UAE visa amnesty is a landmark announcement for people not having valid residency status

Starting next month, the UAE is to begin its first residency visa amnesty for six years, letting people secure their status or leave the country (facing no penalties), if their documentation has expired. It reflects the value of compassion the Gulf state is prominent for.

The government initiative is set to provide a 2-month grace period for those facing lapsed residency visas. Emirati authorities confirmed on Thursday that the grace period is planned to be in effect from September 1, 2024.

It is due to run until November 1, although a previous initiative – initially planned for three months – lasted for a much greater period. During the amnesty, violators can conveniently regularise their residency status or leave the country and face no fines too.

UAE residency visa amnesty is a landmark announcement

These kinds of amnesties provide a reprieve for people lacking valid documentation. Such individuals may be hiding from the spotlight due to concerns about potential penalties or prison sentences. The government can ensure people are living in the country legally.

The initiative in 2018 resulted in long queues at immigration centres across the Gulf state as scores of people looked to resolve their residency status. The upcoming initiative is a chance for numerous people to start afresh – be it in the UAE or back in their home country.

There are a number of possible reasons behind people trying to remain in the Emirates, even if their documentation has expired. Some may be seeking to avoid detection, and others might have already lost jobs and businesses or split from a spouse.

There is a possibility of people being duped by agents promising high-paying jobs that don’t exist. Such circumstances usually force the people to overstay. Some might have left their home due to financial crises and overstayed as they are unable to pay the fines.

Previous amnesties led thousands of people to ask for help

Most residents living or having a job in the UAE have a 2 or 3-year visa in their passport. That has since been replaced by the Emirates ID. In 2022, the UAE cabinet introduced visa changes and more categories subsequently got added.

The updated rules included an expansion of golden visas and the introduction of green visas. The rules came into effect in September that year and several of the categories started addressing self-employed people and business owners better.

Currently, the financial penalty for overstaying has been standardised at Dh50 ($13.60) per day for tourists or residents. Residency visa holders are given 6 months to leave or change their status by finding a job once their visa expires or is cancelled.

The amnesty set to start next month is expected to support people remaining in the country beyond the existing 6-month grace period. Previous amnesties held in 2007, 2013 and 2018 led hundreds of thousands of people to ask for help.