Unified number (UID) in the UAE: what it is and how to find yours
What the UAE unified number (UID) is, where official ICP, MOHRE, ILOE and GDRFA Dubai pages ask for it, how to find it on your residence visa, through the GDRFA Dubai Unified Number Inquiry Service or ICP Smart Services, and how it differs from the file number and the Emirates ID number.
The short answer
The unified number, or UID, is the identification number the UAE immigration system gives you when your first entry permit or residence visa is issued. It is printed on your residence visa, and it is the number government services accept in place of an Emirates ID when you do not have one yet. If you cannot find it, GDRFA Dubai's public Unified Number Inquiry Service looks it up from your passport details, and ICP's Smart Services shows it on your file for the other six emirates.
Key facts
- Where it is printed
- On your residence visa (MOHRE document list) and on ICP or GDRFA entry permits
- Dubai lookup
- GDRFA Dubai Unified Number Inquiry Service, from passport details; no fee shown on the service page
- Other emirates
- ICP Smart Services file-validity check (u.ae); UAE Pass for the full record
- Not the same as
- The file number (changes with each residence file) or the Emirates ID number (stays with you for life, u.ae)
- Who asks for it
- ICP and MOHRE establishment cards, ILOE subscription, GDRFA Dubai fines inquiry
- Help lines
- ICP 600 522 222; GDRFA Dubai 800 5111
Where the unified number is used
Official pages ask for the UID in these places:
- Establishment card (ICP). One authorised signatory must provide a valid Emirates ID or a unified number if they are a visitor without an Emirates ID yet.
- Establishment card (MOHRE). Expatriates submit either both sides of the Emirates ID or "a copy of the residence visa showing the unified number".
- ILOE unemployment insurance. The ILOE flyer lists "Emirates ID or Unified Number" as the document needed to subscribe.
- GDRFA Dubai fines inquiry. The search types are File Number, UDB Number, Emirates ID or Passport Number.
How to find your unified number
- Look at your residence visa. MOHRE's document list refers to the residence visa "showing the unified number", so start there. Entry permits issued by ICP or GDRFA carry it too.
- Dubai files: use the GDRFA Unified Number Inquiry Service. Open the service on gdrfad.gov.ae, enter the passport details it asks for, complete the security check and submit. GDRFA describes the service as one that "allows customers to find their Unified Number".
- Files from the other six emirates: use ICP Smart Services. u.ae directs Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah visa holders to the ICP file-validity check, which displays the file details. Log in with UAE Pass for the full record.
- Ask your PRO or typing centre. The number sits on every application they filed for you.
- Call if the lookup fails. ICP on 600 522 222, GDRFA Dubai on 800 5111.
What you need
- Your passport number, nationality and date of birth
- Your residence visa or entry permit copy, if you have it
- A UAE Pass login for ICP Smart Services
- For a Dubai file, the GDRFA inquiry page and a few minutes
Official fees
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA Dubai Unified Number Inquiry Service | No fee shown on the service page | gdrfad.gov.ae |
| ICP file-validity check | No fee shown on u.ae | u.ae |
Frequently asked questions
Is the UID the same as my Emirates ID number?
No. The UID is the immigration file identifier. The Emirates ID number is the identity card number issued by ICP. Forms that accept either will say so.
Is the UID the same as the file number?
No. GDRFA's fines form lists File Number and UDB Number as separate search types. The file number changes with each residence file; the UID identifies you across files.
I am on a visit visa. Do I have a UID?
If an entry permit was issued to you by ICP or GDRFA, the number exists on that permit. ICP's establishment card page refers to visitors who hold a unified number but no Emirates ID yet.
Can I check my visa expiry with the UID?
u.ae points to the ICP file-validity page for the six northern and Abu Dhabi emirates and GDRFA's status inquiry for Dubai. Both show the issue and expiry dates once you enter the details requested.
Why does my new employer ask for it?
MOHRE and ICP establishment and work-permit transactions identify expatriates by Emirates ID or unified number, so HR needs it to file your permit.
Official sources and review
The rules on this page were checked against the official pages below. We re-check every 60 days and after any announced change.
- GDRFA DubaiUnified Number Inquiry ServiceChecked 17 October 2026
- GDRFA DubaiFind Unified Number — service cardChecked 17 October 2026
- GDRFA DubaiFines Inquiry ServiceChecked 17 October 2026
- ICPIssuing an Establishment Card — service cardChecked 17 October 2026
- MOHREIssuance of Establishment CardChecked 17 October 2026
- ILOEEnglish flyer (documents and payment options)Checked 17 October 2026
- UAE Government portal (u.ae)Track visa application and check validity (updated 15 Jul 2026)Checked 17 October 2026
- UAE Government portal (u.ae)Emirates ID (updated 17 Feb 2026)Checked 17 October 2026
Government fees, thresholds and processing times change without notice. Where an official page does not state a figure, we say so rather than estimate. Nothing here is legal advice or a decision of any 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.
Need help with the next step?
If you have the UID but the visa status behind it is unclear, or you need a change of status before your permit expires, tell us your dates and we will say which application comes first.
No private firm can guarantee the outcome of a UAE visa, residency or licensing application. Decisions rest solely with the relevant UAE authority.