What is the UAE visa amnesty and why is it important?

Two-month initiative starting in September offers vital reprieve to people without valid documentation

People receive help from officials at an immigration centre after a visa amnesty was announced in 2018. Antonie Robertson / The National

The UAE will next month begin its first residency visa amnesty for six years, to allow people with expired documentation to secure their status or leave the country without being fined.

The government initiative will provide a two-month grace period for those with lapsed residency visas.

The scheme will be overseen by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), with more details expected in the coming weeks.

“The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security aims to provide violators with a new opportunity to regularise their status in accordance with the law, as a gesture that reflects the values of compassion and tolerance upon which the UAE is built,” the ICP said.

When will the amnesty begin?

Authorities confirmed on Thursday that the grace period will be in effect from September 1.

It is due to run until November 1, although a previous nationwide initiative that was due to run for three months was later extended by several weeks.

The ICP said that during the amnesty "violators can regularise their status or leave the country without incurring fines".

The initiative in 2018 led to long queues at immigration centres across the Emirates as people looked to resolve their residency status.

People look to resolve their residency status during a visa amnesty in 2018. Victor Besa / The National

Why is it being introduced?

Such amnesties provide a reprieve for people without valid documentation who may be reluctant to come forward due to concerns about potential fines or jail sentences.

The moves allow the government to take steps to ensure people are living in the Emirates legally, a key consideration amid a population boom.

It is also an opportunity for many to step out of the shadows and grasp the chance of a fresh start – whether in the UAE or back in their home country.

Who will it help?

There are several reasons why people may try to remain in the country without valid documentation.

Although some may be seeking to evade detection, others will have lost jobs and businesses or split from a spouse, leaving them without a sponsor.

A community leader in the UAE welcomed the amnesty and set out some of the reasons why foreign citizens may end up staying without a residency visa.

“It is a big relief for so many. There are people who came here searching for jobs and they overstayed," said Ishtiyak Raziq, former president of Sahana, a Sri Lankan welfare association.

"There are also people duped by agents who promised higher paying jobs and they end up with nothing and they overstay.

“There are people who left Sri Lanka due to the financial crisis and they overstayed as they are unable to pay the fines. And there are people with health issues without insurance and the fines are piling up. It will be good for all of them to go back and start afresh.”

Mr Raziq said the announcement offered a reprieve to people who struggled to find employment after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“What the government of the UAE has decided is timely and we are grateful as expatriates that they can go back to their home country,” he added.

Previous amnesties held in 2007, 2013 and 2018 led hundreds of thousands of people to come forward for help.

The large turnout for a Dubai government event in February 2023 offering advice to people who overstayed highlighted how pressing a concern residency status remains.

What are the visa rules?

Most UAE residents have work visas that are valid for two or three years. The National

Most residents living or working in the UAE have a two or three-year visa in their passport. That has since been replaced with the Emirates ID.

In April 2022, visa changes were introduced by the UAE Cabinet and more categories were added. This included an expansion of golden visas and the introduction of green visas, with several of the new categories aimed at self-employed people and business owners.

The new rules came into effect in September that year.

What are the overstay fines?

The financial penalty has been standardised at Dh50 ($13.60) a day for tourists or residents who overstay their visas, following updates by the ICP in October 2022.

Residency visa holders are given six months to leave the country or change their status by finding a job once their visa expires or is cancelled.

The amnesty will support those who remain in the country beyond the existing six-month grace period.

Where to get advice

Information and guidance is available around the clock through Amer centres, which offer visa and immigration services, or by calling 800 5111.

People in Dubai can also use a video conference service on the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs website and have their queries addressed by an official.

For any inquiry regarding visa issuance, types and validity, people can call the ICP free of charge on 600 522 222 or contact the authority through its feedback platform online.