Embassies issue warning as Dh315 a week fines introduced for expired UAE visas


Kelly Clarke
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  • Arabic

Embassies on Sunday urged their citizens to ensure their UAE residency visas were valid, because the grace period to renew had ended.

Officials said some people with expired visas had ignored the amnesty and stayed on in hope of finding a job.

Indian officials, who represent the largest expat population, said they were on hand to help with repatriation flights for those who found themselves in trouble and had not come forward.

Residents of all nationalities whose visas expired between March 1 and July 11 had until Saturday to renew them. This would include residents who lost their jobs during that period.

Those who did not will start to rack up daily fines from Monday, October 12.

There are a few that have overstayed and in the hope that the job market will change and they will find new employment

Staying in the country on an expired residency visa would lead to a Dh25 a day fine, with a further daily Dh20 penalty for failing to renew their Emirates ID, costing a total of Dh315 per week. An extra Dh250 is paid when they leave the country.

There is a separate system for those on expired tourist visas, who are hit with Dh200 for the first day, and Dh100 a day after that.

Kofi Mumuni, from the Ghanaian consulate in Dubai, said the majority of its residents took advantage of the amnesty and have left for their home country.

But some chose to stay in the hope of finding work.

“In our case, most of the people who were left jobless due to Covid-19 have returned home,” he said.

“There are a few that have overstayed and not made use of the amnesty in the hope that the job market will change and they will find new employment.

“We have not had any people present to the embassy looking for help to return home since the last repatriation flight in August.

“In our experience, people choose to stay in the country, even if on an expired visa, because it is a better reality than returning home where there is little work.”

The grace period was brought in to ensure people who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic were not burdened with visa fines.

Neeraj Agrawal, a spokesman at the Indian consulate in Dubai, said people need to follow the law.

“We’d like to advise our community members to regularise their visas and residency status,” he said.

“If not, they should leave the country.

The authorities halted fines for visa offences to relieve the burden on residents who lost their jobs. Delores Johnson / The National
The authorities halted fines for visa offences to relieve the burden on residents who lost their jobs. Delores Johnson / The National

“We have had many people approach the consulate with help to repatriate.

“To date, those wanting to get local visas regularised have not come to us for help.”

The grace period, which was announced on July 10, was introduced by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to support those affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Many residents who were made redundant or let go from their jobs were unable to leave the country because of several factors, including border closures.

The decision meant they were able to stay in the UAE until October 11 without facing the usual fines for those overstaying on expired visas.

Mr Agrawal said there should be no reason why people who fell within the guidelines of the amnesty continue to remain on an expired visa.

Last week, the UAE government said that it would start re-issuing work permits for some overseas workers.

The decision came seven months after the UAE halted all new overseas work permits in March to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Government departments and semi-public sector firms, which are part-owned by the government, were given the green light to advertise vacancies to external candidates in vital sectors, including health care and transport.

Recruiters in the country hailed the move and said it would help kick-start the job market again, which was badly affected by the pandemic.

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Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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