Residency law violators in the UAE are given three-month grace period starting from May 18 to leave the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship announced Tuesday.
Those who overstay after their residence visas expired and tourists who overstay their visit visas will be exempted from Identity card and from departure fees, cancellation of permits fees and renewal of labor permit fees. These categories can re-enter the country if they get new employment contracts.
The amnesty also includes residency violators and those who violated entry and visa permits, including absconders from their sponsors, and violators of employment contracts and labor cards – if the violation occurred before March 1, 2020.
“In view of these exceptional conditions, a decision has been taken to exempt all residency and entry violators, provided that they want to leave the country and return to their countries,” said Major General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at at ICA, during an online media briefing.
Al Rashidi stressed that violators will not profit from these exemptions if they would like to adjust their status and remain in the UAE.
More details on the amnesty will be discussed in a press conference on Thursday.
