ICP Smart Services: Your Guide to Emirates ID, Visas and Residency
ICP Smart Services is the UAE's federal online platform for identity, visa, and residency work. It is run by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the body that replaced the old ICA.
From one portal, or the UAEICP app, you can apply for an Emirates ID, renew a residence visa, check a status, sponsor family, and pay fines. No queue, no half-day at a typing centre. Most residents in Dubai and across the UAE use it at some point, often without realising their PRO is doing the work inside it.
This guide covers what you can do on ICP Smart Services, how to log in, how to check your visa and Emirates ID status, when to use GDRFA Dubai instead, and the big 2026 Golden Visa change. It is based on what we file for clients every week at A&A Associate.
What is ICP Smart Services?
ICP Smart Services is the official online platform for UAE identity and immigration tasks. You use it instead of visiting a government office. It handles Emirates ID, residence visas, entry permits, family sponsorship, business records, and fines.
If you have heard of "ICA Smart Services," it is the same thing under a new name.
| Old Name | Current Name |
|---|---|
| ICA — Identity and Citizenship Authority | ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security |
You can reach it two ways: the ICP Smart Services portal on the web, or the UAEICP app on your phone. Both do the same jobs.
What You Can Do on ICP Smart Services
Most tasks fall into a few groups.
Emirates ID
Your Emirates ID is the backbone of daily life here. You need it for banking, your phone line, clinic visits, tenancy contracts, and the airport smart gates. Through ICP you can apply for a new card, renew it, replace a lost or damaged one, or update your details.
Visas and Residency
ICP (or GDRFA for Dubai) handles entry permits, residence visas, renewals, cancellations, and status changes, such as moving from a visit visa to a residence visa without leaving the country. You can also pay fines and download a visa copy once it is approved.
Family Sponsorship
Bringing your spouse, children, or parents over runs through ICP or GDRFA too. More on the documents below.
Business and Staff
Company owners use ICP for the establishment card, employee visas, status updates, and cancellations when staff leave.
How to Log In to ICP Smart Services
You have a few login options. UAE Pass is the easiest and most secure, and it works on the website and the app.
| Login Method | Best For |
|---|---|
| UAE Pass | Residents and citizens; one login for most UAE government sites |
| Emirates ID number | Identity-based access to your records |
| Email and password | General users without UAE Pass |
| Unified number | Visa holders tracking a residency file |
ICP vs GDRFA Dubai: Which One Do You Use?
This trips up a lot of people. You enter your details, nothing shows up, and you assume the application failed. Often the real issue is the portal, not the file.
The rule of thumb: check the issuing emirate first.
| Your Situation | ICP Smart Services | GDRFA Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Visa issued in Dubai | Usually not the route | Yes, the right portal |
| Visa from another emirate (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, RAK, etc.) | Yes, the right portal | Usually not the route |
| Emirates ID status | Yes | Not used for Emirates ID |
| "No record found" result | Check if the file belongs to Dubai | Check here if issued in Dubai |
Short version ICP for federal and non-Dubai files, GDRFA Dubai for Dubai-issued visas. Confirm the emirate before you panic.
How to Check Your UAE Visa Status on ICP
ICP checks the details you type against an official file. If one detail is off, the result may not appear. Keep these handy: passport number, nationality, application or unified number, and the issuing emirate.
- Open the official ICP portal. Avoid third-party sites that ask for passport details up front.
- Pick the right service. Entry permit, residence visa, or residency file. The wrong service shows the wrong result.
- Enter details exactly as submitted. If you renewed your passport, check whether the file uses the old number.
- Read the full status. It may say under process, issued, active, or expired, not just approved or rejected.
How to Check Your Emirates ID Status
An Emirates ID check is not the same as a visa check. Use the official ICP ID Card Status service.
- Open the ID Card Status service. It is the direct page for the card itself.
- Enter the right number. Use the Application Number (PRAN) for a new card, or your Emirates ID number for renewals and replacements.
- Read the status. Under process, printed, or dispatched are all normal stages.
- Compare it to your visa stage. The card often cannot move until the residence visa behind it is approved.
"No Record Found"? Common Reasons
This message rarely means your application failed. Usual causes:
Common reasons the result does not appear:
- The visa was issued in Dubai, so it needs GDRFA, not ICP.
- The application is too new to show yet.
- A detail was typed differently from the original file.
- You renewed your passport and the file still uses the old number.
- A sponsor or company submitted it with slightly different details.
Golden Visa Through ICP: The 2026 Change
The Golden Visa is the 10-year UAE residence permit. The investor route generally needs AED 2 million in qualifying assets, such as property, a business, or a deposit in an accredited UAE fund. Other routes cover skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, top students, and specialised talent.
