Health Card Renewal in the UAE: Rules for Every Emirate (2026)

If your UAE health card has expired, or is about to, you do not need to start from scratch. Health card renewal in the UAE usually takes just a few minutes online. The catch is that it depends entirely on which emirate issued your card and which type of health card you actually hold. Get those two things right and the rest is quick.

This guide walks residents, UAE nationals and GCC nationals through the full health card renewal process: the exact fees, the documents, the steps, and the common problems that slow people down. Everything below is checked against official government portals, so you renew right the first time. This sits alongside the other health and insurance questions UAE residents deal with regularly.

Quick answer: To renew your health card in the UAE, log in to your emirate’s portal (Emirates Health Services at ehs.gov.ae for the Northern Emirates, or the Dubai Health Authority at dha.gov.ae for Dubai) using UAE Pass, choose the renew option, confirm your Emirates ID details, and pay the fee. A typing centre can also do it for you.

Which Health Which Health Card Are You Renewing?

“Health card” means different things in the UAE. Before you renew anything, match your card to the right one below. This is where most people waste time.

Card type	Who it is for	Issued by	What it does
Resident health card	Residents, nationals, GCC nationals	EHS (Northern Emirates) or DHA (Dubai)	Subsidised care at government facilities
Occupational health card (OHC)	Food handlers, salon staff, healthcare and public-facing workers	DHA / Dubai Municipality	Proves you are fit to work in a public-health role
Medical fitness card	Anyone getting or renewing a residence visa	Government medical centres	Clears the visa medical test
Health insurance card	All residents (mandatory)	Private insurers / Daman	Covers treatment at network hospitals

This article covers the resident health card. If you’re applying for one of these for the first time rather than renewing, applying for an EHS Health Card works a little differently, with its own eligibility rules and fees to check first.

What Is a UAE Health Card and Why Renew It?

What is a UAE health card? A UAE health card is a government-issued document that registers a resident in the emirate’s public health system and lets them use government hospitals and clinics at subsidised rates.

Who needs to renew a health card? UAE nationals, GCC nationals and expatriate residents who already hold a health card and want to keep their subsidised access to government healthcare active.

A health card is a government document that registers you in your emirate’s health system. With it, you pay far less at public hospitals and clinics.

Renewing your health card on time keeps these benefits active:

• Low-cost treatment at government hospitals and clinics.
• A 20% discount on Emirates Health Services (EHS) charges.
• Free EHS services for People of Determination.
• Smooth registration at public facilities, with no last-minute stress.

A health card is not the same as health insurance. Insurance is mandatory and covers private network hospitals. The health card is optional for most expats, but it unlocks subsidised care at government facilities that insurance does not always match.

If you need to confirm your private cover is active while you’re at it, our guide on checking health insurance status in the UAE walks through that separately.

Your Health Card Validity Is Separate From Your Emirates ID

This trips up many residents. Your health card links to your Emirates ID, but its expiry is its own. Your Emirates ID can be valid while your health card has already expired. Track both dates on their own.

Who Issues Your Health Card, By Emirate

The renewal portal depends on where you live.

Emirate	Authority	Where to renew
Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain	Emirates Health Services (EHS)	ehs.gov.ae or EHS app
Dubai	Dubai Health Authority (DHA)	dha.gov.ae or DHA app
Abu Dhabi	Department of Health (DOH)	Health insurance model via TAMM
Ajman (local card option)	Department of Digital Ajman	ajman.ae

Abu Dhabi works differently. It does not issue a subsidised health card the way EHS and DHA do. In Abu Dhabi, “health card renewal” usually means renewing your health insurance policy (Thiqa for nationals, or a private or Daman plan) through TAMM.

Health Card Validity and When to Renew

Validity depends on your nationality:

• UAE and GCC nationals: 5 years.
• Expatriate residents: 1 year.

Renew inside the one month before your card expires. On the EHS system you cannot renew early. If your card still has more than a month left, the system will not let you renew yet.

