The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) confirmed on 12 May that ministries and federal entities will observe a five-day break for Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha from Monday, 25 May to Friday, 29 May 2026. Normal working hours resume on Monday, 1 June. While public-sector holidays are announced mainly for domestic planning, they also have immediate mobility consequences. Immigration counters, Amer centres, ICP customer-happiness halls and many free-zone service desks will operate on reduced hours or close entirely during the period. Employers with residence-visa renewals, status changes or Emirates ID biometrics booked in the last week of May should reschedule or expect processing to slip into June. Airports and land borders will remain open, but DXB and AUH historically record passenger spikes of up to 20 percent on the eve of Eid and on the final weekend. Corporate travel managers are encouraged to advise assignees to arrive at terminals at least three hours before departure and to pre-pay excess-baggage fees online to avoid holiday queues. For international assignees already in the UAE, the holiday offers an opportunity to travel without taking additional leave days—provided their passports carry the necessary multiple-entry visas. However, HR teams should remind travellers that the 90/180-day Schengen rule and other “clock” calculations continue to run while they are abroad. Private-sector employers may mirror the public-sector closure, but they are legally required only to provide one day off for Arafah Day and three days for Eid Al Adha. Many free-zone companies will therefore close from 25–28 May and reopen Sunday, 31 May, which can further complicate filing timelines.
