If you are a UAE Golden Visa holder outside the country and your passport is lost or damaged, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides an electronic Return Document to help you travel back to the UAE.
It is an emergency travel document for a single return journey to the UAE. It is not a replacement passport or a normal Golden Visa entry permit.
| Purpose | Emergency return to the UAE after a Golden Visa holder loses or damages a passport abroad. |
| Document | Electronic Return Document. |
| Use | Single use, only for returning to the UAE. |
| Validity | 7 days from issuance. |
| Service time | MOFA lists about 30 minutes. |
| Fee | No service fee is currently listed. |
| Channel | MOFA website or smart application using UAE Pass. |
The service is for a valid UAE Golden Visa holder who is outside the UAE and whose passport has been lost or damaged.
A Golden Visa holder can also apply for dependent children under 18 years old, provided the Golden Visa remains valid.
MOFA’s service guidance also instructs applicants to provide their Golden Visa details during the process.
The document is valid for 7 days from its date of issuance. It is intended for one return journey to the UAE.
No. MOFA states that the Return Document is exclusively for travel back to the United Arab Emirates. It cannot be used for travel to or transit through other countries.
The Return Document solves the immediate travel problem; it does not permanently replace your passport. MOFA requires the Golden Visa holder to obtain a new passport immediately after returning to the UAE.
These are different issues. A Return Document is for a Golden Visa holder abroad whose passport is lost or damaged. Golden Visa validity is about whether your residence remains valid after time outside the UAE.
For time-outside-the-UAE questions, see our UAE Golden Visa Validity guide.
The Return Document is not part of the normal Golden Visa eligibility or application process. If you are still applying, see UAE Golden Visa Requirements and UAE Golden Visa Application.
MOFA currently lists no service fee.
MOFA currently lists a service completion time of approximately 30 minutes.
The electronic Return Document is sent by email after the application is processed.
It is valid for 7 days from issuance and is for a single return journey to the UAE.
No. MOFA states that it cannot be used to travel to or transit through other countries.
The published Golden Visa Return Document service specifically covers lost or damaged passports. Contact MOFA or the relevant UAE mission for the correct procedure for another passport issue.
Yes. MOFA’s published process starts with UAE Pass login.
Yes. MOFA requires the Golden Visa holder to obtain a new passport immediately after returning to the UAE.
Golden Portal UAE is independent and is not the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you are unsure whether your issue is a Return Document, visa-validity, passport or re-entry matter, send us the exact situation and we can help you identify the relevant route.