The UAE's new companies law, expected to come out in 2010

The UAE's new companies law, which is expected to come out in 2010, will relax foreign ownership restrictions but will stop short of allowing 100 percent ownership, an Abu Dhabi government official said on Tuesday.

Mohammed Omar Abdulla, undersecretary of Abu Dhabi's department of economic development, made the remarks at a panel discussion.

"The new companies law in the UAE will make a relaxation in foreign ownership," he said. "It will not be up to 100 percent, it will be more than 49 percent."

Abdullah added that Abu Dhabi plans to set up a dedicated investment agency to attract foreign investment.

"In line with our five-year strategic plan, the department is working towards setting up a dedicated investment agency to serve the needs of international investors," said Abdullah .

The new agency will begin operations by the end of 2010 and will identify areas of opportunities to attract foreign investments, he added.

"International investors have a crucial role to play bringing in expertise, technology and best global practices," he told the conference.

Abdullah also said the Ministry of Economy was preparing the final draft of a new UAE companies law which will come out this year. The law will relax foreign ownership rules but stops short of allowing 100 percent ownership, he said. (Reuters)

The UAE Ministry of Labor has reduced the deposit expatriates pay to bring in domestic help to AED2,000

The fee for expatriates to sponsor domestic workers in Dubai has been reduced to from AED5,000 to AED2,000 - matching the deposit Emiratis pay for sponsoring domestic help, Gulf News reported.

According to a senior official from the Ministry of Interior, expatriates used to pay a AED5,000 deposit plus an additional AED5,000 to cover medical and visa costs.

“The deposit will now be refunded only when the domestic helper visa is cancelled and when she leaves the country,” Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the Dubai Department for Residency and Foreigners Affairs told Gulf News.

These government incentives could be an attempt to maintain the number of domestic workers in the country, amid the financial crisis.

At the same time, the changes include an amendment that would see expatriates being refunded only when domestic workers were issued their residency visa, which is valid for one year only.

This could be problematic for sponsors since it is not uncommon for workers to run away. Both Emirati and expatriate sponsors stand to lose a lot of money if their domestic workers run away.Housemaids abscond for a variety of reasons; the most-often cited being abuse and mistreatment.

Interestingly, domestic workers in the emirates are not covered under the provisions of the labor law like other workers; their problems are considered as either immigration or police matters. And when there’s a conflict between a housekeeper and his or her employer, most workers are convinced the law is on the sponsors’ side.

It is unsurprising, then, that most domestic workers choose to runaway, in spite of losing their employment rights as a result of absconding.

It seems to Kipp the system needs more than mere fee adjustments

Visa and Residency procedures for the employees in Ajman University

The issue an employment visa to the employees working in the University, the following is required:

Notifying the Department of Human Resources to issue a work visa for the appointed employee in the university, specifying the job, basic and total salary,

A clear copy of the passport with a validity of not less than 6 months,

5 recent colored photos,

In the case of professions requiring university qualifications, employees must supply a copy of the degrees certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs after translating them into Arabic,

An employment visa cannot be issued to Palestinians holding Egyptian documents,

135 AED fee for employment visa (to be issued in two weeks)

To transfer the sponsorship of an employee at the University from another party, the following procedures are required:

First – the sponsorship of any staff member cannot be transferred to the university from a non governmental working party to the university

Second - in the case transfer of sponsorship from the government to the university, the following procedures are required:

Notifying the Department of Human Resources to issue an employment visa for the appointed employee in the University, specifying the job, basic and total salary,

A no Objection letter from the former sponsor,

The original passport of a validity of not less than 6 months,

A copy of the labor ID of the new sponsor "credit signature" of the Department of Naturalization and Residency,

6 recent colored photos.

For the issuance of an employment residency for the employees of the University by virtue of a visa or sponsorship transfer by the university sponsorship, the following procedures are required:

Presence of staff members at the Public Relations Department directly upon arriving to the State,

The original passport and a copy of a validity of not less than 6 months,

The original employment visa, specifying the date of entry or the form of sponsorship transfer after approval,

The results of a medical examination issued by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting delivered by the Police General Department of Ajman,

2 recent colored photos,

350 AED fee for residency issuance (this procedure takes 10 days and is valid for three years).

To renew the residency of staff members of the University, the following is required:

Presence of the staff member at the Public Relations Department before 1 month before the end of his/her stay,

The original passport and a copy of which the validity should not be less than 6 months,

Notification from the Department of Human Resources to approve the renewal of residency of the staff member,

The results of a medical examination delivered by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting issued by the Police General Department of Ajman,

350 AED fee for residency issuance(this procedure takes 10 days an is valid for three years)

To cancel the residency of a staff member from the university sponsorship, the following is required:

The original valid passport and residency

A no reliabilities letter issued by the university administration,

Cancellation of residency takes a period of two working days,

The staff member whose residency is cancelled is given 30 days to leave the State if, and only if, the residency validity at the time of cancellation is effective,

In case the residency of the staff member terminates at the time of cancellation, he/she is to pay a fine resulting from the delay, gets a leave permit after paying a 100 AED fee, and leave the State on the same day of cancellation.

UAE moves to improve process for tourist visa -The Interior Ministry Media statement

Tourists or visitors who require a UAE-based sponsor to enter the country might be looking at an easier visa process in the future.

The Higher Permanent Committee for Finance and Assets of the Interior Ministry has recommended the UAE visa procurement process be outsourced to specialised companies in countries from which tourists or visitors seek to come.

The committee has proposed external offices run by firms specialising in visas be set up under the approval and supervision of UAE embassies, according to an Interior Ministry Security Media statement.

