I am from Pakistan, where I now live. I was working in Dubai but left on October 31, 2011, and when I returned on November 18, 2011, the immigration officer told me that I had been marked as an absconder by my sponsor. I was taken to the Al Aweer Correction Centre, underwent an eye scan and was deported to Pakistan. It has now been more than two years and the sponsor eventually gave me a letter of no objection so I applied for a visit visa, but I was told that I was on a permanent blacklist. How can I get this lifted, as I am of good character and I didn't break the law in 11 years in the UAE? MA, Pakistan
If an employee has been absent from work without permission and has left the country, it is not unusual for certain companies to have them listed as an absconder, which has serious consequences. My understanding, however, is that only absconders with a criminal record are blacklisted. Others can enter the UAE again once the case has been lifted, which appears to be the case here as the previous employer has issued the letter of no objection. It could be that the central records have not been updated, so the first thing to do is to contract the Department of Immigration to ensure they have seen a copy of the letter. If willing, your previous employer could assist by advising the Department of Immigration that they have no complaint against you. If this does not help, then you need to contact the UAE Embassy in Pakistan and ask for them to arrange for the ban to be lifted.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser with Holborn Assets in Dubai. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com
Editor’s note: The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for your information only. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate independent legal advice.
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