History in 2026. You will find step-by-step process instructions, current fees in AED, required documents and timelines based on official UAE government sources. Whether you are a new resident or an existing visa holder, this guide gives you the exact information needed to navigate the process confidently.
In 2026, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) manages travel and residency records for over 9.9 million UAE residents through icp.gov.ae (ICP UAE, 2026). The UAE Tax Residency Certificate programme, administered by the Ministry of Finance, requires applicants to demonstrate 183 or more days of physical presence, and the entry exit report UAE is the primary evidence accepted (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). The report costs AED 50 to AED 100 as an instant PDF download (ICP UAE, 2026). The UAE has Double Taxation Agreements with 137 countries, making this document critical for thousands of residents each year (UAE Cabinet, 2026). Before you start, read our UAE tax residency certificate guide for full process and fee details.
This article explains exactly what the entry exit report UAE is, who needs it, how to get it from icp.gov.ae or via UAE Pass in minutes, what it costs, and how it connects to the UAE Tax Residency Certificate, with step-by-step instructions, real 2026 fees, and answers to the questions UAE residents ask most.
What Is a UAE Entry Exit Report
A UAE entry exit report is an official document issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) that records every entry into and departure from the UAE linked to your passport and residency visa, including dates, ports, and visa type at the time of each trip. It is one of the most requested documents on the ICP portal and serves as your official travel report UAE for legal, tax, and immigration purposes.
Official Definition and Issuing Authority
The official name is Entry/Exit Report and it is issued exclusively by ICP at icp.gov.ae. ICP, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, is the sole national authority responsible for border records across all seven emirates. For Dubai-based residents, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) at gdrfad.gov.ae issues an equivalent report covering the same data.
The document arrives as a PDF carrying an official ICP reference number, which makes it accepted by UAE courts, overseas embassies, and the UAE Ministry of Finance without requiring a notarised copy. You can request it in either English or Arabic, select your preferred language before downloading. ICP manages travel records for 9.9 million UAE residents, and the report is available as an instant download after a payment of AED 50 to AED 100 (ICP UAE, 2026).
A UAE resident applying for a Schengen visa, for example, downloads the ICP entry exit report as PDF proof that they have not overstayed any previous UAE visa. The embassy accepts the ICP-stamped PDF without requiring anything further. For more on ICP digital services, see our ICP smart services UAE guide.
How the UAE Entry Exit Report Differs from an Entry Exit Stamp
An entry exit stamp is the physical mark placed in your passport at the border. The entry exit report UAE is the official digital record of all those stamps consolidated into one document. The report is essential when passport pages are full, when a passport has been renewed, or when a single document listing your complete travel history is required by an authority or employer.
ICP records are linked to your Emirates ID and residency visa number, not the physical passport itself. That means a resident who renewed their passport in 2023 and needs travel history from 2021 can still retrieve the full period from icp.gov.ae, the old passport stamps are inaccessible, but the digital record is complete regardless of passport changes. History typically covers the last five years from the online portal (ICP UAE, 2026).
A five-step process timeline showing how UAE residents obtain their entry exit report from icp.gov.ae, from login to instant PDF download. Get Your UAE Entry Exit Report: 5 Steps 1 Go to icp.gov.ae 2 Login via UAE Pass / EID 3 Select Period 1, 3 or 5 years 4 Pay AED 50-100 by card online 5 Download PDF instantly
Who Needs a UAE Entry Exit Report
UAE residents need an entry exit report for tax residency certificate applications requiring 183-day presence proof, overseas visa applications to embassies, legal proceedings in UAE courts, Golden Visa eligibility checks, and employment or bank account applications abroad that require documented UAE residency history.
Tax Residency and the 183-Day Rule
The UAE Tax Residency Certificate requires applicants to prove 183 or more days of physical presence in the UAE in the relevant tax year, and the ICP entry exit report is the primary document accepted as proof (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). Both the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority accept the ICP PDF directly when processing tax residency applications. The UAE has Double Taxation Agreements with 137 countries, meaning the certificate has real financial value for residents with income obligations abroad (UAE Cabinet, 2026).
