No further grace periods for Residency visa violators in UAE - prosecuted from February 4

 Abu Dhabi: People with expired residency visas will be fined and prosecuted from February 4, a statement by the Ministry of Interior said, adding that no further grace periods or exceptions will be made.

Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Acting Director General of Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, said that the ministry is currently dealing with residency violators to ease procedures for their voluntary departure from the country during the amnesty.

Al Rashidi ensured that services are available to allow violators to benefit from the grace period by visiting residency departments across the UAE to obtain outpasses and leave the country without penalties.

The official also urged violators not to wait until amnesty’s final day to submit their papers.In a previous statement, Major General Nasser Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, said that amnesty, approved by the Cabinet in April, covers only those who overstayed their visit or resident visas, but not infiltrators, who he said will be treated like criminals.

Earlier, Al Menhali added that residents who overstayed their visas can come forward with their passports and air tickets to obtain an outpass, get their fines waived, and leave the country.Passports withheld by residency department in absconding cases will also be handed over to their holders, he said.

Illegal residents will be granted exit permits to leave the country — with all fines waived

Thousands of illegal immigrants are expected to flock to centers across the country as the 60-day visa amnesty begins on today.

Violators of the country’s residency law can visit a centre in each Emirate to start the departure process — which will see them leave the country with no ban or overstaying fines to pay.

General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs (GDRFA) officials confirmed illegal residents will be granted exit permits to leave the country — with all fines waived — upon visiting one of the 10 centres across the country.

Those applying for amnesty will have fingerprints and iris scans taken to ensure there are no pending criminal cases against them.

“The amnesty will start today and will last for 60 days, giving time for all illegal residents and visitors to leave the country without penalties,” officials said.

Last month Gulf News reported how Major General Nasser Awadi Al Menhali, assistant undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, announced the amnesty, detailing how illegal residents will be allowed to leave the UAE without penalty.

As many as 342,000 illegal immigrants took advantage of the last amnesty declared in 2007.

Around 300,000 illegal immigrants left the country under the second amnesty which ran between January and April, 2002.

In 1996, about 200,000 illegal residents left the country under a six-month amnesty.

Residency law violators should take their passport and an air ticket to their home country to any of the 10 amnesty centres across the emirates.

Officials have emphasised there is no need to approach the residency department where the original residency or visit visa was issued.

Those without passports — if they have been lost or stolen — will receive assistance from the residency department to obtain out-passes from their consulates or embassies.

Anyone with outstanding absconding cases against them, where their passport is held at a residency department, will be given back their passport in order to leave the country.

In cases where violators cannot afford an air ticket, they will receive support either in the form of liquidating their bank guarantee deposited at the Ministry of Labour, or where no guarantee exists, they will be helped by the authority on humanitarian grounds.

An official added: “For those violators who wish to stay in the UAE but who have allowed their residency to expire, overstaying fines must be paid in order to legalise residency status.”

In Dubai, those wishing to take advantage of the amnesty grace period can approach the Directorate to follow up on violations and foreigner affairs in Al Aweer from 8am until 8pm, except during holidays.

Colonel Mohammad Alwan, director of the GDRFA in Ajman, told Gulf News illegal residents in Ajman can approach the centre in Al Jurf area — close to the Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs where a special tent has been set up.

Brigadier Dr Abdullah Sahoo, director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Sharjah, said: “In order for illegal immigrants to have their exit permits issued, they can approach the Sharjah residency department headquarters in Al Jawazat Area.

“They need to bring an air ticket, passport or out-passes from their consulates.”

People wishing to take advantage of the amnesty can call the toll free number, 800 5111, for enquiries and information on the required documents and how to apply.

Indian expatriates can avail upcoming amnesty through 14 outsourced service centres of the Indian missions

Indian expatriates wishing to avail of the benefit of the upcoming amnesty in the UAE will be facilitated through 14 outsourced service centres of the Indian missions.

The announcement was made by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The passport and visa service centres run by BLS International will collect the applications for the emergency travel certificate known as ‘outpass’, with several centres located across various emirates.

These centres will accept outpass applications during normal working hours from 8am to 6.30pm during the amnesty period of December 4 to February 3, 2013.

Those who have valid passports may approach local immigration authorities directly for regularisation of stay or exit formalities, the embassy said. Applicants for outpass will need to pay Dh60 for the emergency certificate plus Dh9 as BLS service charge. They can also avail of value added services such as typing, filling of forms, dispatch etc at the BLS centres by paying added administrative fees.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE, M.K. Lokesh, said those who want to get use of passport services can start approaching the BLS centres from today. “It is better if they start earlier though we are not anticipating any delay in providing the services. However, they need to wait till December 4 for outpass services through BLS,” he told Khaleej Times.

The envoy said the service of the Indian associations and community groups, which used to facilitate the outpass services in the previous amnesties, would be channeled for assisting the applicants to complete the formalities after they secure the outpasses.

The ambassador said the missions will also request airline authorities to give special consideration to the amnesty seekers.

Community groups like Indian Association Sharjah and Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) have already announced plans to support the missions in facilitating the amnesty procedures. The KMCC said it would also work with an Indian developer to assist the rehabilitation of amnesty seekers returning to Kerala.

Meanwhile, the Kerala government is sending an official delegation to the UAE to assist the Keralites seeking amnesty.

The embassy said that applicants must attach valid proof of identity with their outpass applications. This can include passport and visa copies or passport details. In case applicants do not have either a passport copy or passport details, they can submit a voter identity card, a ration card with photograph, Indian driving licence or a nativity certificate issued by their district collector or superintendent of police forwarded directly to the embassy or the consulate in Dubai.

UAE Ministry of Interior prepared 10 fully equipped centres to receive violators of the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners

The Ministry of Interior has prepared 10 fully equipped centres to receive violators of the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners who want to take advantage of the amnesty from December 4 until February 4, 2013.
Director-General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Sharjah, Abdullah Ali Saeed Bin Sahoo, who is also chairman of the Media Committee for the campaign “No to Violators” urges those who are violating the residency law to take advantage of the grace period set by the state to regularise their legal status and residency permits or exit the country if needed.
Bin Sahoo also said that violators should not postpone visiting the centres, but should immediately start the procedure to avoid any penalties.
The amnesty will apply to those who have lived here with proper visas but whose papers are expired, and will allow violators to leave without penalty, and will have their fines and exit fees waived.
“Illegal residents who overstayed their visas can visit residency departments across the UAE to obtain outpasses and leave the country without penalties, or regularise their visas, after payment of fines between December 4 and February 3,” said Major General Nasser Awadi Al Menhali, assistant undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs.
Raising awareness
In efforts to spread awareness about the amnesty, several embassies have also issued statements in the past month encouraging those who are living here illegally to come forward and take advantage of the opportunity.
Indian ambassador to the UAE M.K. Lokesh told that the embassy will make all necessary arrangements to make Indian workers illegally living here aware of the procedures of the amnesty and will ensure that they receive their applications for outpasses.
During the past amnesty periods, the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai made arrangements, with Indian community organisations, to help illegal workers process their applications.
Along with the Indian Embassy, the Pakistani, Bangladesh, Filipino, and Sri Lankan embassies have also offered their help with issuing outpasses to citizens in their communities. They have also offered to provide help with their legal documents.