Procedures for UAE visa amnesty seekers who have lost passports clarified
To begin with, obtaining a lost passport certificate is a must
ABU DHABI: The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has clarified due procedures to be followed by Amnesty seekers who have lost their passports.
It has said that with regard to the Executive Department of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Abu Dhabi, a request must be submitted through the smart system, where the applicant is given an extract of the residency details and a certificate stating that the passport has been lost in order to obtain a travel document.
For people applying for Amnesty in Abu Dhabi, an application through the ICP smart system must be made to obtain a document with details about the expired residency or entry permit and a lost passport certificate, following which they should go to their respective embassies and consulates to get new passports or travel documents issued.
In the case of other emirates, applicants should go to the police headquarters to get a certificate from the Lost Passport Services and then visit the embassy or consulate for travel documents or new passports.
For a child to leave the country, the parents should get a passport or travel document for the child and either go to an Amnesty centres or apply online to get an exit pass.
Parents who have been staying illegally but are looking to change their status and stay in the country can also amend the status of their children without paying fines.
The authority said UAE residents who have lost their passport within the country must apply for a new passport and get their residence visa stamp in it. The loss of the passport must be reported to the nearest police station where a special form must be filled out for due formalities.
If they are in a country other than home country or the UAE, they must contact their country’s embassy or consulate in that country regarding the procedures for reporting a lost passport or getting a new passport issued.
In the case of minor’s passport being lost, the guardian (sponsor) must report the loss of the passport at the police station.
If the lost passport belongs to a person working under the sponsorship of a company in the country, he must submit a letter to the police department in the emirate where he resides, reporting the loss of the passport. The letter must be printed on the company’s letterhead and a copy of the company’s trade licence and establishment card must also be provided to the police.
If the lost passport belongs to a person sponsored by his family, he must submit a letter about the loss of the passport, signed by the sponsor, and attach with a copy of the sponsor’s passport.
In Dubai, passport loss procedures are linked to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) and Dubai Courts .
After receiving the initial police report, the person must visit the relevant court, as well as the Public Prosecution and GDRFA which issued his previous visa to document the lost passport report in their records.
After getting necessary approvals from these authorities, the person must return to the police station where the lost passport was reported and an official certificate of the loss of the passport be obtained.
Upon receiving the official certificate of lost passport, the customer must visit his country’s embassy/consulate in the UAE and apply for a new passport.
When you are issued a new passport, you can return to GDRFA and request to affix the residence visa to your passport.
The new residence visa has the same validity as the old one. If it has expired, a new residence visa with a new validity date, according to applicable procedures, will be issued.