UAE | Visa

Residence visa seekers to be fingerprinted

Residency departments across UAE to manage fingerprint identification system in a move to help check if residence visa applicant has a criminal record.

  • By Samir Salama, Associate Editor
  • Published: 21:57 July 22, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Supplied
  • Al Minhali said a number of residents who had their fingerprints taken for obtaining identification cards were found to have a criminal record.
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Abu Dhabi: Residency departments across the country will manage a fingerprint identification system and database for all residents in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday.

"Starting next month, applicants for residence visa will be fingerprinted under a tighter biometric system to provide more secure identification and prevent fraud," Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, Acting Director-General of the Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department told Gulf News.

He said fresh applicants for residence visas will get their fingerprints taken before the medical check-up to ensure they have no criminal record.

"Those found to be with criminal records will be denied visa and handed over to the police for further legal action."

Al Minhali said a number of residents who had their fingerprints taken for obtaining identification cards were found to have a criminal record.

"This prompted authorities to introduce this measure to prevent people with a criminal record from obtaining a visa."

He added residents living in the country will be fingerprinted when they apply for renewal of their visa.

"The move will eventually cover all residents in the country, including workers sponsored by their employers, investors, domestic workers and parents of residents," he said. Al Minhali did not specify the fees, but said they will be nominal.

Many residents questioned the move and asked if there was any point in being fingerprinted for the ID card and then again for the residence visa.

But Al Minhali said the National Identity Authority examines whether an applicant has a criminal record or not, but the database that will be set up at the Naturalisation and Residency departments across the country will act as a source of information to ensure only those with certificate of "good conduct" or "lack of a criminal record" will be granted residence visa.

Al Minhali said fingerprinting services will be available at Naturalisation and Residency departments across the country. He did not say whether the fingerprinting will be done manually or electronically.

"We will manage a fingerprint identification system and database for all residents in the country and lead the way in the development, assessment and implementation of new techniques for operational fingerprinting."

Categories covered under scheme

Employment Visa: Employment Visa or Permit is issued by the Naturalisation and Residency Department to a foreign national who wishes to work for a company in the UAE upon the approval of the Ministry of Labour.

It allows the holder to enter the UAE once for a period of 30 days and is valid for two months from the date of issue. When the employee has entered the country on the basis of the employment visa, the sponsoring company will arrange to complete the formalities of stamping his residence.

Residence Visa: A residence visa is required for those who intend to enter the UAE to live with a person who is already a resident. It is issued to the immediate kin of a resident for three years renewable for a fee of Dh300. The residence permit becomes invalid if the resident remains more than six months at a time out of the country.

Parents of residents are issued residence visas after special approval with a renewable validity of one year for a fee of Dh100 for each year. A refundable deposit of Dh5,000 has to be paid for each parent.

Investor Visa: It is issued to an expatriate investor in partnership with a local. The foreign investor must hold a minimum stake of Dh70,000 in the share capital. Like the residence visa, it is issued for three years for a fee of Dh300.

Visa for domestic help will be covered under the fingerprinting scheme.

Your comments


If there's a fingerprint rule, will the eyescan be removed?
Janne Obayan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 18:07

VERY NICE TO HEAR, WE CAN REDUCE FRAUD IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS WILL HELP CREATE MORE VALUABLE PEOPLE. GO AHEAD.
Mohammad Hayat Khan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 17:50

ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY STAYING MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND ABOVE??? WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORDS.
RCG
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 17:42

Very good!
Hussain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 17:20

Good initiative by Dubai Govt. This will prevent from any type of fraud, and Dubai will have an image of safe place to live in.
Fairooz Akbar Ali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 17:06

THAT'S VERY GOOD AND THOUGHTFUL OF YOU. AT LEAST NOW NO MORE CRIMINALS WILL BE HIDING IN THE COUNTRY. KEEP GOING, WE APPRECIATE IT.
Wahida
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 16:33

This is a welcome move to increase security in the UAE, But what about people who get jailed for civil/ financial cases? Typically, most of the financial cases involving banks for non-payment arise out of loss of earning power beyond the expartriates control. The victim may be bailed out and must seek for another job to be able to repay the loan. What will be done for such persons?
L. R. Emoru
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 16:20

This is certainly a good move. However, a clarification is required whether kids (less than 18 years of age) should also go for fingerprint. As per information, Naturalisation and Residency Department in Ajman already have this fingerprint system in place for all residency seekers.
Manoj Agarwala
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 16:07

Good news and good idea and hope there is no extra charges.
Jaffer
Abu Dhai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 15:38

I agree that it is a very good rule for everyone and this rule is important for everyone. i hope it will implement as soon as possible and a special thanks
Jijo
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 14:39

They are making tough.
Ahmad
Sharjah,Pakistan
Posted: July 23, 2009, 14:29

Good move, although it should be extended to visitors as most of the high profile crime including drug trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking are all carried out by visitors who come back on fake/new passports. People who work in Dubai rarely wish to tarnish their stay with a criminal record.
Derek Marshall
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 13:59

How long does a criminal record last for? Does this mean those people who have committed a crime and served their time (i.e. paid back their debt to society) will not be able to renew their visa? I think this is unfair and does not help give people a second chance. There are many people in jail who have written bad cheques, some have lost their jobs and have not intentionally written bad cheques but were forced to when they took out loans then they lost their jobs and were unable to pay back their debts - will these people not be able to renew their visas after they have served their time?
Stephanie
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 13:51

APPRECIATED ONE, ALL THE COUNTRY TO LEARN FROM UAE.
ABDUL SHUKOOR
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 13:42

You know what this means ???? This means if someone had lost their job and could not pay of their debts and was jailed for that that person will have a criminal record and will not be given a residence visa? Not everyone is a fraud some of them have got into such situations.
Shekhar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 13:20

I think it's a very good move, will reduce fraud cases and any other illegal entries. Should be implemented asap.
Joy John
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 13:08

Welcome this move ........
ANISH SASIDHAR
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 12:35

This is good decision. Process it very quickly.
Niamat Ullah Shikder
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 12:25

It is good news for UAE residents. Definitely it will reduce the fraud cases. We want to thank the goverment for such a nice step.
Jeetu
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 12:05

For me, they should start on A.S.A.P.! to lessen fraud people across UAE.
Vergel Delos Santos
Bulacan,Philippines
Posted: July 23, 2009, 11:50

This is excellent. UAE will be crime-free country.
Rafeek. M.M
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 11:48

It's a good move of the UAE goverment.
Shahab
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 11:10

I really welcome this move from the Government of UAE.This move will surely make UAE free from Crimes and shall be the first crime free country for the world. But I request the ministry to include the fees for finger printing along with the Fees for Resident Visa i.e 300dhs. only which will be a sigh of relief for all expatriates living in UAE.
Deepu Prasanth
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
Posted: July 23, 2009, 10:52

VERY NICE TO HERE,WE CAN REDUCE FRAUD IN OUR COUNTRY , THIS WILL HELP MORE VALUBLE PEOPLES , GO AHEAD
LALU P GEORGE
DUBAI,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 08:37

I would like to draw the attention that already finger prints had been taken during the time of national identity cards,issued to us.What is the reason to take it again at the renewal time of residency?
Mohammad Safi Al Alam
Al Ain,UAE
Posted: July 23, 2009, 08:36

i am very proud say that this rule is very important and i hope it will implement as soon as possible,
Sanjiv Kumar Yadav
Dubai,United Arab Emirates
Posted: July 23, 2009, 08:31

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