“ICA” launches “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status” initiative in the coming weeks

HE Ali Mohammed bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of ICA’s Board of Directors, hailed the Decree of the Cabinet to adopt a new legislative package to review the current residency system, In order to make it easier for those wishing to stay in the country and those looking for work, and to grant a grace period for violators who reside in the state illegally to settle their status or to leave the state voluntarily without having any legal consequences while exempting them from the fines resulting from the violation.

His Excellency said that the Decree greatly supports the state’s attractiveness and competitiveness and enhances its position as one of the best countries in the world in terms of providing decent life opportunities for those looking for social and economic stability and decent life, and the most attracting country for investment, distinguished good minds, talents and those who are seeking to achieve their dreams of comfortable life.

His Excellency added that UAE and wise leadership’s policy have not relented since the establishment of this young country to take into account the humanitarian aspects and noble values, ensure respect of human dignity and to provide an opportunity for all those who aspire to live on this good land and to enable him to benefit from its resources, subject to compliance with applicable laws, decrees and regulations in this field.

His Excellency pointed out that the Decree has unlimited positive effects on all aspects of economic, social and security life in the state, and that it directly contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the UAE centennial, which constitute in its content and objectives a national strategy aimed at enhancing the state’s reputation, boosting investment in all economic, scientific and social fields, building a system of Emirati ethical values for the future generations, raising the level of productivity in the national economy and enhancing community cohesion, as well as devoting the state’s direction towards openness, attracting minds and competencies, and providing scientific and economic incubators that enable it to innovate in inventing everything that contributes to achieving happiness for citizens and residents, developing level, quality of life in UAE.

HE praised the directives and vision of the state’s wise leadership, which form the guidelines of government decisions and the well-established basis on which the projects of transit to build a brighter future for a country that moves forward and races against time to occupy the world’s leading positions at various levels and moves confidently towards its goal of being one of the best countries in the world and the most attractive to capitals and investors seeking the best climates to achieve their aspirations, and the outstanding minds and competencies that seek to provide the best to human life.

Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al-Rashdi, Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, confirmed the full readiness of ICA to proceed with the implementation of the Decrees of the Cabinet and that it will work diligently and round the clock to accomplish all legal and administrative procedures required by the implementation process.

He added that ICA began to communicate and coordinate expeditiously and intensively with the other parties concerned with the contents and reasons of the Decree in order to coordinate efforts and develop integrated scenarios for the implementation mechanisms that will be applied to ensure maintaining smooth and easy procedures and to provide the best levels of service to the involved parties.

Brigadier Al Rashidi explained that ICA will launch an initiative to implement the Decree of violators, entitled “Protect yourself by Modifying your Status”, which includes the equipping all the customer happiness centers to receive the beneficiaries of the initiative with the human cadres and technical equipment to ensure the work flexibility according to the best standards and provide the highest services to customers, pointing out that the grace period to be granted to the violators, which date of launch, the duration of validity and mechanisms of implementation will be announced during the next few weeks, will include enabling them to leave the country without any fees, exempting them from fines, enabling them to modify their status with a nominal fees, paying the fees of absconding from the sponsor reported against him, allowing them to leave the state without putting the ban stamp, allowing the people who entered the country through unofficial ports to leave the country and banning them to enter the country for a period of two years, and allowing the transfer of residency for the individuals who wish to change their status without fines and nominal fees.

He pointed out that the implementation of the initiative achieves many positive results in the field of​reducing the phenomenon of violators, enabling every illegal resident in the country to modify his status to enjoy living in light of safety and security and respect of human rights provided by UAE, eliminating many of the negatives that caused by this phenomenon, giving the opportunity to establishments and companies to attract and benefit from the internal labor available in the market after modifying their status, the matter which saves costs, time and effort to recruit labors from outside the country, enhancing the rates of security and safety and improving the reputation of the UAE at the global level.

Brigadier Al-Rashidi invited all violators, sponsors and the public to take advantage of the grace period and facilities provided by the wise government through this initiative, which is distinguished from the initiatives that were previously launched that it provides an opportunity for the violator to get an employment when he is inside the country without having to leave and return again. He warned that missing this precious opportunity will expose any violator to the laws of residency in the State of legal consequences and judicial accountability resulting from the application of the plan to prosecute and control the violators after the expiration of the grace period.

Brigadier Al Rashidi pointed out that ICA will provide a toll-free number to be announced at a later date to receive inquiries from the public about the contents of the Decree and how to benefit from its provisions and the grace period granted to the violators and respond to them, the matter which contributes to implementing it completely.