Visa renewals to be linked to fine payments

Abu Dhabi: Cancelling or renewing visas for expatriate residents will soon be linked to payment of traffic fines.

Motorists who have fines either recorded on their driver's licences or their vehicle's plate number will not be able to conduct transactions with their respective Residency and Foreign Affairs Department unless they pay their traffic fines.

Brigadier Gaith Al Za'abi, Director General of Traffic Coordination Department in the Ministry of Interior, said the move was prompted by millions of dirhams of wasted fines against drivers who default in payment of traffic penalties.

Dubai Police Chief Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim said motorists, who do not pay their traffic fines for a long time or have large amounts of accumulated fines, will be taken to court. The new procedures of collecting traffic fines on time will be implemented across the country.