“(I)n a step aimed at simplifying the process and easing the financial burden on individuals wishing to adjust or renew their visa, they can now do so for a fee without having to leave and re-enter the country.
DUBAI: The UAE Cabinet, chaired by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved sweeping major reforms in the country’s labor and immigration policies, among them a measure making it not anymore necessary to do visa runs.
“(I)n a step aimed at simplifying the process and easing the financial burden on individuals wishing to adjust or renew their visa, they can now do so for a fee without having to leave and re-enter the country,” read a news item posted on His H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s website regarding several decisions made on June 13 meant to overhaul the UAE’s Immigration system and loosen business regulations to attract more talents from all over the world.
“The UAE will remain a land of opportunities. It is the best environment to realize the dreams of humans and unleash their exceptional potentials,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Twitter regarding the ground breaking, landmark decisions.
“The UAE will remain an incubator for innovators and a hub for investors. Our open environment, tolerant values, infrastructure and flexible legislations constitute the best plan to attract global investments and exceptional talents,” he said.
The Vice President also said that the decisions will come into effect by the third quarter of this year.
No more visa runs
The move would also extend visit visa validity to six months – from the current three – to allow jobseekers more time.
Officials have reported that those arriving in the UAE on visit visa to look for employment have been resorting to visa runs whenever their Immigration status has expired, during which they exit the country and wait till their new visit visa has been issued to again continue looking for work.
This often entails huge expenses where visa runners would usually borrow money from relatives and friends back home and those staying in the UAE to finance their bid.
“A new 6-month visa will be introduced for job seekers who overstayed their visa but wish to work in the country,” read the same news post on the Vice President’s web site
“The temporary visa enhances the UAE’s position as a land of opportunities and a destination for talents and professionals,” it added.
Amnesty for overstayers
Likewise, a decision was reached to implement a three-month amnesty program starting Aug. 1 this year for overstayers who would be allowed to return home without a “no entry” stamp on their passports so long as they provide for their plane ticket; those who had illegally entered the country, on the other hand, would be offered a chance to leave with only a two-year “no entry” stamp, according to Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashdi, acting Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports Department at the
Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC).
Al Rashdi said the program named, “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status,” would also allow visa violators to depart from the UAE without having to pay any fines, or to modify their status by paying nominal fees.
Having a “no entry” stamp on the passport would cause the bearer some issues and challenges when travelling in the future.
The UAE implemented a visa amnesty program in 2013, which ran for two months, to which some 62,000 visa violators availed of.
Hailed
Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes hailed the decisions, saying in a phone interview with The Filipino Times that it is a “wonderful welcome.”
“It allows people…talents to come to the UAE. It makes the UAE a magnet for talented people all over the world. It offers an almost limitless amount of options to explore their potentials through the opportunities the UAE offers,” he said.
For his part, lawyer Barney Almazar of Gulf Law said the Cabinet decisions “proved that the UAE government is not deaf to the needs of the present times, taking into consideration the changes in international situation, technological advancements, economic conditions and social mores.”
“The simplified and straight forward rules especially on overstaying would encourage those who are illegally staying to amend their visa status,” he said, adding that anyone who is overstaying would desire to have a valid resident visa “but the confusing rules, lack of adequate information and understanding of the laws make them fearful to act on their situation.”
“Before, those who were overstaying due to their own fault had no way to legitimize their stay other than appealing on humanitarian considerations. Now, we have a legal basis for them to secure a residency status,” Barney said.
He said the new rules “will eliminate or reduce the need for fixers as the process would hence be straightforward.”
The government is still finalizing the implementing guidelines. While waiting, Almazar recommended that those who would like to avail of this relief get started with processing their documents such as ensuring that their passports are still valid or clear their criminal cases, if any, so they are ready once Immigration starts accepting applications.
