'Tighter controls have curbed entry of illegals'

Dubai: More than 320,000 people have failed their iris scans since the system was introduced in 2003, said Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al Sha'afar, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Interior, on Tuesday.

"Those people had been permanently banned from entering the country or were banned for a specific period and then attempted to enter the country before the end of the ban," he said.

Lt General Al Sha'afar denied that those who were previously deported from any emirate and had their iris scans taken were able to re-enter via any border point.

The number of those who failed their iris scans in Dubai in 2008 was 54,000. The number who failed nationwide in 2008 was 123,000.

Control

Lt Gen Al Sha'afar added that most countries faced the problem of infiltration.

"This problem exists even here. In the past the number of those who infiltrated the country was very high. Now we have overcome the problem.

"We have more control on the borders. Since the last amnesty 340,000 illegals left the country and we are arresting more daily," he said.

Lt Gen Al Sha'afar said that the ministry was putting all efforts into cooperation with other authorities such as the Ministry of Labour to overcome the problem of illegal residents.

He said that an electronic link at the Ministry of Interior and all its departments and at airports, land borders and ports helped to tackle this issue.

Lt Gen Al Sha'afar added that employing a person illegally is a crime.

"All must respect the law whether they are Emiratis or expatriates," he said.

Lt Gen Al Sha'afar said the ministry was now working on implementing the face recognition system which is expected within the next few months.

Lt Gen Al Sha'afar was attending the inauguration of the seventh Government Discussion Forum on Electronic Identity Documents yesterday in Dubai which attracted 120 senior officials from 35 countries. "We are trying to use the most advanced system on our borders. We are working on implementing ePassports for UAE nationals," he said.

E-gates

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) and chairman of the forum, opened the three-day forum to discuss the latest in border security and the best methods implemented by other countries. The forum was inaugurated under the patronage of Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior.

Major Gen Al Merri said it is a chance for countries to exchange information and to find out about the latest in border security.

"We are working here to implement the best technology for our borders. Since 2002 we have at Dubai airport a number of 100 e-Gates."

He said border security is implemented by identifying forged passports and via the iris scan and the fingerprint identification device.

"The DNRD created a new e-system at the Hatta-Oman border to expedite passport control procedures and reduce the waiting time for travellers.

"As part of the new system, travellers get their passports checked once only on either side of the border," he said.

Visas: Security measure

Brigadier Dr Abdullah Sahoo, Director-General of the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department, told Gulf News that as part of security and safety measures for residents his department will not issue any visa without a valid tenancy contract from the sponsor.

"This will help to curb the number of those who are not abiding by the residency law in the country."

Fail-safe system

Gulf News learnt the DNRD is in a bid to connect its electronic system with the satellite system through Al Thuraya. Currently the DNRD electronic system is linked only with Etisalat.

"If the system is linked with the satellite this will avoid any failure in the DNRD electronic system," sources told Gulf News.