UAE amnesty seekers exit permit valid only for 10 days

Illegal residents who have availed of the amnesty initiative must leave the country within 10 days after getting an exit permit, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC) has announced.

The FAIC also pointed out that violators who got their fine waived can obtain exit permits from the amnesty centres by paying a nominal fee of Dh220. Those who wish to change their status, transfer their residence or obtain new residence must provide evidence of a new sponsor and a certificate of health fitness.

However, authorities concerned at the Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) will charge a fee of Dh500 from violators who amend the status of the visa without exiting the UAE.

The FAIC has launched the three-month amnesty programme Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status on August 1 allowing expatriates living inside the country illegally to change their status, either leave or modify the residence status, without paying their overstaying fines.

The violators, who wish to change their status to leave the country, must bring a number of documents, including a passport, to avail of the scheme. Since the launch of the initiative, the immigration centres across the country have received thousands of applicants and many were issued permits to amend their status and have a fresh life in accordance with the UAE regulations.

However, the initiative has excluded two categories of people from the amnesty programme: People who are blacklisted and those having police cases lodged against them.

Exemption from fines:

Meanwhile, six categories were granted the right to benefit from the amnesty without paying fines.

The first category comprises people who are residing in the country with expired residence and visas. They would get full exemption from all the fines and has the option either to leave the country or get a new visa.

The second category is those who are unemployed, who can obtain unmediated temporary residence or self-sponsorship visa for six months, which allows them to interact with potential employers under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Employment.

The third, people who had entered the country illegally through informal outlets. They will be allowed to leave the country but cannot enter the country for a period of two years.

The fourth category is people who ran away from their employers. The fifth category covers victims of wars and natural disasters, who will be granted a one-year residency visa regardless of the status of their visas or nationalities.

The sixth category is widowed or divorced, and their residence is extended for one year without the need for a sponsor.

The amnesty programme, which runs until October 31, is applicable to illegal residents who have been living inside the country before August 1.

New Visa Rules being framed for Job seekers in UAE

The UAE plans tougher rules on issuing visit and tourist visas because most of the residency law violators, who seek the ongoing visa amnesty, entered the country on such visas, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC) announced.

Many of the residency violators were also involved in dangerous crimes, warranting stringent measures to prevent such people from entering the country, the officials told the media. Most of the residency law violators who entered the country on a visit or tourist visa were job seekers. Therefore, the authority plans to introduce a three-to-six month-long visa for job seekers.

As part of the tougher rules, some pre-conditions, including a security deposit, may be introduced for issuing visit and jobseeker visa. The pre-conditions will ensure that such visitors go back after the expiry of their visas.

The authority is also planning to ask the foreign embassies to bear the costs of flight tickets for their citizens who overstay in the UAE because such people often do not have money for a ticket to go back home.

The authority warned that there would be regular inspection campaigns to identify residency law violators after October 31, the final day of the ongoing visa amnesty. Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Director of Residency Affairs at the authority (left), told journalists that violators will face arrest and tougher legal action after the amnesty period.

He said the amnesty is a good opportunity for violators to rectify their status, or leave the country without paying any fines.

Dr Yousuf Al Sherif, the legal advisor at the authority, said the courts will give tougher punishments, including hefty fines and deportation, to residency law violators after October 31.

A sponsor or businessperson who employs an undocumented worker will be fined Dh50,000 [for each worker].

UAE leaders order formation of emergency relief committee to flood hit in Kerala

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has instructed the formation of a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance to people affected by flash floods in the Indian State of Kerala.

According to the President's instructions, the committee will be chaired by the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, and include representatives from the UAE's humanitarian organizations.

The committee will also seek the help of dignitaries of the Indian resident community.

The south Indian state was hit by the most massive and worst floods in a century, which killed hundreds of people, displaced hundreds of thousands of local population and swept away their homes.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, extended their heartfelt condolences to the brotherly Indian people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the loss of life over the last few days.

The UAE leaders' instructions stressed the importance of mobilising national efforts of UAE humanitarian actors to coordinate emergency relief operations to help the victims of the affected people in a way that reflects the spirit of the historic friendship that bind the peoples of the UAE and India and directly supports the Indian government's efforts to minimise the devastating impact of the floods on the population.