The UAE has announced a visa amnesty for people who have overstayed in the country.
The grace period will allow people in the UAE, both residents and visitors, to adjust their status without fear of fines or deportation, said the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).
Visa violators will not be fined and can fees will be waived. Those wishing to leave the country can do so without a travel ban being placed for future returns.
UAE visa amnesty 2024
In a statement on social media, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security confirmed the two month grace period will start on September 1 and noted highlights of the campaign, including:
- Six services targeting four groups for status readjustment
- 14-day departure permits
- Waivers of five fines and five fees with an option to leave without a travel ban
- Family members can adjust their status without financial or legal penalties
According to reports, the ICP will allow the following categories of violator to benefit from the amnesty
- UAE residence visas: People who have been granted a residence visa, but stayed in the country beyond the date specified after it either expired or was cancelled
- Visit visa violators: Tourists or visitors to the country who have stayed in the UAE beyond the date permitted on their visa
- Absconders: Former employees who left a sponsor without formally cancelling a visa will be able to adjust their status
- Unregistered foreigners: People born in the UAE who did not have residence confirmed within four months of their date of birth will be able to adjust status as part of the two-month scheme
This initiative by the Authority is designed to provide offenders with a fresh chance to rectify their status within legal parameters, considering their individual circumstances.
This approach is rooted in the country’s founding principles of compassion and forbearance.
As mentioned by the ICP, the amnesty will waive five types of fine normally applicable to visa violators, including
- Administrative fines resulting due to staying in the country illegally
- Establishment card fines
- Identity card fines
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) employment contract fines
- MOHRE employment contract renewal fines
The five fees being waived during the two-month grace period, include:
- Residence and visa cancellation fee
- Work interruption report fee
- Departure fee
- Residence and visa fees
- Departure permit fees
The last UAE visa amnesty on this scale was held in 2018, when it was reported that 105,000 people benefitted from the programme to normalise their residency and visitor status.
Applications can be made via the ICP website, with visa violators able to update biometric information at approved typing and fingerprinting centres.
For more information, contact:
- ICP by telephone: 600 522 222
- ICP online: www.icp.gov.ae
- MOHRE: 600 590 000
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