10-year jail term for forging visa: Dubai Public prosecution warns
The penalty applies to forging a visa or residence permit or any related official document
Dubai: Dubai Public Prosecution has issued a warning to educate people of the strict penalties that are implemented in case a visa or residence permit is found to have been forged.
On August 16, Dubai Public Prosecution posted the following on its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Anyone who has forged a visa, residence permit, or any official document issued on the basis of this visa or permits, with the intention of evading the provisions of the law, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years. The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever uses any forged document, referred in this article, knowing that it is forged.”
According to Mohamed Elmasry, Associate at Al Suwaidi and Company, Federal Decree Law No. 29 of 2021 on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners stipulates this penalty in Article 24.
2. Whoever uses any of the forged documents referred to in this Article while being aware of their forgery, shall be punished with the same penalty.
3. In all events, the Court shall order the deportation of the Foreigner from the State.
He said: “Article 24 of Federal Decree Law No. 29 of 2021 adopts a zero-tolerance, punitive approach towards visa and residency fraud, mandating stringent penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
Article 24 of Federal Decree Law No. 29 of 2021 adopts a zero-tolerance, punitive approach towards visa and residency fraud, mandating stringent penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Hari Wadhwana, an associate at Dubai-based law firm OGH Legal, spoke about how forging of any official documents is a serious violation, with the penalties laid out in the Federal Penal Code.
“Forgery as a crime is recognised in Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021 – the Federal Penal Code. Specifically, Article 251 of the Federal Penal Code explains that forgery would mean altering the truth of a document and using it as a genuine document to cause harm,” he said.
He added that forgery could be by way of following means:
- Alteration of an existing document, either by removing or changing the writing of the document, or the numbers, the marks, or pictures included in or on the document.
- Placement of a forged signature or seal or by altering a genuine signature, seal, or fingerprint.
- Taking by surprise or by fraud the signature, seal, or fingerprint of a person without being aware of the content of the document or without a valid consent.
- Creation of a fake document or an imitation of a document and ascribing it to a third party.
- Filling a blank paper containing a signature, or a seal, or a fingerprint, without the approval of the person to whom the signature, seal, or fingerprint belongs.
- False impersonation or changing the identity in a document intended for such purpose.
- Alteration of the truth in a document intended as a proof, immediately upon preparation.
Forgery as a crime is recognised in Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021 – the Federal Penal Code. Specifically, Article 251 of the Federal Penal Code explains that forgery would mean altering the truth of a document and using it as a genuine document to cause harm.
“Article 252 of the Federal Penal Code further states that forgery of an official document, which includes documents issued by a public official or from a public office, shall be subject to punishment of imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years.
“Lastly, Article 126 confirms that in the event that the person committing fraud is a non-UAE National, such person may also be subjected to deportation order,” he said.