Business owners at free zones, including Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, frequently need this report when their home country requests proof of UAE tax residency to avoid double taxation. A British national running a company at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone, for instance, might request an entry exit report for 2024 to show HMRC that he was physically present in the UAE for 210 days, that document sits at the centre of his UAE tax residency certificate application. See our UAE tax residency certificate guide for the full process and current Ministry of Finance fees.
Visa Applications and Legal Proceedings
Embassies for Schengen countries, the UK, US, Canada, and Australia routinely request UAE travel history as part of visa applications. The ICP entry exit report satisfies this requirement directly, carrying an official ICP digital stamp that consular offices accept without further verification. UAE courts also accept the report as evidence in family law, employment, and civil proceedings where physical presence must be established.
Some UAE Golden Visa applications require proof of sustained UAE residency, and the entry exit report provides that complete documented record (ICP UAE, 2026). Banks and financial institutions in the UK, EU, and Australia request UAE travel history when assessing residency status for account opening or loan applications. A UAE resident applying for a UK Standard Visitor Visa, for example, submits the ICP report showing three years of continuous UAE residency, it demonstrates strong ties to the UAE and significantly strengthens the application.
How to Get Entry Exit Report from ICP UAE - Step by Step
You get a UAE entry exit report by visiting icp.gov.ae, selecting Services then Entry Exit Report, logging in via UAE Pass or Emirates ID number, entering your passport details, selecting the report period, paying AED 50-100 by card, and downloading the PDF instantly. The entire process takes under five minutes.
Getting the Report via icp.gov.ae Portal
Go to icp.gov.ae, this is the official Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security portal, available in both English and Arabic.
Click 'Services' in the top navigation menu, then select 'Entry Exit Report' from the service directory.
Log in using UAE Pass (the national digital identity app) or enter your Emirates ID number and date of birth to authenticate.
Enter your passport number and select the date range, options typically include 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years.
Review the fee displayed on screen (AED 50 for shorter periods, up to AED 100 for extended history) and pay by credit or debit card. The PDF downloads immediately after payment (ICP UAE, 2026).
A resident can complete the full process on their phone using the UAE Pass app in under four minutes, from login to PDF download, without visiting any government office.
Getting the Report via UAE Pass App
Open the UAE Pass app on your smartphone, available on iOS and Android, UAE Pass is the official national digital identity platform with over 8 million registered users as of 2026 (UAE Government, 2026).
Tap 'Government Services' in the app menu, then search for 'ICP Entry Exit Report'.
Authenticate using your UAE Pass biometric login (Face ID or fingerprint).
Select report period, confirm your details, and complete payment via the in-app payment gateway.
Download the PDF directly to your device, the file is identical to the icp.gov.ae version and carries the same ICP reference number. UAE Pass is accepted across 6,000+ government and private sector services (UAE Government, 2026).
A business owner travelling abroad who needs their entry exit report urgently can use UAE Pass at Dubai International Airport and have the official PDF in under three minutes.
Getting the Report via GDRFA Dubai for Dubai Residents
Go to gdrfad.gov.ae, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai portal, available in English and Arabic.
Navigate to 'Inquiry Services' and select 'Travel History Report' or 'Entry Exit Report'.
Enter your Emirates ID number, residency file number, and passport details to retrieve your record.
Pay the applicable fee and download the PDF. GDRFA issues the report for residents whose visa is sponsored by a Dubai entity. GDRFA Dubai manages residency for over 3.5 million Dubai visa holders (GDRFA, 2026).
Worth flagging: if your residency visa was issued outside Dubai (for example, in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah), use icp.gov.ae rather than gdrfad.gov.ae. A Dubai-based employee sponsored by a mainland Dubai company uses gdrfad.gov.ae and receives an identical travel history PDF within minutes. For a broader overview of ICP digital services, see our ICP smart services UAE guide.
