New UAE visa system from October 21

The sweeping reforms to the UAE visa system announced earlier this year will be implemented on October 21, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship announced on Wednesday.

The following Cabinet decisions will be implemented:

1. Extending the residency visa of the widow or divorcee women and their children for one year. "The decision grants widows and divorced women and their children a one-year residence without the need for a sponsor. It aims to give women the opportunity to adjust their social and economic status,"

2. Extending residency period for students sponsored by their parents beyond university years or secondary school. Male students in the UAE that are under their parent's visa and pass the age of 18 will be eligible for a visa extension under the new residency scheme

3. Granting visitors a new visit visa after the expiry date of their entry permit for visit or tourism without having to leave UAE.Previously, people on visit or tourist visas, especially job-seekers, had to leave the UAE after the expiration of their three-month visit visa or one-month tourist visa and then applied for new visas so as to return to the UAE.

"The new system now allows people on visit or tourist visas to extend their stay in the UAE for 30 days, for two times, after expiration of the entry permits," said Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, acting director-general of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

U.A.E President Issues Federal Decree amending Emirates Identity Authority Establishment Federal Law

UA.E President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued Federal Decree No. 3 of 2017 to amend Federal Law-Decree No 2 of 2004 on the establishment of the Emirates Identity Authority.

Article 1 of the law stipulates that the term, "The Federal Authority for Identity and Nationality,"  shall replace the term "The Emirates Identity Authority," in the title of the decree of Federal Law No.2 (2004), as well as in any other article of this law or any other law.

According to Article No. 2, Article 6, Paragraph 3 of Article 8 and Article 11 of the decree of Federal Law No.2 (2004) shall be be substituted by the following text: The Authority shall be administered by a board composed of seven members, including the Board Chairman with Ministerial Capacity, and a Vice-President, and the members shall be appointed under a federal decree and shall represent all Entities concerned with the Authority’s competencies.

The Board shall have a renewable membership term of three-years, and whenever a member’s seat has become vacant, another member shall be appointed for the rest of the membership period, and the Vice-President shall replace the Chairman in his absence. The Chairman of the Board shall issue the Statutes and Internal Regulation of the Board after approval by other board members.

Paragraph 3 of Article 8 is to be substituted by the adoption and issuance of decisions and internal regulations related to the financial and technical affairs of the Authority, as well the approval of the new Organisational Structure and the Authority’s human resources department, after its submission to the Cabinet for approval and issuance.

Article 11 stipulates that a Director-General should be appointed by the Authority, with the rank of a Civil Servant Undersecretary or a Military Officer with a rank that should not be under Major General, to be appointed under a federal decree after the approval of the Cabinet, upon the nomination of the board.

According to Article 3 of Federal Law No.3 (2017), a new paragraph shall be added to Article 2 while new articles, 4 bis, 21 bis, 1 and 21 bis and 2, shall be added to Federal Law No.2 (2004).

The new paragraph shall also be added to Article 2: "The Authority is also concerned with naturalisation affairs, passports, and the entry and residence of expats in the country, and it shall be in charge of charting the related policies and ensuring their enforcement, according to the provisions of this decree, and current national laws and regulations."

According to Article 4 of the law, the decisions and regulations being implemented, which concern naturalisation affairs, passports and the entry and residence of expats, shall still be in force at the time of the issuance of this decree, as long as they do not contradict with its articles or until other regulations are issued to replace them.

Article 5 of the law states that relevant authorities are to undertake the necessary measures to implement what is included in this law according to their competencies and achieve such measures in a period that does not exceed six months as per a resolution of the cabinet of ministers