The Al Aweer Immigration Office is the GDRFA Dubai centre for residency violators. It is where you settle overstay problems, ask for a fine waiver or reduction, or collect an exit permit. Routine visa stamping and renewals are handled elsewhere, through Amer centres and the GDRFA website and app.
The centre is open every day, weekends included, and it also runs a shelter for people who are stranded without documents or money. Al Aweer and Al Awir are two spellings of the same place, and the official name is Public Services Section (Al Awir Center).
Office details & contacts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Public Services Section (Al Awir Center) |
| Run by | GDRFA Dubai (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) |
| Location | Al Awir, on the Dubai-Hatta Road (E44) |
| Opening hours | Every day, 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM |
| Ramadan hours | 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Helpline | 8005111 (toll-free) |
| From abroad | +971 4 313 9999 |
| amer@gdrfad.gov.ae | |
| Postal address | P.O. Box 4333, Dubai |
| Nearest metro | Centrepoint (Red Line), then bus 11 or 16 |
The centre keeps daily opening hours of 6 AM to 10 PM, so a Saturday or Sunday trip works as well as a weekday one. The 8005111 helpline answers around the clock, which makes it the quickest way to ask about your case before you travel out.
What the Al Aweer office handles
Al Aweer deals with cases where a person’s residence or visit status has gone wrong.
- Fine waivers and reductions. Requests go through the fine exemption service, which runs at Al Aweer and at Amer centres. A fines committee reviews each request, and approval is decided case by case.
- Exit permits. People who have overstayed and need to leave collect an exit permit here. The airport and land border immigration offices issue them too.
- Travel documents. Staff work with consulates for people whose passports are lost or expired, and 4,568 travel documents were issued this way in the first seven months of 2026.
- Humanitarian cases. Someone injured at work, or a family that could not fix its status after a bereavement, can have fines cancelled or heavily discounted.
- Shelter. People with no money and no way home can stay at the centre until they leave the country (more on this below).
Al Aweer or Amer centre: which one you need
Go to Al Aweer if you have a violation or are stranded. If your visa is valid and you only need paperwork done, an Amer centre or the GDRFA website and app is faster and closer to home.
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| New residence visa, renewal or stamping | Amer centre, or the GDRFA website and app |
| Entry permit or visit visa | Amer centre, or the GDRFA website and app |
| Change of status inside the UAE | Amer centre |
| Check an overstay fine | GDRFA website, GDRFA app or DubaiNow |
| Pay an overstay fine | Same online channels, or an Amer centre |
| Fine waiver or reduction | Al Aweer, or an Amer centre |
| Exit permit after overstaying | Al Aweer, or an airport or land border immigration office |
| Shelter, lost passport, no money | Al Aweer |
A small fine you can pay is quicker to clear online than in person. The trip to Al Aweer earns its time when you need a waiver, an exit permit, or the shelter.
Documents to bring
For a fine waiver or reduction, the application needs:
- A copy of your passport showing the visa page.
- A letter stating why the violation happened and why you cannot pay the fine.
- Proof of the reason, such as a medical report after a health emergency or a termination letter after job loss.
- Any other document the fines committee asks for.
If you are leaving the country, carry your passport or travel document and your return ticket. Bring your Emirates ID too if you hold one. The approved service centres listed for the fine exemption service can prepare the application if you would rather not go in person.
How to get there
Al Aweer sits on the eastern edge of Dubai, roughly 20 km from Rashidiya. The drive is the fastest option, and the metro-and-bus route works if you do not have a car.
By car
Drive out along the Dubai-Hatta Road (E44) and follow the signs for Al Awir. From Rashidiya the trip takes 15 to 20 minutes in normal traffic.
By metro & bus
- Take the Red Line to Centrepoint station.
- Walk to the Centrepoint bus station and board Route 11 or Route 16 to the Al Awir immigration stop.
- Allow about 50 minutes for the ride. Buses run roughly once an hour, so plan your return before you go in.
Dubai Metro timings change by day, and Sunday service starts at 8 AM.
By taxi
A taxi from Centrepoint takes around 20 minutes and saves the long bus ride. This is the sensible choice if you are travelling with children or luggage.
Help for stranded visitors & residents
Al Aweer runs the Centre for Harbouring, a shelter where people with residency violations stay while their cases are resolved. It holds between 1,300 and 1,800 people, and 11,696 residents and visitors stayed there in the first half of 2026, each leaving with a plane ticket home.
The shelter provides accommodation, meals, basic medical care and clothing. Staff arrange the travel documents with the person’s consulate and complete the departure paperwork inside the centre before the transfer to the airport.
Most people stay between 3 and 10 days. Cases with a lost passport or no identity documents take longer, because the embassy has to issue a new travel document first. Many people arrive voluntarily, and many are victims of recruitment agencies that charged fees for jobs that did not exist.
Overstay fines & grace periods
The overstay fine is AED 50 for every day past your permitted stay. Visit visas have no grace period, so the fine starts accruing once the visa expires. Residence visa holders get a grace period of 30 days to 6 months after expiry or cancellation, depending on the visa category.
You can see the amount before you travel. The fines inquiry on the GDRFA website, the GDRFA app and DubaiNow each accept a passport number, Emirates ID number or file number.
FAQ
Is the Al Aweer immigration office open on weekends?
Yes. The centre opens every day from 6 AM to 10 PM, weekends included. During Ramadan the hours are 7 AM to 5 PM.
What is the Al Aweer immigration office phone number?
Call 8005111 inside the UAE or +971 4 313 9999 from abroad. The email address is amer@gdrfad.gov.ae.
Can I renew my residence visa at Al Aweer?
Residence visa renewals go through Amer centres and the GDRFA website and app. Al Aweer is built for violators and stranded cases, so a valid visa is better handled closer to home.
Is Al Aweer the same as Al Awir?
Yes. GDRFA’s official name is Public Services Section (Al Awir Center), and bus stops and maps use the Al Awir Immigration Office name. Al Aweer is the common alternative spelling.
Can I check someone’s overstay fines without going to the centre?
Yes. The online fines inquiry asks only for an identifier such as a passport number, Emirates ID number or file number, so you can look up the amount from your phone.
Is the Al Aweer centre a detention facility?
No. GDRFA runs it as a humanitarian shelter, and many people come in on their own to ask for help. Most stay 3 to 10 days before they travel home.
