UAE visa amnesty extended to December 31

Extension comes as a response to high demand, officials say

The UAE visa amnesty has been extended until December 31 owing to huge demand from overstayers looking to change their status, officials said on Thursday.

“The extension is the last opportunity for overstayers to regularise their stay in the UAE without having a ban,” Maj Gen Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, director of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, said in a statement. “The initiative witnessed a large number of overstayers wishing to change their status.”

Maj Gen Al Khaili confirmed this is the last extension for the initiative and that fines will be automatically listed on January 1, 2025. “The authority will launch extensive campaigns for checks for people without valid visas following the deadline,” he added.

“The authority was keen to give violators a good chance to overcome their obstacles and change their status by either leaving the country without paying fines or by having a work contract and changing their status to stay in the country.”

The message remains the same

Initially launched for two months, the amnesty started on September 1. It offers people on expired visas an opportunity to claim amnesty and either update their documents by finding employment, or leave the country without fear of penalties, with any overstay fees waived.

Immigration centres across the country had been braced for a busy day on Thursday, the day previously listed as the amnesty's deadline, with a high turnout of overstayers expected to arrive before the 8pm closure. At Dubai's Al Awir Centre, the number of immigration officers was doubled to deal with demand. With overstayers now offered an extra two months to regularise their stay, the message remains the same, and offers people a second chance.

“If you cannot find a job, please leave the country, you can come back, you are most welcome any time,” Lt Col Salem bin Ali, director of the customer happiness department at Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, previously told The National.

A redemption story from this year's amnesty comes in the shape of an Indian software engineer duped by fraudsters promising a dream job with Emirates airline. He has now emerged from two years of turmoil to make a fresh start in the UAE.

Abhijeet Ahire, 31, had been living here illegally since June 2022, when a fake company in Mumbai offered him what he believed to be a legitimate role with the Dubai airline, only to swindle his family out of Dh24,000 ($6,500), leaving him with a mountain of debt he saw no way of clearing.

Mr Ahire headed to Dubai’s Al Awir Centre intending to request an exit pass to return to his home country and put his bitter experience behind him. His fortunes turned, however, after he received an employment offer from the LuLu Exchange Group, who were among the companies interviewing people with expired visas.

Watch: Abhijeet Ahire on how the visa amnesty changed his life

Where to apply for the amnesty

There are locations throughout the Emirates where an application for amnesty can be processed. In Abu Dhabi, people can apply at ICP centres in Al Dhafra, Sweihan, Al Maqam and Al Shahamah and private typing centres that are recognised by the ICP.

Typing centres typically perform administrative services, including application submissions. In Dubai, amnesty services will be provided at its Amer service centres, and the centre for immigration violators in Al Awir. Amnesty applications can be made at ICP centres throughout the rest of the Emirates.

Why is there a need for a visa amnesty?

Such amnesties provide a reprieve for those without valid documentation who could be reluctant to come forward due to concerns about possible fines or jail sentences. This allows the government to ensure people are living in the Emirates legally, an important consideration against the backdrop of a population boom.

It is also a chance for many to grasp the chance of a new start – whether in the UAE or back in their home country. Most residents living or working in the UAE would usually have a two or three-year visa.