18-month-old baby declared illegal

Sharjah: An 18-month-old baby has been declared an illegal resident by the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department (SNRD) and has been given one week to leave the country after which she will get a one-year ban.

Nayana Sanjay Kumar was born in October 2007 at Al Qasimi hospital in Sharjah, but her parents, both Indians from Kerala, could not sponsor their new-born baby as their salary was not enough at the time.

The girl's mother, Sheeja, who works as a nurse at a Ministry of Health run government hospital told Gulf News that when her baby was born, she tried to sponsor her, but the application was rejected by the SNRD as she and her husband were not earning enough to sponsor the girl.

"In October 2008 my salary was increased. I was then able to sponsor my baby, but when I applied for a residency visa for her at the SNRD it was rejected too. My baby was declared an illegal resident and I had to pay hefty fines because she had been staying illegally in the country for one year since she was born," the mother said.

Sheeja said SNRD officials told her the baby had to leave the country in less than a week with an outpass to avoid the fines, otherwise she would get a one-year ban.

"I was told that after one year I could obtain a new visa for my baby and bring her back to live with me," she said.

"I told them my baby is very young, she is only one year old and I cannot send her away from me, but they did not listen to me, saying the law will be implemented equally."

Sheeja said she tried to meet the SNRD director-general but she was not allowed by his secretary who told her he is very busy.

"Nayana is my first baby. I cannot imagine my life away from her. I am still breast-feeding her. Added to that I have nobody back home to take care of her," Sheeja said.

"It is impossible for me to stay one year without my baby. I cannot also afford to pay the full amount of fines which is around Dh10,000 because I started working here recently."

She said she was told that earlier, illegal residents could go to the court at the residency department and their fines for overstaying would be reduced, but that system has stopped now.

"They said my daughter was born at a time when the court at the department was no longer functioning. She was born after the latest amnesty," she said.

Officials from SNRD were not available for comment.

This is bad! How can one send someone as young as one year oldback without the parents. SNRD should take this case as humantarian case and issue visa so she can stay with her parents. Indian consul should be consulted on this issue. I am sure there is a way.
Syed Faheem
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 15:09

Why can't SNRD consider this case separately on humanitarian ground ?
Sant
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 15:05

No body is higher than the law, but this is more to do with Humanity. I am sure that every country has special cases that are being delt with, this is simply going to seperate a mother from her child.. i dont think this is humanity.. and the law does not even come in here.. we all have mothers.. and we all know our relationship with them.
Ritesh Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 13:19

I hope SNRD escalate this issue very fast. I cannot imagine myself living without my loved ones around, so do others.
Arlene
Manila,Philippines
Posted: April 14, 2009, 13:15

i feel that in this world a new rule should be applied that at least for the first year after birth a baby could live freely without visa or something like that. So that at least during the first year parents can set up what needs to be done. But this was not a good thing that SNRD has done. No one can understand the feelings of those parents until they go through it too.
Masoumeh
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 13:13

No law is above humanity, I think the law can be modified for a good cause.
Juzar Husain
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 13:12

I feel sorry for the family but i also understand the logic of the authorities. I just wonder how they will support the little girl in the UAE if their income is so low. Low income workers should not bring in their families as it will create a security and financial threat to themselves as well as to society if thousands of poor families are left without proper education, medical and housing services.
Ahmad Shaath
Abudhabi,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:57

The high level officials in the SNRD can find a solution for this and we hope it will happen that the parents can stay with their loved one.
Unni
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:56

This has to be resolved in favour of baby Nayana urgently.
Amir
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia
Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:44

I feel a law is a law and a law for all, but the SNRD should have tried to negotiate a bit on the grounds of a baby and helplessness of the parents.
Clifton Lobo
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:05

If there is no provision in the legal system it can be amended by veryfying these type of event, I too have a little baby and i cannot think staying with out him.
George
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:58

Please try, for sure they will get some solution.
Kshitiz
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:55

Isn't there anyone who can help this family? They are trying to make amends-
Ineke
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:49

Their situation is very sad, and hope some one would come forward and offer a solution.
Vasant Agarwal
Auckland,New Zealand
Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:47

As an expatriate ,We should obey the rules of the country.i think SNRD can fine for overstay and non registeration and are requested to issue a new visa as per current rules without putting ban.
Saj
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:27

I absolutely oppose to this decision taken by the SNRD. How can a family leave behind their little ones back in their own country when there is no one to take care of them there. I can't imagine how one can part with their baby. A family should stay together and I strongly oppose to this. Females should be able to sponsor their children irrespective of their work category and salary. And no rules should be set this way that only doctors or nurses can sponsor their children. What about the other ladies, aren't they too mothers? Whoever brings a child up it will be not near anything how their own parents bring them up. They need love, affection, care from the parents not the others. Hope SNRD would take a good decision and relaxing such norms.
Nevin
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 10:58

That so rude!!!! Poor baby :(
Mohammad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 14, 2009, 10:57

I believe law must be implemented equally BUT for some unavoidable circumstances it has to be deviated by the implementing Authority for a considerable benefit of the baby. Where just human...
Jimmy Tenoria
Manila,Philippines
Posted: April 14, 2009, 10:40