Initiative with multiple humanitarian dimensions

02/08/2018

In the framework of enforcing the recently announced Cabinet’s Decree to change the status of violators and illegal residents in the state, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship began to receive violators of the Law of Entry and Residency of Foreigners in the state, as part of the initiative “Protect Yourself By Changing Your Status” starting from the first of this August until the end of October, which reflects the state’s keenness to deal positively with all cases where its parties can not respond to the laws in force within the state.

Therefore, the advantage of the new initiative that it prevails the humanitarian aspect on the strict enforcement of laws, by exempting violators of fines and legal consequences resulting from their violation, provided that they do not register any criminal cases and thus enable them to change their status or leave the state with ease.

Due to the spread of such cases all over the state, ICA has equipped nine reception centers to receive such violators, which distributed between Al Shahamah and Al Dhafra in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, a center in Al Ain and Al Aweer in Dubai, as well as preparing other centers in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, annexed to Customer Happiness Centers related to General Directorate of Foreigners and Ports. In addition to providing a center to receive questions and queries of the public on a toll free number, which is open 24/7,

With this initiative, UAE remains proactive in taking measures that take into account the humanitarian and social conditions of the violators, thus establishing the humanitarian approach set by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, especially that it comes at the midst of the activities commemorating his memory in his centennial.

The initiative also affirms that UAE will continue to follow his approach in the charities works and humanity serving to achieve its happiness.

The great importance of this initiative, according to the statements of beneficiaries, lies in its solving to many problems related to the violations and large fines that have made some of the violators liable to imprisonment or deprivation from travel for years, while others are under the fear of deportation outside the state and the denial of return again.

The importance of the new initiative lies not only in the exemption from fines, but also, according to ICA, that it allows the beneficiary to obtain a temporary residency without a sponsor for six months through Virtual Labor Market system that allows job seekers, employers and employment agencies to interact with each other under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and conclude employment contracts, and allows visitors or tourists to change their status without paying the simple departure fees of 500 dirham.

This Decree has another important significance, as it reduces the financial burdens imposed on embassies and diplomatic missions of countries whose nationals violate the laws of residency within the UAE. Therefore, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship requested embassies to facilitate the procedures of the violators of their countries, accelerate the completion of their transactions and avoid complications, so that they can benefit from the initiative aimed primarily at taking into account their conditions, alleviating them, enabling them to change their status and living comfortably and reassuringly and benefiting from the services provided by the state to its citizens and residents”.

The Cabinet decided to grant the Citizens of the states suffering from unrest, disasters and wars a one-year residency visa, with full exemption from the residency requirements applied by the ICA, as well as exempting the violators from fines. The procedures for this category are also easy, as they can obtain such services through the electronic channels provided by ICA through the printing offices without having to visit the centers established by ICA for violators.