“ICA” praised the cooperation of diplomatic missions by expediating issuance and renewal of documents for violators from their nationals

Federal Authority For Identity and Citizenship praised the response and cooperation shown by embassies and diplomatic missions approved by the State, which have nationals in UAE, in expediating the procedures of issuance and renewal of identification documents needed for violators from their nationals who are willing to get benefit from “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status” initiative, in order to be able to carry out their transactions and modify their status or to leave to their countries.

ICA affirmed its commitment to enable each violator to refer to its centers to get benefit from the initiative by facilitating procedures and saving time spent during service provision, stressing that the exit permit or status modification does not take more than 10 minutes if the violator has all Identification documents.

This came during the meeting held by H.E Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Acting Director-General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at ICA, with the representatives of embassies and diplomatic missions approved to the UAE, in order to coordinate between ICA and such embassies and diplomatic missions regarding expediating procedures taken by violators and finding new mechanisms for issuing the required documents as soon as possible. This meeting attended by Fahad Ghazai Al-Otaibi, Director of Repatriation and Deportation Department of the General Directorate of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at ICA.

Brigadier Al Rashidi invited the embassies to facilitate procedures for violators from their nationals and expedite the execution of their transactions, along with avoiding the complication of such procedures, especially as the “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status” initiative is mainly aiming at considering their conditions, easing their suffering, enabling them to modify their status and living comfortably and peacefully, and getting benefit from the services provided by the UAE to its citizens and residents.

He appealed all the concerned embassies to communicate with all their nationals living in the UAE, and affirm to violators the necessity of getting benefit from this valuable opportunity, and explain its objectives and benefits provided to them and prompt them to fully cooperate with the efforts of ICA to modify their status and providing them with best services.

He referred to the extension of the grace period provided by the initiative in accordance with directives of the wise leadership till the end of December 2018, in order to provide more time to those facing obstacles in their transactions regarding issuing Identification documents so as to complete the requirements and visit ICA to finalize the procedures. He stressed that the main purpose of the initiative is to solve the problems faced by each violator either being resident, visitor or family in trouble, regardless of nationality, by waiving the fine or legal penalty imposed on him, and offering him the opportunity to find a job or to leave with dignity to his country without any obstacles, consequences or ban.

Brigadier Al Rashidi clarified that the journey of the violator who does not have a travel document and is willing to get benefit from this initiative will start from centers of ICA, as registration fees will be paid, along with issuing a letter enabling him to refer to his embassy to issue a temporary travel document, then he should refer to ICA’s center again to obtain an exit permit. After that, he will be able to get back to his country without any obstacles.

The representative of embassies and diplomatic missions at the UAE, along with their governments, expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the wise leadership regarding the “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status” initiative, which enabled lots of their nationals to modify their status or leaving the UAE easily and to waive the fines and other legal penalties imposed on them. They praised the continued initiatives launched by the UAE to put a smile on the faces of the citizens and residents and humans in general regardless their race, gender, and beliefs, the matter which reflects the tolerance and humanitarian message that UAE is adopting and seeking to spread and establish it between human beings.

It is noteworthy that ICA announced, on this December 3^rd, in the framework of celebrating the 47^th National Day by the state, the extension of the grace period for the “Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status” initiative till 31 December 2018, as a result of great attendance of violators on ICA’s centers, and in response to the appeals from those who face hard conditions that do not enable them to get benefit from the initiative, for being involved in cases that do not have final judgment, or due to facing obstacles during provision of documents required to apply for exemption applications.

It is worth noting that ICA has allocated 9 centers across the UAE to receive violators and finalize their transactions, which are Al Shahama – Abu Dhabi, Al Aweer – Dubai, and reception centers annexed to the buildings of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain, in addition to Al Ain City and Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi. All those centers are working from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM from Sunday to Thursday. Moreover, there is a call center to reply to the queries and questions of the public 24/7 on the following number: (80080).