LATEST: 'Nobody left behind’ - major push to tackle visa issues as amnesty begins second week
Satheeshma Wedhiti's dreams of going to school in the UAE were dashed after his father lost his job and was unable to legalise his stay.
The 10 year old had arrived in the country two years ago on a visit visa, accompanying his father Pradeep Wedhiti, who was working for a social media marketing firm in Dubai. However, things went sour between his father and his sponsor, who seized his passport over financial problems and filed an absconding case against him.
“I never went to a school in the UAE, but I would love to,” Satheeshma told The National. “For the last two years, I learn my lessons at home.”
The two-month-long UAE visa amnesty offered the father and son a ray of hope. "My father and I want to go to Sri Lanka," he added.
However, their plans hit a roadblock when the 41-year-old was told by officers of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) at Al Awir Centre that he needed his passport to secure the exit pass. Seeing Mr Wedhiti's confusion, the officers used their system to help track his passport to the Sri Lankan consulate in Dubai using their system.
Colonel Abdullah Atiq, Deputy Assistant Director of Investigation Affairs in GDRFA-Dubai, said the authority had possession of seized passports in absconding cases, before the amnesty started on September 1. After that, all passports were sent to the relevant consulates and embassies.
“Once they collect their passports, they can come back and complete the procedure to close the case," he said. Despite the slight setback, the 10 year old remains hopeful he'll get the paperwork sorted to return to the UAE later and join a school. “When I get a proper visa I will come back and go to a school,” he said.
Passports mandatory to secure exit pass
Visa overstayers who have had their passports seized by their sponsors are being advised to check if it has been sent to their country's consulate or embassy. If not, they must file a complaint at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
If the sponsor refuses to hand over the passport they must file a civil case at the Al Adheed Centre, added Colonel Atiq.
"Once the court procedure is completed, an order to regain possession of their passports will be issued. This must be submitted at the police station where the sponsor resides to get the passport back,” Col Atiq told The National.
If this doesn't work they can file a missing passport report at the police station and secure an emergency passport from their consulate.
"They can apply for an exit pass with an emergency passport, which is a one-time travel document to your home country. However, it will not allow them to change their visa status.
"Changing visa status will need a valid passport," he said, adding, "Amnesty seekers can also apply for a new passport at their consulate."
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
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Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
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Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
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- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
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- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
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• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
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• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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