UAE visa amnesty guidance for expats to avail the scheme

In a relief for expats whose visas have expired and who are illegally staying back in the UAE, a three-month general visa amnesty by the government from August 1 will help them sort out their status and put their lives together.

Under the scheme called 'Protect Yourself via Rectifying Your Status,' foreigners violating the residency law will be granted a three-month grace period to either leave the country voluntarily without prosecution or rectify their legal status by paying the required fees.

The visa relaxation will lift the fears of over-staying foreigners, reduce the burden on those facing hefty fines, while encouraging illegal expats to make their status legal or voluntarily depart, without incurring a ban. The scheme will end on October 31.

Here is a guide for those seeking to avail the scheme:

Rectifying violators status:

• Exemption from all applicable financial penalties (Penalties of Residency-Emirates ID-Labour card)
• Closing absconding case without recourse to the sponsor
• Fees for rectifying the status (Dh521)
• Adherence to the residency conditions in case of renewal of visa or new sponsor

Exit of Violators (Al Aweer):

1. Shall be exempted from penalties and closing the absconding case, if any.
2. Fees for individual applying for closing the absconding case 121, for private institutions 521, for government institutions 71
3. Exit permit fees Dh 221
4. In case of an exit, a passport is required.
5. In case there is no passport, travel document shall be issued from the consulate after submitting certificate 'To Whom It May Concern' about the loss of passport
6. Violators must provide the ticket and the travel date must be booked after 10 days of visiting the amnesty headquarters
7. Violator's exit will be without a ban.

 Notes:

1: Countries of wars and disasters (Syria-Yemen-Libya)

2: Temporary residency for 6 months shall be issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization.

3: Beneficiaries of violators amnesty for visa and entry permits of Dubai only.

4: In case the violator wishes to rectify his status inside the country, the visa is issued from another emirates and he has an absconding notification, he should contact the same emirate to close the absconding case.

Details of amnesty 2018 by UAE government

Duration: The duration of the amnesty will be from August 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018 (3 months), subject to extension for a further period of two months depending upon the circumstances.

Beneficiaries: All individuals who are overstaying in the country can utilize the amnesty either to regularize their visa status legally or to exit the country without paying any overstay fines without entry ban.

How to utilise

• The individuals who are staying illegally can regularize their visas by getting a new sponsor. They can submit their application through Amer centers for new visa by paying an Immigration fee of Dh500.
• Those who wish to exit the country can approach Awir Immigration directly and get exit permit without ban. The Immigration will issue exit permit and they can exit the country within 10 days after issuance of permit. A fee of Dh220 is to be paid for the exit permit. The Immigration will take the fingerprints and eye scan as normal procedure and will issue exit permit accordingly.
• Those who entered the country illegally without any documents will get exit clearance with two years ban. They can re-enter the UAE after two years.
• If there is an absconding report against a person, the Immigration will remove absconding report against him with payment of Dh500 and will issue exit permit without ban.

The exit permits will be issued from the concerned Immigration authorities from where the visa is issued. Therefore, the individuals have to approach the immigration authorities of their respective emirates.

The applicants can approach the Immigration either with original Passport or EC issued from the consulate. In case of the passport already submitted in any Immigration office the same will be located immediately and handed over to the applicant directly. If passport is not available, the Consulate can issue EC and exit permit will be issued without police report. They will consider requests of the Consulates for repatriation of individuals in special cases.