Illegal UAE Residents to Benefit from Landmark Visa Grace Period
This legal overstay period comes to the aid of several troubled expats facing fines or being parted from their families.
Good news for the droves upon droves of residents in the UAE who have been staying in the country illegally. On Thursday, August 1, 2024, the concerned ministry announced a 60-day grace period for residence visa violators, starting September 1. With the one-month head’s up for this gracious gesture to come into effect, all candidates can prepare to solve their residency status or can even travel abroad without being fined. So, in effect, the UAE government will waive the AED 50-per-day penalty levied on those persons who overstay their visa period.
This welcome move has provided much respite and joy to such people as Bangladeshi expat Mohammed. The 37-year-old supermarket worker, who hasn’t been able to visit his daughter back in his home country for 7 years, was recently abandoned by his employer who disappeared before renewing his visa. However, UAE authorities have stressed that the relief is only valid for residence visas and not visit visas.
The new law has overturned the old immigration-related one which came into effect back in 2020. A representative of the Youth Council – Ali Saeed Alkaabi – adds that those outsiders who have been sacked from their job and have had their visa cancelled, have up to a month to apply for a fresh residency visa or fly out of the UAE for a temporary trip. Furthermore, the Ministry of Human Resource and Emiratisation (alias Mohre) will come to the aid of fired expats by granting them a special 6-month permit with the aforesaid benefits. But it is crucial that the let-go candidates stay in touch with their former company or they will be deemed as “absconding” and hence not eligible for the new scheme.
Numerous expats are tricked by amoral visa agencies into securing what the former believe to be legitimate visas but which turn out to be bogus. So says Ibrahim Berike of the Kerala Muslim Culture Centre. Berike adds that government’s new initiative will resolve this grievous problem by buying time for those affected. Berike cited the example of one man who was imbued in an immigration issue was then conned into bringing his whole family to the UAE. With their immigration status subsequently going unrecognised, his daughter who was up for her matriculation exam could not take it at a local school... thus depriving her of the crucial educational degree.
Alkaabi also points out that the “grace period” move will remove the trust deficit between expats and the UAE government as many of the former were too afraid to approach the authorities. Thus, it looks like honesty is the best policy and a little bit of kindness can go a long way in breeding goodwill, harmony and stability. Well done, UAE!
