Sheikh Hamdan issues resolution to waive and reduce fees for 88 government services in Dubai

Dubai’s government will either waive or reduce fees for a total of 88 services it provides due to a new resolution ordered by the emirate’s Crown Prince.

The resolution was issued by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, on Thursday and aims to ease financial pressures faced by businesses.

The waivers and reductions relate to fees for services provided by Dubai Land Department, Dubai Maritime City Authority, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai Courts, Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

– The Dubai Maritime City Authority will waive some fees related to various types of residency visas including processing of residency visas for applicants outside the country, issuance of employment residency visas, urgent renewals of residency visas and residency visa transfers from a government entity to the authority. It will also reduce fees related to issuance and renewal of annual representative office licenses and replacement of lost certificates and licenses.

– Dubai Municipality will waive several fees related to permits for labour supplies rooms, re-issuance of cheques, urgent medical certificates and renewal of occupational health card.

– Fees that will be waived by Dubai Tourism include those for tourism permits and replacement of lost tourism permits, tourism permits for people under 16 years, and permits for fashion shows.

– Fees waived by RTA include those for issuing non-objection letters for transfer of traffic file, permits for closing roads for major construction works and fees related to recreational bikes.

– Dubai Land Department will waive fees related to replacement of broker cards for real estate agents, and amendment of information on real estate brokers.

– Dubai Courts will waive fees for obtaining certified copies of rulings of civil cases.

– The DHA has reduced the fees for medical fitness certificates for maritime activities.

The Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 also reduces fees charged by some government entities. Dubai Economy will reduce fees related to issuing and renewing licenses of business centres, and issuance of licenses for providing government services.

The resolution also authorises heads of government entities to take decisions to reduce or waive any payments other than fees imposed for its services and products, subject to prior approval from the Department of Finance in Dubai. Cancellation or reduction of such payments has to be formalised by the enactment of a legislation and its publication in the official gazette.

The government added that the new resolution is effective from the date of its publication in the gazette.

The government indicated that the decision is intended to stimulate economic growth in the emirate, promote competitiveness, lower living costs, and support investors.

In March, the freeze on Dubai government fees was extended until early 2023 as per an order issued by Sheikh Hamdan. The three-year freeze on government fees was first announced by Sheikh Hamdan in March 2018.

Read: Freeze on Dubai government fees extended until early 2023

In order to provide support to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai has launched five economic stimulus packages since March 2020 worth Dhs7.1bn, including a Dhs315m package which was announced by the Crown Prince in January.