Volunteers to help applicants fill in forms

Dubai: The Indian Consulate is reiterating that there are volunteers from various Indian states at collection centres such as the Indian High School in Dubai and the Indian Association in Sharjah, to help applicants fill in their forms free of charge.

The consulate was reacting to the news item published in Gulf News on June 19 about opportunists who are swindling ignorant labourers by selling amnesty forms for Dh20 to Dh50.

In a press release, the consulate said that application forms for the amnesty are available free of charge at the collection centres and can also be downloaded or photocopied.

Explanation

One of the many volunteers at the Indian High School who addresses amnesty related queries from applicants said: "Those who approach us are given a detailed explanation of what they need to do and how. We even help them out by filling up their forms. All this is free of cost."

The volunteer also added that guards are being kept outside school premises to guard against opportunists who are said to be cashing in on the ignorance of labourers by charging them for forms.

A senior consulate official said that facilities such as photocopy machines and a small studio to take passport-size photographs have also been made available to applicants.

He said: "This is all in an effort to make sure that the applicants get everything they need under one roof."