From August 1st – UAE’s 3-month Amnesty for Visa Rule starts
- The UAE will grant a three-month general amnesty to foreign violators of the country’s residency laws starting from August 1.
- This one-year visa would benefit people of war-torn countries such as Syria, Libya and Yemen.
- During the amnesty period, violators of residency laws will have the option to either rectify their legal status by paying nominal fees or leave the UAE voluntarily without being prosecuted.
- A Toll-free number for queries would be set up.
- In 2013, almost 62,000 illegal residents took advantage of the last visa amnesty, which ran for two months.
- “This special visa can also be granted to people who face difficulties moving to their home countries, such as the Palestinians who are stranded because of the closure of crossing points from Egypt.” – Brig Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi
- Brig Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi is the Acting director-general, Foreigners Affairs and Ports Department at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.
- Brig Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi | Acting director-general, Foreigners Affairs and Ports Department at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.
- The UAE pledged in 2016 to welcome 15,000 Syrian refugees, but it is not immediately known how many of them were already accepted in the country.
