Watch: ‘Our last hope’ - UAE visa amnesty gives overstayers a fresh start
House maids and cleaners seize the chance for a new beginning through grace period
Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s visa amnesty programme has provided major relief to overstayers, allowing them to regularise their status and lead dignified lives.
This is especially true for low-paid workers, such as maids, who are unable to pay hefty overstay fines.
During a visit by Gulf News to the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs, and Ports Security (ICP) in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, several women overstayers from different parts of the UAE were at the centre, seeking an outpass to return to their home countries.
One such individual, Lwatumala Rachel, who has accumulated fines over the past two years, underlined that she never fully grasped the gravity of her situation.
“I came to Abu Dhabi in January 2022 on a visit visa and worked as a housemaid. I was paid Dh1,000, which seemed like a good job then, but they never changed my visa status. After overstaying for more than two years, I now have the opportunity to return home. Once I get an out pass, I’ll be able to reunite with my parents and siblings, thanks to the amnesty,” said Rachel, a 28-year-old from Uganda.
‘I’ve a huge fine’
Another case is that of Isatu, whose work visa has not been renewed for over a year.
“I came here in 2022 and worked as a maid in Al Ain. I wasn’t paid for five months. I complained to my recruitment company and was moved to another home, but the treatment there was just as bad. My visa expired and wasn’t renewed. I have a huge fine, but I don’t know exactly how much,” said Isatu, a 26-year-old woman from Sierra Leone.
Isatu is now working as a house cleaner in Ras Al Khaimah and hopes to begin a new chapter of her life by regularising her residency status.
“I’ve found a new job as a house cleaner, and I’m happy in my new place. They treat me well, and I’m paid Dh1,500. I hope to start afresh,” Isatu noted.
‘I don’t have a passport’
Meanwhile, 28-year-old Sarah from Uganda, a housemaid in Kalba, has no legal documents other than a copy of her passport. “I came here this year, but my boss lost my passport. I don’t have any legal documents now. I’m hoping to get an out pass. I went to the police station, but I was told my boss had already filed a case over the lost passport. I don’t know what to do anymore. Amnesty is my last hope,” Sarah said.
Amensty ends on December 31
This year’s amnesty programme was launched in September and then extended for two months on October 31. Individuals with expired visas and those who have accumulated hefty fines have time till December 31 to waive off their fines and travel bans, if any. So, till the end of this month, individuals with penalties related to expired visas, overstaying, residency violations, or incomplete travel documents, can amend their status or exit the UAE without fines or penalties.
‘I’ll return if I get a job’
Lei, who arrived in Ras Al Khaimah on a visit visa and later found work as a cleaner, but her employer did not apply for a work visa. After overstaying for about two years, she is eager for the chance to return home.
“I came here on a visit visa in 2023 and worked as a cleaner, earning Dh1,100. Life was tough, and my visa status was never changed. I left my first job because they didn’t pay me for two months. I want to go home now. I went to the Dubai [Amer] centre and was told to get an out pass from the Abu Dhabi centre. I’ll return if I find a good job,” said Lei, a 30-year-old from Uganda.
Call centre
Apart from different amnesty centres, local authorities are also running a call centre and other platforms like social media to assist visa violators.
This initiative is particularly beneficial for individuals like Rachel, Sarah and Lei, who work as maids and cleaners, often lack a support network and are vulnerable to exploitation. They are trapped in a cycle of overstaying without realising the legal implications until it becomes a crisis.