Entry Exit Report Cost in AED
The UAE entry exit report costs AED 50 to AED 100 depending on the period requested, payable online at icp.gov.ae or via the UAE Pass app by credit or debit card. The fee is fixed by ICP and there are no additional processing or service charges for the standard digital PDF download.
Standard Online Fee vs In-Person Request Fee
The standard online fee via icp.gov.ae or UAE Pass is AED 50 for a one-year report and AED 100 for a three-to-five-year report, fees confirmed on the ICP portal at the time of your request (ICP UAE, 2026). In-person requests at an ICP Happiness Centre or Amer Centre in Dubai carry a higher service fee of AED 100 to AED 150 due to counter service charges. ICP Happiness Centres are located across all seven UAE emirates.
Requests for periods beyond five years that require manual archive retrieval are processed in three to five working days and may cost AED 150 or more. Confirm the current fee at icp.gov.ae before visiting. A free zone company owner who downloads a five-year entry exit report online pays AED 100 in under five minutes, the same report costs AED 150 and requires a counter visit if requested in person. No hidden charges apply to the standard digital PDF; the amount displayed on screen before payment is the total cost.
UAE Entry Exit Report - Fee and Processing Time by Channel (2026)
Request Channel | Fee (AED) | Processing Time | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
icp.gov.ae portal (online) | AED 50-100 | Instant download | PDF, English or Arabic |
UAE Pass app | AED 50-100 | Instant download | PDF, English or Arabic |
GDRFA Dubai portal (gdrfad.gov.ae) | AED 50-100 | Instant download | PDF, English or Arabic |
ICP Happiness Centre (in-person) | AED 100-150 | Same day | Printed + PDF |
Extended history (5+ years, in-person) | AED 150+ | 3-5 working days | Printed + PDF |
UAE Entry Exit Report: Key Facts at a Glance
A quick-reference visual summarising the most important numbers and facts about the UAE entry exit report for residents, tax applicants, and visa applicants.
9.9 million UAE residents have travel records managed by ICP (ICP UAE, 2026)
AED 50-100: standard online fee for entry exit report PDF
5 minutes: average time to download report via icp.gov.ae or UAE Pass
183 days: minimum UAE presence required for Tax Residency Certificate (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026)
137 countries: UAE Double Taxation Agreements in force (UAE Cabinet, 2026)
5 years: standard history period available via online portal
Suggested alt text: Infographic showing six key statistics about the UAE entry exit report including cost, processing time, ICP user base, 183-day tax residency rule, and double taxation agreement coverage, 2026.
What Information Does the UAE Entry Exit Report Show
The UAE entry exit report shows every entry and departure date linked to your Emirates ID and residency visa, the port of entry or exit (airport, land border, or seaport), the visa type at the time of each trip, and the duration of each stay, presented in chronological order as an official ICP PDF.
Fields and Data Points on the Report
Each entry exit certificate UAE contains the following fields for every travel movement recorded:
Full name as per Emirates ID and passport
Emirates ID number and residency visa number
Each entry date and entry port (e.g., Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi Airport, Al Ghuwaifat Land Border)
Each departure date and departure port
Visa type at the time of each travel movement (e.g., residence visa, visit visa, transit)
A resident requesting a three-year report might see 47 individual travel movements listed, each with an entry date, exit date, port name, and visa type, making the total days-in-UAE calculation straightforward for a tax residency certificate application. The ICP digital stamp on the PDF makes it legally accepted without notarisation (ICP UAE, 2026).
What the Report Does Not Show
Internal UAE travel between emirates is not recorded, only international border crossings appear. The report also does not show the purpose of travel or your destination country; it captures only the UAE port of departure or entry. That distinction matters for legal proceedings where destination evidence is separately required.
Visits made before ICP's electronic border recording system was fully implemented across all UAE ports (from 2008 onward) may not appear in the digital record (ICP UAE, 2026). For earlier history, an in-person request at an ICP Happiness Centre is required for manual archive retrieval, processed within three to five working days. The report covers the residency holder's own travel only, dependants' travel history must be requested separately using each person's Emirates ID.