One rule to remember: your Emirates ID must be valid when you submit. Renew your Emirates ID first if it has expired.

How to Renew Your EHS Health Card Online (Northern Emirates)

Residents of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain use the EHS smart service. According to Emirates Health Services, the smart-service renewal takes about five minutes.

Follow these steps:

1. Open ehs.gov.ae and go to Patient Services.
2. Click Renew Health Card, then Start Now.
3. Log in with UAE Pass and approve the request on your phone.
4. Choose your healthcare category by nationality.
5. Pick I am the applicant or On behalf of someone.
6. Under application type, click Renew.
7. Enter your Emirates ID number and click Search.
8. Confirm your details, click Proceed, and pay.
9. You get an SMS confirmation. Your renewed card links to your Emirates ID automatically.

Renew Through the EHS App

Prefer your phone? The EHS app follows the same flow:

• Log in with UAE Pass.
• Tap Services, then Renew of a Health Card.
• Choose Apply for service, pick applicant type, tap Renew, enter your Emirates ID, then pay.

Renew at a Typing Centre

No time for the portal? Visit any typing centre with your Emirates ID. Staff complete the renewal for you. A small service charge applies.

How to Renew Your DHA Health Card in Dubai

Dubai residents renew through the Dubai Health Authority.

Quick steps:

1. Open dha.gov.ae or the DHA app and log in with UAE Pass.
2. Go to Health Card Services and choose Renew.
3. Upload your documents (Emirates ID, visa page, photo where asked).
4. Pay online by card.
5. Receive your renewed card in digital form, or collect it from a DHA centre.

[SCREENSHOT 5 — DHA Health Card Services renewal page on dha.gov.ae. Alt text: “DHA health card renewal page in Dubai”. Caption: The Health Card Services section on the DHA portal.]

Good to know for Dubai:

• Your residency visa must be valid at renewal. If yours is also due, our guide on UAE residence visa renewal covers that process alongside this one.
• Processing usually takes 2 to 5 working days, according to the Dubai Health Authority.
• In-person renewal is available at DHA centres such as Rashid, Latifa and Dubai Hospital.
• Dubai is moving to digital verification through its Nabidh platform, so a physical card is not always needed.

Ajman also runs its own medical card service through the Department of Digital Ajman, separate from the federal EHS card.

Renewing a Medical Card in Ajman (Local Route)

Steps:

• Fill and print the smart medical card application, then pay the fee.
• Visit a customer service centre to submit it.
• An officer checks your original documents.
• Collect your new medical card.

Ajman document set:

• Copy of the expired medical card
• Valid Emirates ID
• Valid passport
• Personal photo with a white background
• Proof of residence in the emirate
• Marriage certificate, if your spouse is not Emirati
• Valid residency visa

Ajman centres: Al Madina Health Center, Mushairef Health Center, and the Preventive Medicine Center in Ajman.

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Documents Required to Renew Your Health Card

Your document list depends on who you are. Here is the EHS breakdown.

Applicant	Documents needed
Expat resident	Valid Emirates ID
UAE national	Valid Emirates ID and Family Book (Khulasat Al Qaid)
GCC national	Valid Emirates ID
Spouse of a UAE citizen	Valid Emirates ID and passport for both spouses, valid residence permit (non-GCC), marriage certificate
Children of an Emirati mother	Birth certificate, child’s Emirates ID and passport, mother’s Emirates ID and passport, Family Book
Parents of a citizen	Valid Emirates ID, passport and residence permit for the parent, plus the citizen’s documents
Newborns	Birth certificate, both parents’ passports, Emirates IDs and residence permits
People of Determination	Emirates ID, passport, residence copy, and a government medical report less than 3 months old

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Health Card Renewal Fees in the UAE

How much does health card renewal cost? On the EHS system, UAE and GCC nationals pay about AED 35 in total and expat residents pay about AED 115, including the AED 15 smart-services fee. Dubai (DHA) fees are set separately.

Here are the official EHS fees for the Northern Emirates, as published by Emirates Health Services.

