday, August 18, 2025, and is applicable to all UAE citizens with eligible passports. It aims to allow for better advance plan, especially for international travel, especially for international travel, by reducing disruption in official transactions. The ICP stated that the new timeline would also support uninterrupted infections for the United Arab Emirates citizens who often travel or are involved in long -term visa processes abroad.

Digital-first, accessible renewal process

The ICP has confirmed that the renovation process will be efficient and widely accessible to focus on digital services to facilitate ease of access. Citizens can complete the entire renovation process online through the ICP Smart Services platform, which are accessible through both the official website and the mobile application. The online process allows applicants:

For those who like in-tradition aid or like them, customer happiness centers will be available within UAE. Additionally, UAE citizens living abroad can submit their applications through UAE Embassies and Consulates, and they also have the option to start the process online and collect passports renewed from a diplomatic mission.

This update comes at a time when the UAE passport is seeing a significant increase in its global ranking and travel privileges. By 2025, UAE Passport:

This is a marked improvement in previous years:

Since the establishment of the Henley Passport Index in 2006, UAE Passport has added 152 countries to its visa-free or visa-on-back list, reflecting UAE’s growing diplomatic relations and international mobility for its citizens. Chairman Al Shamsi highlighted that the UAE passport continues to rank as the world’s most powerful, reliable and widely recognized travel document. He said that the new decision is a strong boost for its global status and further establishes the UAE passports and renewed the renewal system as a major model for the region and beyond.In terms of operations, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai alleged the process of renovation of 7,425 passports during the first half of 2025 alone. Since the inauguration of its center in 2008, more than 139,000 passports have been issued to Emirates through that facility.