More than 32,000 people were arrested for flouting UAE visa rules in the first half of the year under a renewed crackdown launched following the end of a nationwide amnesty campaign.
About 70 per cent of those held for breaches of entry and residency rules between January and the end of June were subsequently deported, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) said on Tuesday.
Authorities had previously warned that enforcement action would be stepped up after the four-month visa amnesty drive, which ran from September 1 to December 31.
Maj Gen Suhail Al Khaili, director general of the ICP, said the inspection campaigns would continue, in an effort to ensure all sections of society abide by the law.
He said visa offenders and others assisting them would face legal action and financial fines if caught out and urged employers against hiring illegal workers.
Why was amnesty campaign important?
The government's visa amnesty aimed to offer a reprieve to people living in the country without valid documentation, who may be reluctant to come forward due to fears over being jailed or fined.
It gave them a crucial grace period to settle their legal status or leave the country without facing legal action or heavy financial penalties.
It is also an opportunity for many to step out of the shadows and grasp the chance of a fresh start – whether in the UAE or back in their home country.
There are several reasons why people may try to remain in the country without valid documentation.
Although some may be seeking to evade detection, others will have lost jobs and businesses or split from a spouse, leaving them without a sponsor.
More than 236,000 people living in Dubai alone without valid residency documentation benefited from the UAE government's visa amnesty drive, officials said before the close of the scheme.
What are the visa rules?
Most residents living or working in the UAE have a two or three-year visa in their passport. That has since been replaced with the Emirates ID.
In April 2022, visa changes were introduced by the UAE Cabinet and more categories were added. This included an expansion of golden visas and the introduction of green visas, with several of the new categories aimed at self-employed people and business owners.
The new rules came into effect in September that year.
What are the overstay fines?
The financial penalty has been standardised at Dh50 a day for tourists or residents who overstay their visas, following updates by the ICP in October 2022.
Residency visa holders are given six months to leave the country or change their status by finding a job once their visa expires or is cancelled.