🏆 2026 Rule Change — Golden Visa
Mortgaged Properties Now Qualify for the Golden Visa
Old rules said property investors had to have paid at least 50% of the value, or AED 1 million, before applying. From 20 February 2026, that paid-in rule was removed. Now eligibility is based on the property's total value reaching AED 2 million, as certified by the land department, no matter how much of the mortgage is still outstanding. Ready, off-plan, and mortgaged properties can all qualify.
You apply through the ICP Golden Residency dashboard, or GDRFA if you are in Dubai, logging in with UAE Pass. These files reward precision, so it is the kind of thing we prepare end to end.
Family Sponsorship Through ICP
To bring family over, you usually need:
- An attested marriage certificate for a spouse
- Attested birth certificates for children
- A salary certificate or proof of income
- Your tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai)
- Your own valid visa and Emirates ID
Salary thresholds and conditions differ for a spouse, older children, and parents. Parent sponsorship has extra steps, including health insurance and often a deposit. It is the category people most often get wrong the first time.
Establishment Card and Business Visas
For company owners, the establishment card links your trade license to the immigration system. Without a valid one, you cannot issue or renew staff visas. Through ICP you issue and renew the card, apply for employee visas, run status updates, and handle cancellations. For Dubai-licensed companies, GDRFA is usually in the mix too.
Pay ICP Fees in Instalments
0% Instalment Plan on ICP Fees
A handy option many families and small businesses miss: a 0% instalment plan on ICP fees. For qualifying charges of AED 500 or more, several UAE banks let you split the fee over 3 to 12 months with no interest. You pay the normal fee by card, then ask your bank to convert it. The plan is between you and the bank, not inside ICP.
How A&A Associate Helps with ICP Smart Services
ICP is built to be self-service, and for simple checks it is. The rules around visas, sponsorship, and company files change often, and that is where files stall. Our PRO team handles the ICP and GDRFA work for you: applications, renewals, establishment cards, Golden Visa files, and bank account opening after. The approvals and cards still come in your name. We just handle the steps in between.
Conclusion
ICP Smart Services puts most of your UAE identity and residency life in one place: Emirates ID, visas, sponsorship, and business records. Learn the login, know when to switch to GDRFA Dubai, and check the right status with the right number, and most tasks are simple. For the files that are not, a good PRO partner saves you the back-and-forth.
Visa & Residency Services
Apply, renew, and manage all UAE visa and residency categories entirely online.
- Entry Permits — apply for visitor and transit visas
- Residency Visas — long term UAE residency applications
- Golden Residency — 10-year permanent residency permit
- Green Residency — self-sponsored 5-year residency
- Blue Residency — climate & environment champions
UAE Visa Status
Emirates ID Management
Complete lifecycle management for your UAE National Identity Card.
- Apply for a new Emirates ID card
- Renew your existing Emirates ID
- Track application status in real-time
- Monitor processing and delivery updates
- Biometric data registration & verification
Ahmed Al Mansouri
784-1990-1234567-8
United Arab Emirates — National ID
Application Status
- Application Submitted✓ Done
- Biometrics Verified✓ Done
- Card PrintingIn Progress
- DispatchedPending
File Validity Services
Instantly check and verify the status of all your immigration documents.
- Check visa application status & type
- Verify residency permit validity
- View expiration dates with reminders
- Track complete immigration record history
- Download official status certificates
Document Status
Fines & Payment Services
Settle immigration-related fines and fees through a secure online payment gateway.
- Check outstanding immigration fines
- View and dispute overstay penalties
- Make secure online payments via card
- Download official payment receipts
- Payment history and transaction records
Payment Summary
Establishment Services
Dedicated portal for businesses to manage employee immigration records and visas.
- Employee visa application and renewal
- Company immigration record management
- Workforce administration dashboard
- Establishment file services & reports
- Bulk processing for large organizations
Employee Records
Secure Login with UAE PASS
Authenticate once with your national digital identity — no passwords needed.
- Visit smartservices.icp.gov.ae
- Select 'Login with UAE Pass'
- Verify via biometric or OTP on your phone
- Access all 100+ services instantly & securely
- Fast • Secure • Paperless — every time
UAE PASS
National Digital Identity
Access Services Anywhere
Available through the UAEICP Mobile App — manage all your services on the go.
- Download from App Store
- Download from Google Play
- Real-time application tracking
- Mobile push notifications
- Biometric login support
UAEICP App
Beware of Phishing Sites
Only use the official ICP Smart Services portal to avoid fraudulent or phishing websites that may steal your personal data.
- Official ICP branding on all pages
- Secure HTTPS connection 🔒 (padlock)
- UAE PASS authentication only
Security Alert — Site Verification
Why ICP Smart Services?
Everything You Need, All in One Place
The UAE's most complete digital immigration and identity platform
