Dewa to offer residency, visa services

Public to submit applications to new section set within authority's offices

Dubai: Public can now make their residency and visa applications at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) offices following the opening of a new section — the Dubai General Department for Residency and Foreigners Affairs — at Dewa headquarters, east of Zabeel.

In its efforts to strengthen cooperation with strategic partners, Dewa opened an office for the residency department following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Monday.

The office will offer all related residency services to the public.

Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, Managing Director of Dewa, said the authority will provide the necessary support and facilities for the residency office.

Major-General Mohammad Al Merri, director-general of the residency department said the office will provide services to public services from 7.30am to 8pm.

He said that the department's offices numbered 23 in total.

Transfer sponsorship without NOC

A reader in Dubai asks: I have been working in a company for two years; currently, I am not stable with the company, as my salary is often delayed. My question here is; I would like to know the requirements to transfer sponsorship without the need to get a letter from my sponsor as per the labour law.

The Ministry of Labour allows the worker to transfer sponsorship to a new sponsor without the need to get a no objection certificate (NOC) from the existing sponsor according to the following cases: The worker’s salary has been delayed for two months or more. In the event of arbitrary dismissal, provided a judgment passed by the competent court confirms such an arbitrary dismissal.

Questions answered by Advocate Mohammad Ebrahim Al Shaiba of Al Bahar Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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.

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.