“ICA”: The 6-month visa becomes void when leaving the state

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship affirmed that the temporary residency visa for 6 months, which does not require the existence of a sponsor, is not considered a full residency and does not entitle the holder with the same privileges and rights granted to the normal residency holder issued on the basis of the presence of the sponsor, whether from public or private sector.

His Excellency Brigadier General Saeed Rakan Al-Rashidi, Acting Director-General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at ICA said that this visa is issued to violators who benefit from the “Protect Yourself by Changing Your Status” Initiative if they wish to remain in the state and not to leave to their countries after being exempted from the fines and legal consequences, which resulted from the violation of the law of Entry and Residency of Foreigners in the State so that they can search for a new job and then change their status and transfer their sponsorship in accordance with the provisions of Law.

Al Rashidi completely denied what was published by one of the daily newspapers on Thursday about the persons who obtained such visa, saying that they can leave the state and return to it during the period of the visa granted to them without any restrictions, confirming that it will become null and void like any other visa in case of leaving the state. If the temporary visa holder desires to return back to the state, he shall issue a new visa with a new sponsor in the case of residency or tourist visa in the absence of a sponsor.

He confirmed that the job seeker visa is a temporary measure intended to make it easier for those wishing to stay in the state to look for new opportunities and transfer their residency to a new sponsor. The conditions and regulations related to normal residency do not apply to them. He pointed out that it is not valid to fix a residency sticker on a passport based on such a temporary visa, but it is only issued as a visa like other types of visas to enter the state.

He explained that obtaining a visa for 6 months is valid after visiting one of the centers allocated by ICA for the initiative “Protect Yourself by Changing Your Status”, carrying out the procedures for exemption from fines and registering in the system of the Virtual Labor Market, which allows job seekers, employers, and recruitment agencies to interact among themselves and conclude the employment contracts under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Al Rashidi pointed out that the Law does not allow the holder of such visa to work unless he obtains a work opportunity by legal means and in accordance with the procedures followed in this framework and he shall change his status and transfer his residency during the period of validity, or leave the state before the expiry date to avoid violations again, which would make him lose the advantages granted to him under the Initiative.

He called the violators of the Law of Entry and Residency of Foreigners, who are still on the land of the state in violation to the Law, to take the valid opportunity to change their status and immediately take advantage of the remaining period of “Protect Yourself by Changing Your Status” Initiative, which ends at the end of this November and take advantage of the features it offers, especially the exemption from fines and other legal consequences, and the possibility of staying in the state legally, stressing that the State will strictly implement the Law, after the expiration of the grace period, and take firm actions by preparing search campaigns and intensive prosecution to detain the violators and implement the penalties provided for them including the fines for the entire duration of the violation as well as imprisonment and deportation from the State.

Al Rashidi invited customers and the media to take the news from their official sources and refrain from resorting to interpretation and elucidation according to rumors or inaccurate information because this harms the interests of customers and leads to misleading them and illegally soliciting them. Al Rashidi invited them to contact ICA when needed via its own communication channels or through the call center allocated for “Protect Yourself by Changing Your Status” Initiative on (80080) or by visiting one of the nine centers spread all over the state that has been allocated by ICA to receive and serve those who wish to benefit from the initiative.