How long does it take to receive a UAE entry exit report?
The standard online UAE entry exit report downloads instantly via icp.gov.ae or the UAE Pass app immediately after payment of AED 50-100. In-person requests at an ICP Happiness Centre are issued the same day for standard periods. Extended archive requests covering more than five years take three to five working days and are issued as a printed document plus PDF (ICP UAE, 2026).
How Far Back Does UAE Entry Exit History Go
The ICP online portal at icp.gov.ae shows UAE entry exit history for the last five years as a standard online report. Records older than five years require an in-person request at an ICP Happiness Centre or a GDRFA Dubai service counter, with processing taking three to five working days.
Online History vs Extended Archive Requests
The standard icp.gov.ae portal provides travel history for the last five years, this covers the majority of tax residency, visa, and legal use cases (ICP UAE, 2026). For records older than five years, visit an ICP Happiness Centre in person with your Emirates ID, current passport, and any expired passports covering the relevant period. GDRFA Dubai at gdrfad.gov.ae offers a similar archive retrieval service for Dubai-sponsored residents.
Extended archive requests are processed in three to five working days and issued as a printed and digital document bearing an official stamp. A long-term UAE resident applying for a second nationality who needs a ten-year UAE travel history, for example, submits an extended archive request at the ICP Happiness Centre in Al Barsha and receives the full document within four working days. Electronic border records have been fully operational across all UAE ports since 2008, so digital records are reliable from that year onward (ICP UAE, 2026).
Entry Exit Report for Tax Residency Certificate
The ICP entry exit report is the primary document required to prove 183 or more days of UAE physical presence when applying for a UAE Tax Residency Certificate from the Ministry of Finance. Without a valid entry exit report covering the relevant tax year, the tax residency application cannot proceed.
The 183-Day Presence Rule Explained
UAE tax residency requires proof of 183 or more days of physical presence in the UAE within the relevant calendar year, and the ICP entry exit report is the document that establishes this (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). The report's total-days-present figure is calculated automatically from all border crossings recorded, you do not need to manually count days. If the report shows fewer than 183 days in the relevant year, you do not qualify for a tax residency certificate for that period.
A Pakistani national owning a free zone company, for instance, submits a UAE Tax Residency Certificate application to avoid double taxation in Pakistan. The ICP entry exit report showing 210 UAE days in 2024 is the central document in that application. The UAE Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority accept the ICP PDF without requiring a notarised copy or translation for the Arabic-language version. With 137 Double Taxation Agreements in force, this uae travel history certificate has direct financial consequences for residents in dozens of countries (UAE Cabinet, 2026).
Documents to Request Alongside the Entry Exit Report
Alongside the entry exit report, a tax residency certificate application requires: a valid Emirates ID copy, a valid UAE residency visa copy, a tenancy contract or title deed proving UAE address, and bank statements showing UAE-based financial activity. Free zone company owners must also provide their trade license as evidence of UAE economic activity.
A company owner at Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone assembles all required documents, entry exit report, Emirates ID, trade license, tenancy contract, and bank statements, and submits through the Ministry of Finance portal in a single session. The Tax Residency Certificate is typically processed within five to seven working days (UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026). Our UAE tax residency certificate guide covers the full document list and Ministry of Finance process in detail.
Entry Exit Report for Visa Applications
Embassies and consulates for Schengen countries, the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia routinely request a UAE entry exit report as part of visa applications to verify UAE residency status and travel history. The ICP-issued PDF is accepted as an official government document by consular offices processing applications from UAE residents.
Which Embassies Accept the ICP Entry Exit Report
Schengen visa applications from UAE residents require proof of continuous UAE residency and travel history, the ICP entry exit report satisfies this requirement directly. The Schengen area covers 27 countries, and the unified visa documentation checklist consistently includes a UAE travel history document
References
icp.gov.ae (icp.gov.ae)
