Visitors in Dubai now have to pay their traffic fines to renew their visas during a trial period.
In the heart of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has recently introduced a novel initiative aimed at encouraging residents to comply with traffic rules and settle any overdue fines. This pilot system, currently in its early stages, links the payment of outstanding traffic fines to the process of issuing, renewing, cancelling, or transferring residency visas[1][3][5].
The system, still in the pilot phase, applies to all residency visa services, including renewal, cancellation, and transfer of visas[3][5]. However, it does not yet extend to Dubai airport’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) centre[1].
The primary objective of this initiative is not to restrict visa issuance, but to remind residents of their traffic fine obligations and encourage them to settle these fines[1][3][5]. The system is designed to reduce the evasion of traffic fines by linking them to essential resident services.
Residents can pay their fines in full or through instalment plans facilitated by platforms such as RTA's Tabby[1]. Those with high fines can contact authorities to arrange suitable payment methods[3]. When residents approach GDRFA departments for visa services, they are informed of pending fines and guided through the payment or instalment process to enable completion of visa procedures[1][3].
The system electronically links GDRFA visa transactions with the Dubai Police traffic fines database, ensuring that fines must be settled before visa applications proceed[3][5]. Authorities urge residents to check for outstanding fines via Dubai Police app or website, RTA platforms, or other official channels, and to keep payment receipts to present during visa services[3].
This new measure, announced and rolled out in mid-2025, reflects ongoing efforts by Dubai authorities to integrate digital services and enhance law compliance by linking traffic fine settlement to vital residency administrative procedures[1][3][5]. The initiative is a continuation of previous efforts, with a similar policy proposed by the Ministry of the Interior in 2014 for visa renewals[6].
Waad Barakat, a Special Correspondent covering security topics with a focus on human interest stories and unique Gen Z-inspired content, primarily reports on law enforcement and local courts[2]. This new system, under the leadership of the Director General of the GDRFA, Lt Gen Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, is intended to be user-friendly and flexible, taking into account each case's specific circumstances[4].
[1] https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/government/dubai-to-link-traffic-fines-to-residency-visas [2] https://www.khaleejtimes.com/author/waad-barakat [3] https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/dubai-to-link-traffic-fines-to-residency-visas-1.87690807 [4] https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/dubai/dubai-to-link-traffic-fines-to-residency-visas-1.1603362 [5] https://www.arabianbusiness.com/transport/1043894-dubai-to-link-traffic-fines-to-residency-visas [6] https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/dubai-to-link-traffic-fines-to-residency-visas-1.87690807
- The new traffic fine initiative in Dubai now ties the payment of outstanding fines to the issuance, renewal, cancellation, or transfer of residency visas.
- Apart from reminding residents of their traffic fine obligations, this system aims to decrease evasion of traffic fines by linking them to essential resident services.
- Those with transportation-related fines can pay through platforms like RTA's Tabby or arrange suitable payment methods for high fines.
- The ongoing efforts by Dubai authorities to integrate digital services also include linking traffic fine settlement to vital residency administrative procedures, similar to the Ministry of the Interior's proposal for visa renewals in 2014.
