1,600 Sri Lankans issued outpasses

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai have so far issued approximately 1,600 outpasses. The embassy had earlier set a deadline for issuing outpasses for amnesty seekers.

According to P.D. Jayaratne, Minister and Head of Consular Division at the embassy, April 20 is the deadline to issue outpasses.

He told Gulf News yesterday: "We have set the deadline to encourage all the Sri Lankan amnesty seekers to come forward as many might be thinking that they can get exit documents by the end of the grace period."

It takes almost 10 days for the immigration authorities to process exit permits, "therefore those without legal status have to get outpasses earlier.

"Those who fail to get their outpasses by the deadline will not be entertained, and consequently will have to face punishment from the local authorities or even end up in jail."

Jayaratne added that there is no point getting them at the end as the immigration authorities may not process the clearance permits without punishment.

He said the number applying for outpasses has not been as high as expected. "We have issued approximately 1,600 outpasses so far. The embassy has issued 1,000 and about 600 via the Consulate in Dubai. The daily average of applicants at the embassy has been between 20 and 30."

They have also received hundreds of passports from the local authorities which are being handed over to the holders. They are asked to approach the immigration authorities to get exit clearance permits. Lists of these have also been put at the two diplomatic missions.

But their number may not be as high as expected earlier, he said. "Our original target was between 6,000 to 8,000. But the current flow indicates the number to be far less."

Referring to the repatriation process, he said so far there has been no problem for them to fly home as they are taking the regular SriLankan airline flights. "The airline has set up counters at both places to provide booking services to the amnesty seekers."

There are about 160,000 Sri Lankans in the UAE, 60 per cent of whom are females employed as housemaids and in garment factories.

They also include unskilled male workers and professionals especially in the hotel industry.

Most illegal Sri Lankans are those who have overstayed due to unavoidable circumstances, such as non-payment of wages, harassment and disputes with employers.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Department of Naturalisation and Residency (ADDNR) launched this week intensive inspection campaigns against illegal residents in different areas of the city, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Police Security Affairs General Directorate.

The inspection campaigns have resulted in detention of 37 illegal residents, 26 of whom are Asian women.

A reliable source at the ADDNR confirmed that these inspection campaigns will be intensified and continue, particularly after the blanket amnesty granted to illegal residents is over.