Dubai: Joel Piñero Pinili came to the UAE in 2006 on an employment visa.

Some 12 years later, he ended up overstaying, racking up fines of over Dh100,000, and was labelled an absconder.

Amnesty 2018: Who is going home?

Pinili worked in an automobile company as a supervisor, and he later became an operations manager.

However, he lost his job three years ago.

The 49-year-old told Gulf News: “The agency that helped me come to Dubai, labelled me absconding after my visa finished.”

Pinili is the eldest in his family, he supports his parents who are in the Philippines. His siblings followed his lead and left the Philippines to work abroad.

He wanted to stay on and earn for his parents.

He added: “UAE has millions of cars and it was easy to find part-time jobs, though I know I wasn’t supposed to stay any longer."

"I couldn’t tell my family that I was overstaying. I didn’t want them to be worried because it is illegal.”

In 2016, he paid and cleared the absconding status on his passport.

Thanking the authorities for allowing this legal method to stay and work in the UAE, Pinili told Gulf News: “I am so happy there is a way to stay here legally now and I am grateful to the UAE government. All my fines will also be sorted. It’s a relief. Many of my friends and I have benefited from the amnesty program.”

Those who wish to seek amnesty and continue living in Dubai, need to visit Amer and Tasheel centers in the emirate.

- By Evangeline Elsa, Community Solutions Editor


'The UAE has such a big heart'

Dubai: Teary-eyed Rolando Dave Bobier arrived at the tent in Al Aweer hours before opening time because he was eager to rectify his visa status.

The 36-year-old arrived in the UAE three years ago.

Getting a job in an interior design company, he led a decent life with his wife in Dubai.

However, things changed when he got a call from his home country – the Philippines — about his grandmother passing away.

“I approached my employer (asking for permission) to travel back home as they had kept my passport.

"They did not believe that my family member had passed away. They asked to sign cancellation papers but my wife and I begged them to let me go and be able to return and continue working there. They agreed,” Bobier said.

Once he was back, to Bobier’s surprise, the company still wanted to cancel his visa, apparently unless he agreed to an alternative offer that he was given.

'They told me to work without a salary'

“They told me to work without a salary to avail a work visa,” Bobier added.

Due to desperate conditions, he agreed.

However, one day, he met with a car accident and upon a police officer's notice, he found that an absconding case was filed against him.

“Nobody even informed me about the case (lodged) from my workplace,” he said.

He wanted to get the case cleared and rectify his status.

He found out about the amnesty initiative through Gulf News' web reports.

“I am extremely happy. I feel like God has heard my prayers. The government of UAE is making it happen — and the UAE has such a big heart. I am thankful to them from the bottom of my heart,” said an emotional Bobier.

Now, Bobier is able to approach UAE authorities because of the amnesty initiative, and he went to Al Aweer centre to get a temporary visa in order to find a job.

“I am looking to get my case cleared and obtain the temporary visa for six months to get a job. I like living in the UAE and my wife is here too, I don’t want to go back,” he said.

Bobier's son lives in the Philipines and he said that because of his visa status, it has been extremely difficult to visit his child.

He said that he wants to be able to visit his family in his home country, once his visa issues are sorted.

- By Falah Gulzar, Trainee Social Media Journalist