Sharjah: Amnesty-seekers in Sharjah have been urged to visit Tasheel centres, and not the amnesty tent, to get their status rectified. Only those seeking to exit the UAE should visit the tent set up outside the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Sharjah) in Al Qasimiya.
A senior GDRFA Sharjah official told Gulf News on Monday that all applications related to renewal of visas for overstaying residents, or issuing of new visas for illegal residents, are being handled by Tasheel.
The statement comes as the GDRFA amnesty tent in Sharjah witnessed a massive rush over the last two days, with many seeking to modify their status waiting for hours in the hot sun, only to be told that they have to approach Tasheel.
The GDRFA amnesty tent is also not handling passport-related applications. Amnesty-seekers should approach their respective consulates, an Indian Association Sharjah (IAS) official confirmed on Monday.
The IAS has a helpdesk at the amnesty tent.
“At the tent, only emergency certificates or outpasses are being issued to those wanting to exit the UAE,” Mohammad Jabir, acting president of IAS, said.
According to Jabir, Tasheel centres in Sharjah will start receiving amnesty applications from Wednesday.
“Even in cases of absconders, only those wanting an outpass should go to the tent. Those absconders who want to get their passports back have to approach us,” Jabir said.
The IAS has so far received 1,200 passports of Indian absconders from the GDRFA and will start handing them over from Wednesday.
“We are sorting all the passports that we have received and entering the data in our system. There are many expired passports as well, which can be renewed by applying at BLS,” Jabir said.
Those who have lost their passports have to get a police report through their sponsors, which they have to then submit at the consulate.
Jabir added that the authorities are likely to allow applicants to directly make police complaints in cases of lost passports.
Jabir advised parents whose children do not have birth certificates to get birth notifications from hospitals and approach the consulate for an approval, following which they can submit applications at BLS for an emergency certificate. Once they receive the document, they can go to GDRFA to complete exit formalities.
Jabir said that all overstaying residents with an expired passport who want to exit the country have to first get an emergency certificate from BLS before approaching the GDRFA.
The GDRFA amnesty tent operates from 8am to 8pm, Sunday to Thursday.
At a glance
■ New visas and visa renewal for amnesty-seekers handled by Tasheel centres.
■ Outpass applications in Sharjah only accepted at GDRFA amnesty tent, Al Qasimiya.
■ Indian absconders can collect passports from Indian Association Sharjah.
■ Indian overstayers with expired passports can get them renewed, or an outpass issued, at BLS centres.
■ People with lost passports need to get a police report before approaching the BLS to apply for a new one.
■ Parents with children without birth certificates can get birth notifications from hospitals and approach the consulate for approval.