Category	Renewal fee
UAE citizens	AED 20
GCC nationals (resident)	AED 20
GCC nationals (visitor, 1 year)	AED 50
Expat residents (1 year)	AED 100
Expat visitors (3 months)	AED 100
People of Determination	AED 50

Extra charges to expect:

• AED 15 EHS smart-services share on every online application.
• A small bank service charge.
• An added fee if you use a typing centre.

So an expat usually pays around AED 115 in total on EHS, while UAE and GCC nationals pay about AED 35.

Dubai (DHA) fees differ and are paid online during renewal. Confirm the current amount on the DHA portal before you pay, since it is set by DHA, not EHS.

Processing times, according to Emirates Health Services: about 5 minutes for the smart service with a valid Emirates ID, about 3 working days for a manual application with documents, and up to 8 working days for People of Determination.

Health Card Renewal by Emirate at a Glance

This table gives you the full picture in one look.

Emirate	Authority / Portal	Renewal fee	Processing time
Dubai	DHA (dha.gov.ae)	Set by DHA, paid online	2 to 5 working days
Sharjah	EHS (ehs.gov.ae)	AED 35 nationals / AED 115 expats	About 5 minutes
Ajman	EHS or Digital Ajman	AED 35 nationals / AED 115 expats	About 5 minutes
Fujairah	EHS (ehs.gov.ae)	AED 35 nationals / AED 115 expats	About 5 minutes
Ras Al Khaimah	EHS (ehs.gov.ae)	AED 35 nationals / AED 115 expats	About 5 minutes
Umm Al Quwain	EHS (ehs.gov.ae)	AED 35 nationals / AED 115 expats	About 5 minutes
Abu Dhabi	DOH via TAMM	Insurance model, not a card fee	Varies by insurer

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What If Your Health Card Has Expired?

An expired health card does not fine you like a visa does. But it does cost you access.

• You lose subsidised rates at government hospitals until you renew.
• You may face delays at registration when you need care.
• You simply reapply through the same portal once your Emirates ID is valid.

The fix is quick, so renew as soon as you notice the lapse.

Common Health Card Renewal Problems (and Fixes)

Most delays come from small, avoidable issues.

• Application rejected or returned: Read the note, correct the detail, and resubmit through the same service.
• Emirates ID expired: You cannot renew the health card first. Renew your Emirates ID, then come back.
• No SMS or failed payment: Check your bank message, then retry the payment step. The card links only after payment clears.
• Wrong category picked: Choose the healthcare category that matches your nationality, or the fee and result will be wrong.
• Name or data mismatch: Your details must match your Emirates ID exactly.

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Health Card vs Insurance vs Medical Fitness: Cleared Up

People mix these three all the time. Here is the clean split.

Document	Purpose	Mandatory?
Health card	Subsidised care at government facilities	Optional for most expats
Health insurance	Covers private network treatment, and is required for your visa	Yes
Medical fitness card	Passes the residence-visa medical test	Yes, for the visa

Read the full guides on health insurance in the UAE and the medical fitness test if either applies to you.

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What Is New for Health Card Renewal in the UAE? 2026

The system keeps moving toward digital.

• UAE Pass is now the default login on both EHS and DHA portals.
• Dubai is shifting to digital card verification through Nabidh, so a plastic card is often not needed.
• Health insurance records are cross-checked automatically at visa renewal across the UAE, which makes keeping your cover active more important than ever.

Always confirm live fees and steps on the official portal, since figures change.

Tips to Renew Without Delays

A short checklist that saves you a second trip:

• Renew about one month before expiry.
• Keep your Emirates ID valid first.
• Have UAE Pass set up on your phone.
• Pick the correct nationality category.
• Bring a white-background photo if you renew in Ajman.

Conclusion

Health card renewal in the UAE feels confusing only until you sort out which card and which emirate you are dealing with. Once you do, the process is fast: log in with UAE Pass, confirm your Emirates ID, pay a small fee, and you are done. Residents in the Northern Emirates use EHS, Dubai residents use DHA, and Abu Dhabi residents renew health insurance through TAMM instead. 

