The huge turnout for a Dubai government event on Saturday offering advice to people who have overstayed their visas highlighted how pressing a concern residency status is for many in the emirate.
The awareness scheme, titled “A Home For All”, was scheduled to run for three days at City Centre Deira, from 10am until 10pm.
But organisers had to postpone the information session on its opening day after the venue reached capacity by 1pm, with large crowds gathering to seek support.
An alternative venue is being sought to conclude the campaign, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) said.
We have orders from our leadership to help everyone. We have many ways to solve the overstay problem
GDRFA spokesman
It was set up to provide help to residents and visitors with lapsed visas about the steps they need to take to remain in the Emirates and find work legally.
A senior GDRFA official said authorities were keen to help people understand the correct procedures to be followed and find solutions to resolve overstay cases.
“It is an awareness campaign and our staff will help people with information about procedures to handle overstay problems,” the spokesman told The National.
New visa rules - in pictures
“We have orders from our leadership to help everyone. We have many ways to solve the overstay problem.”
He described it as an opportunity for people to seek assistance directly from government officials.
Most expatriates already living or working in the UAE have a two or three-year visa stamped into their passport — now replaced with the Emirates ID.
In April 2022, visa changes were introduced by the UAE Cabinet and more categories added. This includes an expansion of the golden visas and new green visas, with several aimed at self-employed people and business owners.
The new rules came into effect in September
How to get help
Information and guidance is available around the clock through the Amer centres, which offer visa and immigration services, or by calling 8005111.
People can also use a video conference service on the GDRFA Dubai website and have their queries addressed by an official.
It outlines seven key rules and penalties that apply to residents and visitors who remain in the UAE beyond the time their residency or visit visa permits.
How much is the overstay fine?
The penalty has been standardised at Dh50 per day for tourists or residents who overstay their visas.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security announced revisions in October 2022 of the fine that must be paid by people whose visas had expired.
Tourists who overstay will pay a fine of Dh50 per day instead of Dh100.
Residency permit holders who live in the country beyond their visa validity must pay Dh50 or double the earlier amount of Dh25.
What is the grace period?
Residency visa holders have a six-month grace period and those on visit visas have one month to leave without fines being levied.
Under the visa programme that came into effect on October 3, 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.
Will fines be reduced or waived?
Residents who cross the six-month grace period or have an overstay fine of Dh3,500 can request a waiver or reduction of charges.
Visit visa holders and residents who remain in the UAE past the grace period could be arrested for staying in the country illegally.
Where can I check for information?
People can get information about tourist and resident overstay fines on the GDRFA website by checking the inquiry service section to verify fines.
Identity card and passport information is required to secure information on fines.
How can I pay the fine?
People can pay the penalty at the airport, port, immigration offices, Amer offices or the government immigration and visa application offices and typing centres.
A reduction or waiver is possible if there is a genuine reason, such as the death of a sponsor, health conditions, a delay in renewing a passport or legal reasons.
Applications can be made for visa fine waivers at the Amer centre.
Can I work on any visa other than an employment visa?
In some cases, women sponsored by their husbands or fathers may be permitted to work while remaining on a dependent visa, according to GDRFA information.
Students who have visas linked to a Dubai university can work as an intern.
Could I be deported for overstaying my visa?
A person who overstays by a considerable period of time can be deported and hit with a travel ban, according to UAE immigration laws.
A person who has overstayed due to reasons other than a criminal record can appeal to overturn the travel or entry ban by applying on the Ministry of Interior website or the can appoint a lawyer.
They must provide a copy of their passport, explain the reasons why they overstayed and demonstrate their good character.
To remove a travel ban, a person would also require proof of employment and a good conduct certificate from the police confirming they do not have a criminal record in their home country.
For Dubai, an online petition can be made through the public prosecution website.
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Barbie
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Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
More coverage from the Future Forum
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
