3-month UAE’s amnesty for visa rule violators starts

  DUBAI – A three-month amnesty period for overstayers and violators of the UAE’s residency laws starts today. The amnesty follows a UAE Cabinet decision in June allowing people who overstay their visa to voluntarily leave the UAE without a “no entry” passport stamp that is valid for two years. Applicants must present a valid return ticket in order to avail of the reprieve effective August 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018. Individuals who entered the UAE illegally will also be given the chance to leave voluntarily with a “no entry” stamp for two years given that they provide a valid return ticket. Violators will be given the option to rectify their legal status by paying nominal fees or leave the UAE voluntarily without prosecution or payment of fines, said Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi, Acting Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports Department at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. The last visa amnesty given in the UAE was in 2013, when nearly 62,000 illegal residents applied for amnesty within the two-month period. The new legislative package approved in June included a review of the current residency system in the UAE. The Cabinet approved a two-year extension of the residency period for fresh college graduates under their parents visa to allow them more time to hunt for jobs. The Cabinet also approved an entry fee exemption for all transit passengers who want to enter the UAE within the first 48 hours of their arrival. The transit visa, which is available at airports, can be extended for up to 96 hours for a fee of only Dh50. The Cabinet also approved a new 6-month visa for job seekers who overstayed their visa but wish to work in the country. GAD/Expat Media

Answers to all your questions about UAE amnesty

When is the amnesty period?

It runs from August 1 to October 31

Who are eligible for amnesty?

Anyone staying illegally in the UAE can apply for amnesty

What does the amnesty scheme offer?

Individuals who overstayed their visa can leave the UAE without any ban, fine or jail term. They can also opt to regularise their status by getting a new visa under a sponsor

What about individuals who entered the country illegally?

They will be given amnesty but they will exit the UAE with a two-year ban.

Is there a special amnesty for individuals coming from war-torn countries like Syria and Yemen?

Yes. They will be given a one-year residence visa.

How can individuals who are physically incapacitated apply for amnesty?

Their next of kin can submit to the Immigration department a medical report or a letter from the embassy or consulate, which will be used to issue an exit permit for the individual.

Will those who avail the amnesty get a permanent ban from re-entering the UAE?

No. There will be no ban, and they can reenter the UAE if they have valid visas.

Who are not qualified to apply for amnesty?

Those with police cases for defaulting on loans or other legal cases are not eligible for amnesty.

Can those with absconding cases apply for amnesty?

Yes. Immigration authorities will remove the absconding report and issue exit permit without ban.

Can amnesty seekers who regularise their status apply for jobs in the UAE?

Yes. They can get a six-month temporary visa to look for jobs.

Where should individuals apply for amnesty?

They can go to the office of the General Directorates of Residency and Foreign Affairs to rectify their visa status. In Dubai, amnesty seekers with residency rule violations can go to the Al Aweer immigration centre. In Abu Dhabi, centres are located in Shahama, Al Garbia and Al Ain.

When are these offices open?

The amnesty service centres open from August 1 until October 31, from 8am to 8pm.

What documents are required to apply for amnesty?

You need your original passport or emergency certificate, and proof of their airline ticket along with the amnesty application form.

How much does an exit permit cost?

Dh221

How much does it cost to clear absconding cases?

Dh121 if it is an individual case, Dh521 for employees of private companies and Dh71 for employees of government departments.

How much does it cost to regularise one’s visa status?

Dh521

Can individuals without passports apply for amnesty?

Yes. They may visit their consulate or embassy to issue an emergency travel document.

What is the time period to exit the country after getting an exit pass?

You have 10 days to exit the UAE after getting an exit pass.

Bus

Amnesty seekers going to Al Aweer can take the public bus on Route 11A starting August 1 until the end of the amnesty period. The bus travels every hour starting at 5:06 am at Al Aweer terminus. Route 11A starts from Al Aweer and ends at Gold Souq, and covers various residential and commercial areas, including Al Khawaneej, Rashidiya metro station, Airport Terminal 1, Union metro station to name a few.

Mission helplines

Philippine Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 6390006 Philippine Consulate General, Dubai 04 220 7100 Bangladesh Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 446 5100 Bangladesh Consulate General, Dubai 04 238 8199 Egypt Consulate General, Dubai 04 397 1122 India Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 4492700 India Consulate General, Dubai 056 546 3903 (indiaindubai.amnesty@gmail.com) Indonesia Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 445 4448 Indonesia Consulate General, Dubai 04 398 5666 Malaysia Consulate General, Dubai 04 398 5843 Nepal Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 634 4767 Nigeria Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 4431503 Nigeria Consulate General, Dubai 04 352 2505 Pakistan Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 444 7800 Pakistan Consulate General, Dubai 04 397 3600 Sri Lanka Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 631 6444 Sri Lanka Consulate General, Dubai 04 398 6535 Sudan Consulate General, Dubai 04 397 7722 Uzbekistan Embassy, Abu Dhabi 02 448 8215 Uzbekistan Consulate General, Dubai 04 370 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