UAE Visa Status Check: ICP, GDRFA and Amer Explained
Plain-English guide to the three UAE visa portals — ICP, GDRFA and Amer — what each shows, what each does not, and how to read the results.
Key Takeaways
- ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security.
- GDRFA — General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai.
- Amer — GDRFA's end-user portal and call centre.
- All three show database status. None inspect your PDF.
ICP — the federal portal
ICP (sometimes still called ICA) issues and tracks visas for most of the UAE. The portal at icp.gov.ae offers file validity check, visa application status, entry permit status, and residency status. Use ICP for visas issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah and UAQ.
GDRFA — Dubai's authority
GDRFA handles visas issued by Dubai immigration. The portal at gdrfad.gov.ae mirrors ICP's features but for Dubai-issued documents: visa validity check, entry permit tracking, application status.
Amer — GDRFA's service channel
Amer is the customer-facing service of GDRFA. The Amer portal and 800-5111 contact channel are how individuals and approved typing centres submit applications and track them. Amer is not a separate authority — it is the user-facing layer over GDRFA.
Worried your UAE visa might be tampered with? Run an independent authenticity check against the official source — results in minutes.
What all three portals show
- Visa status (Valid, Expired, Cancelled, Not Found)
- Issue and expiry dates
- Visa type
- Linked file number
What none of them show
- Whether the PDF you received matches the database record exactly.
- Whether the photo, name spelling or dates on your PDF were tampered with.
- Whether the reference number on your PDF was cloned from someone else's real visa.
This is the structural gap that lets fake PDFs pass casual checks.
How to use all three together
- Identify the issuing authority (look at the visa header).
- Run the validity check on the correct portal.
- Cross-reference dates and type with the PDF.
- For full authenticity, add an independent PDF tamper analysis.
Verify your UAE visa before you fly. Get an independent, signed authenticity report in minutes — no guesswork, no airport surprises.
FAQ
Is the Amer portal more authoritative than ICP?
No. They cover different jurisdictions. ICP is federal; Amer is GDRFA's service channel for Dubai.
Can I trust a screenshot from any of these portals?
A screenshot proves only what was on screen at that moment. It can be edited and it goes stale immediately when status changes.
Related reading
Ready to apply for your next eVisa?
Check your eligibility in seconds and start your application — fast, transparent, and fully online.
Check eligibility