UAE citizens can now renew their passports up to one full year before their expiry date, instead of the previous six-month period, said the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) on Thursday.
The authority will make the service available to citizens starting Monday, August 18, 2025, through its smart services system.
The ICP made the announcement in a social media post, noting that His Excellency Ali Mohammed Al Shamsi, chairman of the authority, issued the decision.
Al Shamsi emphasized that the decision contributes to improving the quality of life for UAE citizens, enabling them to plan their trips abroad in advance, complete their transactions, expand the use of digital official documents and provide proactive and pioneering institutional services.
He also noted that the UAE passport ranks among the strongest globally in terms of strength, reliability and validity among countries around the world.
He added that the decision represents a significant boost to the UAE passport’s standing and contributes to making the passport issuance and renewal system and services a pioneering and inspiring model for other countries in the region and the world.
Read: UAE airports welcome 75.4 million passengers in H1 2025, up 5 percent
The UAE continues to stand out as a nation with one of the most powerful passports globally. This year, the UAE continued to stand out among the top risers, shooting up 34 places over the last 10 years from 42nd to 8th place, making it the only big riser to break into the top 10 in the ranking.
UAE passport holders enjoy visa-free access to 184 destinations out of 227 globally, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.
