Dubai: Hundreds of illegal residents and visitors thronged the Amnesty centres since morning on Sunday as UAE authorities began waiving millions of dirhams in fines to legalise their status.
During the two-month grace period that ends on October 31, violators of residency laws can escape legal action, including a ban and fines, by either leaving the country or regularising their status without paying any fees.
In Dubai alone, more than hundred people completed the procedures for legalising their status in the first half an hour, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) announced.
In Abu Dhabi, centres receiving applications from violators reported a steady flow of people who wish to amend their status.
Officials told Gulf News necessary facilities were being provided for violators to submit requests through the smart system of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), thereby reducing the transaction submission time and fee. They noted that the duration of submitting the application varies from one person to another depending on the nature of their violation.
The officials said the first question directed to the violator was to know the nature of his violation, whether it is a case of tourist visa, residency, work or administrative list, determine the nature of the request.
Officials at another centre stated that they received many inquiries on how to apply for the status adjustment.
At Al Awir in Dubai, men and women started arriving at the amnesty tents to submit their documents and complete the procedures to legalise their status.
Early birds
Men and women started arriving at the amnesty tents arranged at the Al Awir centre of GDRFA to submit their documents and complete the procedures to legalise their status long before the officials stated accepting the documents.
Flags and banners welcoming the amnesty seekers with positive messages dotted the roads to the Al Awir Centre.
Separate tents have been arranged for men and women. Inside the men’s tent, 15 companies offered job opportunities for those who have legalised their status.
Lieutenant General Mohamed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai, said the initiative embodies the humanitarian values of the UAE and reflects the human face of the emirate of Dubai and works to establish the values of tolerance and compassion while upholding the principles of respect and the importance of the rule of law.
Emphasis on problem solving
Despite it being a Sunday today, he said immigration officers have been stationed across the amnesty centres to facilitate the procedures.
“People started coming with their documents much earlier than we began our services. It is a welcome atmosphere here in the tents in Al Awir. We are supporting them to solve the problems of the people as the UAE wants to offer a happy and safe place for everybody.”
However, he said the most important message that he wanted to convey was the need to prevent illegal recruitments to the UAE. “We need the countries where the workers came from to take care about the recruitment offices. People are coming here to start a new life for their families. They pay agents to come here. Unfortunately, they are left helpless without proper job contracts. They get cheated. So, there should be measures to make sure that they don’t leave the country without proper job contracts and visas.”
Major General Obaid Muhair Bin Suroor, Deputy Director-General of GDRFA in Dubai, urged undocumented residents and visitors to take advantage of the opportunity to either stay legally in the UAE or return home and potentially come back later. “The facilities here at the Al Awir Centre include separate areas for men and women, free refreshments, and ample parking.”
He said amnesty seekers can also visit 86 Amer centers across Dubai and also access services online through the GDRFA website and app 24/7.
Brigadier General Salah Al Qamzi, Assistant Director General for Violators and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, urged the public to ignore rumours and contact the Amer call center on 8005111 to verify information at any time, 24 hours a day throughout the week.
First job placement
Pakistani expat Hamza Gul was one of the first to arrive at the tents in Al Awir which can accommodate more than 2,000 people and offer dozens of counters for taking fingerprints.
Once a cleaner in Dubai, Gul’s life turned upside down after losing his job four months ago. His situation worsened when he was duped by an agent. Gul spent a rough night under a tree in the premises of a mosque near the Al Awir Centre to end his plight of being an illegal resident for months.
“When I came here, I just wanted to get an exit pass and go back to Pakistan. But, I was surprised to hear that they were offering jobs here,” he said.
After his residency status was cleared, Gul attended a spot interview with the Transguard Group and became the first one to get a job placement among the amnesty seekers.
“We have offered him a job as a cleaner with Dh900 salary and accommodation,” said Shahid Mahammud, senior manager of recruitment at Transguard.
With new hopes for a brighter future, Gul was sent to his accommodation in a bus arranged by the company.
‘My family can live happily’
The recruitment drive for amnesty seekers arranged by the GDRFA became a big solace to many others as well. One of them was Egyptian mechanical engineer Mohamed Al Safty, who was facing a bleak future when he arrived at the Al Awir Centre. A mechanical engineer specialised in firefighting system, he said he and his family had been overstaying in the UAE for 15 months.
“I have been living in the UAE since 2006 and I have worked with three companies. Unfortunately, the last company I worked with did not renew my visa and pay me salaries after a project ended and an issue took place between the owner and the contractor,” he said.
Al Safty he had to sell his apartment back home to survive. “I have two kids aged two and four. Though I came here to enquire about exit pass, I was very much concerned that I have no place to go back home with them.”
However, Al Safty found a new ray of hope when he was told by Gulf News about the companies offering jobs for amnesty seekers. Immediately, he met the representatives of a couple of companies and explained his situation.
“I am so relieved now. I am going to come back tomorrow with all my documents needed to clear my status and I will attend a proper interview tomorrow as one company has assured they can give me a placement. My family can live happily here. I am extremely thankful to the authorities for coming up with this great initiative.”
‘I can come back to my family’
Another expat who benefitted from the amnesty scheme was Islam Hamdy. “I have been working in the hotel industry for 17 years. But my last sponsor removed me from the job during my probation saying they cannot afford to pay my salary and they got a replacement with less salary.”
He said he tried to exit the country when he overstayed, but was informed about the ban awaiting him. “My wife is working and thankfully my children are under her sponsorship. If I get a life ban, I cannot come back to my family. Now, I can come back to them,” said a Hamdy, who was excited to receive an exit pass without any fines and ban.
Legalising child’s status
Anam Shoaib, a Canadian national, was one of the parents who managed to legalise the residency status of their children.
“My husband is working in Saudi Arabia. I came to the UAE on a visit visa and I got hired by a company. But, I couldn’t complete the procedures for a residency visa for my two-year-old daughter while arranging all paper works. I got overstay fines for more than two months,” she explained.
She said she was informed at an Amer Centre about the upcoming amnesty, following which she decided to apply for the scheme. “I finished all the procedures and got the clearance for my daughter. I didn’t even have to bring her here, which is great. I spent around two hours only. This initiative is really so helpful for people,” added the happy mother.
Sending son home
Filipina mother Nabelle Cincoflores, meanwhile, came to arrange an exit pass for her son Zhavn Kinsley Cincoflores and legalise her own overstay status as well.
“I work in the logistics sector. I got terminated during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. My son was born at that time. I got a job later but they didn’t process my visa. Now I am hopeful of legalising my status and send home my son without any fines. My mother will take care of him.”
Companies offer jobs, refreshments
Private companies that have tied up with GDRFA are offering thousands of jobs to amnesty seekers who legalise their residency status and meet the job requirements.
Zameer Fareed, head of talent acquisition for Sobha Constructions, said the company required to hire thousands of skilled and unskilled employees for various projects and recruiting amnesty seekers with Dubai experience was a win-win situation for both the parties. “This is a great initiative of the government and we are happy to participate in it by providing jobs to people to stay back here and live their Dubai dream.”
Mujeeb Rahman, deputy general manager of operations at Hotpack, said the packaging company was looking at recruiting at least 250 employees. “We need machine operators, packing helpers, loading and unloading workers etc,” he added.
Meanwhile, companies such as Berry Mount Dubai and Maaza International are giving away free juices, coconut water and fruits to amnesty seekers at Al Awir.
