Dubai: A new UAE Vision visa system, which allows residents to complete all visa and residency transactions at typing centres, is operational now through the first such centre in Al Muhaisnah 4 area in Dubai.
Residents are urged to contact the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) via new Amer centres for visa transactions to cut time and effort. The GDRFA Dubai yesterday opened the first of the 50 Amer Business Centres which will replace nearly 600 typing centres in the near future.
Residents are no longer required to visit the GDRFA in order to renew or apply for visas. Instead, all transactions will be carried out through the approved Amer centres. Major-General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, director-general of GDRFA Dubai, said the Amer centres will replace the typing centres by November 1 this year and provide many services for residents at one place.
“We want to make people’s lives easier in Dubai by finishing their transactions at one place. At this centre, we have all our services and other government services,” Maj-Gen Al Merri said.
He said they aim to keep their services on a par with technological advancements to expedite and simplify all transactions.
With the new system, residents are no longer required to visit the GDRFA headquarters or any of its external branches to renew or apply for visas.
The transactions include applying for a visa, renewing residency, applying for new residency, visa cancellation and other related services.
According to the GDRFA, there have been no changes in the required documents or charges for visa transactions.
“Typing centres are crowded now and they must change the way of providing services by having proper space and not delay the residents, tourists and businessmen in their transactions,” Maj-Gen Al Merri added.
Major Salem Mohammad Bin Ali, director of Amer Client Happiness Department at GDRFA Dubai, told Gulf News that they received 25 requests from businessmen to open Amer centres and four such centres will be opened soon.
“The Amer centres will provide services of a slew of other government entities as well like Department of Economy Development, Dubai Municipality and Emirates Identity Authority. They will replace the current typing centres. We will have employees from GDRFA Dubai working in these centres,” Major Bin Ali said. The Amer Centre launched in Muhaisnah can serve 2,000 people everyday and the working hours for the moment will be from 8am to 3pm, but after Ramadan, the hours will be from 8am to 8pm.
People can contact the call centre on 8005111 for further details.