The proposal is a follow-up of a July 2008 decision announced by Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then Minister of Interior, amending certain provisions of the law of entry and residence of foreigners.

Under the decision, the Department of Naturalisation and Residency and the embassies and consulates of the UAE will have the authority to issue visas to foreigners for visiting relatives or friends who have legitimate resident visas here.

Apart from the GCC countries, whose residents do not require a visa, there are 33 countries whose residents are granted tourist or visitor visa on arrival — among them countries of Western Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

For other countries, a visit requires a visa in advance through a sponsor in the UAE. The sponsor could be an authorised travel agent, the hotel at which a booking is made, a company or department with which the visitor has business, or a UAE resident who qualifies.

The committee — chaired by Major-General Khalil Dawood Badran, Director-General, Finance and Services, Abu Dhabi Police — is of the opinion the step will not impose additional burden on the national treasury.

It also emerges from a study conducted by financial controller Khalil Mohmaad Saleh, which finds other countries using the method to good effect, so long as rules and regulations are followed.

As per the proposal, these specialised companies shall undertake to conduct all visa formalities, including medical tests, retinal scan and processing entry visas, subject to the approval and supervision of the UAE embassy concerned.

UAE residents are happy with the proposal. “I wanted to invite my 10 year old nephew to Abu Dhabi,” Romanian national Daniela Deaconu said. “The Immigration office here gave a list of documents that included proof of relationship.” She said such matters could be better verified in her home country.

“It will be easy and helpful,” Dubai-based Pakistani Kamran Syed said. “The sponsors will not have to bother about documentation and processing.”

Visa and residency procedures for the students enrolling in the Universitys in Ajman

To issue a residency visa for students enrolled in the University, they are required to present the following documents:

A clear copy of the passport sealed by the Deanship of Admission and Registration. The Passport validity must not be less than 6 months,

A recent colored photo,

Visa issuance fees of 135 AED(in normal cases),

Residency visa cannot not be issued for Palestinian students holding Egyptian documents.

To issue a residency visa for students upon entering the State by means of a University sponsored visa, they must present themselves at the Direction of Public Relations directly after arriving to the State; and are required to submit the following documents:

The original passport of less than 6 months validity,

The original residency visa specifying the date of entry,

The results of a medical examination issued by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting issued by the Police General Department in Ajman

2 recent colored photos,

Residency fees of 150 AED(this procedures takes 10 working days and is valid for one year only),

A letter of no reliabilities delivered by the Department of Finance at the University, for receiving the passport.

To issue a residency visa for students by transferring of sponsorship from family to the University, they are required to present the following:

The original passport of a validity not less than 6 months,

Application of transfer of sponsorship at the Department of Naturalization and Residency, signed and sealed by the former sponsor,

A notification to concerned parties issued by the Deanship of Admission and Registration at the University, addressed to the Naturalization and Residency Department in Ajman, to prove that the student will continue their studies,

The results of a medical examination issued by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting delivered by the Police General Department of Ajman,

2 recent colored photos,

Residency issuance fees of 150 AED(the procedure takes a 10-day work, and is valid for one year only),

A letter of no reliabilities delivered by the Department of Finance at the University, for receiving the passport

To renew students' university sponsored residency, students are required to supply the following:

The original passport of a validity not less than 6 months

A notification to concerned parties issued by the Deanship of Admission and Registration at the university, addressed to the Naturalization and Residency Department in Ajman, to show that the student will continue their studies,

The results of a medical examination issued by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting issued by the Police General Department in Ajman,

2 recent colored photos,

Residency issuance fees of 150 AED,(this procedure takes a 10-day work, and is valid for one year only),

A letter of no reliabilities delivered by the Department of Finance at the University, for receiving the passport.

To issue a residency visa for the students by the transfer of sponsorship from their family to the University, they are required to present the following:

The original passport of a validity not less than 6 months,

Application of transfer of sponsorship at the Department of Naturalization and Residency, signed and sealed by the former sponsor,

A notification to the concerned parties issued by the Deanship of Admission and Registration at the university, addressed to the Naturalization and Residency Department in Ajman, to show that students will continue their studies,

The results of a medical examination issued by the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health,

The results of fingerprinting delivered by the Police General Department of Ajman,

2 recent colored photos,

Residency issuance fees of 150 AED,(this procedure takes a 10-day work, and is valid for one year only),

A letter of no reliabilities delivered by the Department of Finance at the University, for receiving the passport.

To cancel the students university sponsored residency, they are required to furnish the following:

The original passport,

A letter of no reliabilities issued by the Finance Management and Training Center at the University,

A 35 AED fee for printing the application form of cancellation (the cancellation period takes at least two working days),

A student whose residency is cancelled is given 30 days to leave the State if, and only if, the residency is valid at the time of cancellation,

In the case of the expiry of a student's residency at the time of cancellation, the student is to pay a fine resulting from the delay, submit a leave declaration after paying a tax of 100 AED, and leave the State on the same day of cancellation,

To transfer the students' sponsorship from the university to their working party, they are required to supply the following:

First - in the case of the transfer of sponsorship to a government working party:

The original passport of a validity of less than 6 months,

A letter of no reliabilities issued by the Finance Management at the University,

An application of transfer of sponsorship at the Department of Naturalization and Residency, signed and sealed by the new sponsor and the University,

A copy of the labor ID of the new sponsor "credit signature" of the Department of Naturalization and Residency; and payment of 35 AED for printing the cancellation form.

Second- in the case of sponsorship transfer to a non-governmental working party, the following applies:

In accordance with the laws in effect in the State, students shall not transfer their sponsorship to a private working party, except in case of cancellation of his/her residency from the sponsoring of the University and the issuance of a new employment visa on the sponsorship of the new sponsor.