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United Arab Emirates

ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (UAE)

ICP (previously ICA, Identity and Citizenship Authority) is the UAE federal authority that administers residency, citizenship, and ports-of-entry functions at the emirate level in most of the UAE, excluding Dubai. Dubai residence is handled by GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs — Dubai).

Parent ministry

UAE Federal Government

Established

2021

Last reviewed

20 April 2026

Scope

  • Issues Emirates ID cards, residence visas (including Golden Visa, Green Visa, employment visas, family visas, retirement visas), and handles naturalisation applications.
  • Operates the U.ae digital-government portal for visa and Emirates ID services, including status checks, medical-fitness bookings, and renewals.
  • Coordinates with free-zone immigration authorities, but free-zone entities (e.g. DIFC, ADGM) maintain their own employment sponsorship registers.
  • Administers the Amer-centre service network (Dubai-based) that provides typesetting and clerical immigration services as an outsourced channel.

Procedural quirks

  • Residence application flows differ between ICP (most emirates) and GDRFA (Dubai) — pricing is similar but portals, appointments, and file formats are not interoperable.
  • The Golden Visa application is commonly initiated by a nominating authority (e.g. Federal Human Resources Authority for government employees, Dubai Culture for artists) rather than directly by the applicant.
  • Medical-fitness testing is a mandatory step even for Golden Visa renewals and is the most common source of short delays.

Primary service channels

Routes administered

ICP decides the following United Arab Emirates visa routes covered on Visa Atlas:

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