Keep your Emirates ID valid, renew within the last month, and you will never lose your subsidised access to government care. When your health card is sorted, line up your other renewals too, starting with your UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, so your whole residency stays in order.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I renew a health card in the UAE?

Log in to your emirate’s portal with UAE Pass. Northern Emirates residents use EHS at ehs.gov.ae, and Dubai residents use DHA at dha.gov.ae. Choose renew, confirm your Emirates ID, pay the fee, and get an SMS confirmation. A typing centre can do it for you.

How much is a health card in the UAE?

On the EHS system, UAE and GCC nationals pay about AED 35 in total, and expat residents pay about AED 115, including the AED 15 smart-services share. Dubai (DHA) fees are set separately and paid online during renewal, so confirm the current amount on the DHA portal.

What is the validity of a UAE health card?

A UAE health card is valid for five years for UAE and GCC nationals and one year for expat residents. Its validity is separate from your Emirates ID, so keep an eye on both dates.

Can I renew my health card if my Emirates ID has expired?

No. A valid Emirates ID is required to submit a health card renewal. Renew your Emirates ID first, then complete the health card renewal.

Is a health card the same as health insurance?

No. A health card gives subsidised access to government facilities, while health insurance covers private network care and is mandatory for your visa. In Abu Dhabi, “health card renewal” usually means renewing a health insurance policy through TAMM.

How much does it cost to renew a 2-year residence visa in the UAE in 2026?

A standard two-year residence visa renewal usually costs around AED 2,500 to AED 5,500 in total once you add the visa fee, Emirates ID, medical fitness test and insurance. The exact total depends on your visa type, emirate and whether you use a typing centre. This is separate from your health card fee. See the full breakdown in our UAE residence visa renewal guide.

Can I get an Emirates ID without a medical test?

The Emirates ID card itself does not require a medical test. The medical fitness test is a residence-visa step for applicants aged 18 and over, and the Emirates ID is issued alongside the visa. Children under 18 are usually exempt from the medical. So the medical belongs to the visa cycle, not the ID application on its own.

Which emirates does the EHS health card cover?

The Emirates Health Services health card covers the Northern Emirates: Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain. Dubai has its own DHA card, and Abu Dhabi uses a health insurance model instead.

Can someone else renew my health card for me?

Yes. During the online application you choose On behalf of someone, so a family member or friend can renew for you. A typing centre can also do it with your Emirates ID.

Can I renew my health card without a UAE Pass?

Yes. If you do not use UAE Pass, visit a typing centre with your Emirates ID and staff will complete the renewal. In Dubai, the DHA portal also accepts a DHA account as an alternative login.

Can I renew my health card from outside the UAE?

Usually yes. The renewal is fully online and needs only a valid Emirates ID, UAE Pass and an internet connection. Unlike the visa medical test, it does not require you to be present in the country.

How long does health card renewal approval take?

The smart service is often instant to about 5 minutes. A manual application with documents takes around 3 working days, and Dubai’s DHA renewal takes 2 to 5 working days.

Can I download a digital copy of my health card?

Yes. Once approved, your health card is issued digitally and linked to your Emirates ID. If no physical card is delivered, you can use your Emirates ID at EHS facilities as an alternative.

References (Official Sources)

• Emirates Health Services, Renew of a Health Card: https://www.ehs.gov.ae/en/services/services-directory/renewing-a-health-card
• Dubai Health Authority: https://www.dha.gov.ae/
• DHA eServices login: https://services.dha.gov.ae/
• TAMM Abu Dhabi, Health services: https://www.tamm.abudhabi/
• Department of Digital Ajman, Medical Card Renewal: https://www.ajman.ae/en/happiness-bundle/services/most-used-services/renew-medical-card
• UAE Government Portal, Health services: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/health-and-fitness
• Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Emirates ID: https://icp.gov.ae/
• UAE Pass: https://www.uaepass.ae/