Three Months Visa Scheme for Overstays in UAE

The Government of UAE will grant a three months liberal visa to violators starting from August 1, 2018, until the 31st of October of the same year.

Expatriates who are staying illegally in the country will now have a chance of rectifying their legal status by either paying the nominal fees or leaving UAE voluntarily without any prosecutions or incurring a ban.

A new scheme “Protect Yourself via Rectifying Your Status” has been introduced by the UAE government for the move taken. In 2013, such an initiative was implemented which resulted in over 62,000 illegal residents taking an advantage of the visa amnesty which lasted for around 2 months.

The Director-General of Foreign Affairs revealed that a toll-free number will also be set up to answer all the queries from the public about the visa arrangements and how they can benefit from its provisions.

This visa relaxation provided to the illegal residents will uplift their fear of overstaying and reducing their burden of hefty fines to be paid. In the same context, Ambassadors of many countries in the UAE, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan responded positively and acclaimed the decision taken by the government which will benefit expats and will turn UAE into a land of liberal policies. “Those overstaying will now have a better chance to legalize themselves and eventually settle down in the country.” said one of them.

New rules are bound to have a farther impact on the residents as well as tourists entering the UAE due to the adoption of major policies that are changing UAE into a land of possibilities. An adoption of one of the rules last week also stated the introduction of a one-year resident permit to citizens of war-affected countries including Syria, Yemen, and Libya. This special visa will be for the purpose of humanity and will target people who are stranded due to political and natural situations in their nations, also exempting them from any fines imposed.

Furthermore, a one-year residency will also be granted to widows and divorced women along with their children to facilitate their stay in the UAE after the loss of their spouse. The main aim is to give women an equal opportunity to adjust in the society and improve their economic status.

Such humanitarian visas are considered a part of UAE’s efforts of helping the foreign expats as well as provide support to some of the most vulnerable people elsewhere in the world, strengthening itself to be one of the most liberal lands of the world and positioning itself to be a second home to many.