Fact-checking and regulatory review

1. The regulatory source register

Behind every regulated page is an entry in an internal register. Each entry records the authority, the title of the official page, its address, the date it was read, the exact wording relied on, and a status. A page may cite only entries in the register, and the “Official sources and review” block at the foot of each page is generated from those entries.

The register also records which pages rely on each source. When a source changes, every page that depends on it is listed for re-review, not just the page where the change was noticed.

2. Review cycles

Each page is assigned a cycle according to how volatile its content is. The cycle is shown on the page beside the review date.

A review re-opens every cited page, compares it with what we published, and either confirms the content and updates the review date, or changes the content and records what changed. A page whose review is overdue is not removed, but its review date will show that it is overdue, and a reader is entitled to treat it with more caution.

3. What triggers a re-review

• An official announcement: a new or amended decree-law, Cabinet resolution, ministerial decision, or a notice on an authority website or official channel.
• A change detected on a cited page. Cited pages are re-opened at each review, and a change to fees, conditions or wording is compared against what we published.
• A cited page moving, being withdrawn or returning an error. A dead link is treated as an unverified source until a replacement official page is found.
• A reader report under the corrections process.
• A conflict noticed between two official pages, or between an official page and what a consultant sees in practice at a service centre or portal.
• The review date on the page reaching the end of its cycle.

Practice at a service centre or on a portal sometimes differs from the published rule, for example in the documents actually requested. Where consultants see this consistently, the page notes it as reported practice, clearly separated from the published rule, and never presents practice as law.

4. When official pages disagree

It happens more often than people expect. Pages on u.ae, ICP, GDRFA Dubai and MOHRE are maintained by different teams and updated at different times. Our order of precedence is:

1. The text of the law or decision.
2. The service page of the authority that processes the application, for the emirate or channel concerned.
3. The UAE Government portal (u.ae).
4. Authority FAQs, news items and official social channels.

A conflict is not resolved by choosing one figure. The page shows both statements, each attributed and dated, and explains which applies to which channel or emirate where that is the reason for the difference. For example, at the review date the UAE Government portal and the ICP service card stated different minimum annual-income conditions for the retirement residence; the relevant page shows both, tells you which channel each comes from, and advises you to confirm the figure on the portal you will apply through.

Dubai is the most frequent source of divergence because GDRFA Dubai runs its own residence files, fees and channels alongside the federal ICP system. Pages say which authority they are describing, and where a route is handled differently in Dubai and in the other emirates, both are set out.

5. When a rule changes

• The page is updated and its review date is set to the date of the check.
• Where the change alters the page’s short answer, a short “What changed” note is added with the date and the source of the change.
• A withdrawn route or benefit is described as withdrawn, with the date, rather than silently deleted. Readers who found the page earlier deserve to know what happened to it.
• The register entry is updated, and every other page that relied on the same source is re-reviewed.
• Where a change is announced but the authority’s service page has not yet caught up, the page states both the announcement and the current published position.

6. Report an error

Email info@immigration-uae.com with the subject line “Correction:” followed by the page address. Tell us what you believe is wrong and, if you have it, the official page that supports the correction. A screenshot of the official page with its date is the most useful thing you can send.

We acknowledge every report, check the official pages, and reply with what we found. If the page was wrong, it is corrected and the review date updated. If we believe the page is right, we explain why and cite the source. Reporters are not named, and a report is not treated as an enquiry about your own case unless you ask for that.

7. The limits of what we can check

We can verify what an authority publishes. We cannot see its internal guidance, its case-by-case discretion or the reasons behind an individual decision. A published condition tells you what is required; it does not tell you how an officer will assess your particular documents. That is why every regulated page ends with the same reminder:

No private firm can guarantee the outcome of a UAE visa, residency or licensing application. Decisions rest solely with the relevant UAE authority.

Immigration UAE is a brand of Cosmos Immigration, a private immigration and business-services consultancy. It is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.