3-MONTH VISA FOR ILLEGAL EXPATS IN THE UAE
Foreigners who have been violating the UAE residency law shall be granted a 3-months additional grace period to rectify their mistakes.
Illegal residents living in the country will be granted a three months visa amnesty from the government starting from the 1st of August until 31st of October 2018 to help them sort out their legal issues and put things back on track.
Under the scheme introduced “Protect Yourself via Rectifying Your Status”, all overstaying residents in the country can either voluntarily exit the country without the involvement of any prosecution or simply rectify their legal status in the UAE by paying all their required fees.
The scheme is said to uplift the fears of overstays and reduce their burdens of paying hefty fines. It shall also encourage the illegal ones to change their status legal or taking a voluntary departure to their home country without having a lifetime ban imposed.
Earlier there have been many such humanitarian initiatives taken by the UAE government that resulted in more than 60,000 foreigners benefiting from the 60-days visa amnesty in the year 2013. There were 3 others that were previously held in the years 1996, 2003, 2007.
Ambassadors of many countries including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have expressed their opinions and praised the government for the decision taken, to relax the visa procedures and make them expatriate friendly.
With these New visa rules, the job seekers also have a chance to look for jobs in the country and convert their legal status easily. This is in turn, a win-win situation, for both the government and the residents. Many helpless people will be able to benefit out of the scheme and there is said to be more stability in the country.
Other facilitations including a One year UAE residency permit without a local sponsor for widows and divorced women along with their kids, has also managed to create a huge impact on the people, aiming for a family and social stability for these women and also improving their economic status. The UAE Cabinet also announced a free residency permit for the citizens of the war and disaster-affected countries to come and live in the UAE and improve their living standards and safety issues.
Such humanitarian initiatives for visas taken by the government shows UAE’s ongoing efforts to help both the residents and the tourists living in the country, as well as supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the world. This shall also strengthen UAE’s position in the international scenario and position it to be a country that could be considered a second homeland for people, no matter where they come from.