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Latest: Thousands of UAE jobs available for visa offenders
A major humanitarian initiative has begun in the UAE, where thousands of people with visa-related fines will be given a clean slate and either allowed to resume work, or leave the country.
The two-month overstay visa amnesty began on Sunday and will run until the end of October.
The amnesty allows people with expired documentation to change their status or leave the country without being fined. They will also not face a ban on re-entering the Emirates.
Those who can apply for the amnesty include residents who stay illegally in the country after the expiry of their residency visa, visitors to the UAE who stayed in the country after their visit visa had run out and children who were born in the UAE but whose parents did not apply for residency for them.
The amnesty is also applicable to those who fled from their sponsors. Anyone who has entered the country illegally is not eligible to apply for amnesty.
People who violate visa rules or fled from sponsors after September 1 will not be eligible for the amnesty. Nor will those who have been deported from the UAE of other GCC countries.
The two-month grace period, which came into effect on September 1, is being overseen by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, which announced details of the scheme on Wednesday morning.
“It is a chance for all violators to change their status in the country,” said Maj Gen Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, head of the ICP.
“The initiative will enhance the country's position in the human rights sector.
“We want to support the people who are staying in the country by changing their status to enable them to get their rights and have a safe exit from the country or work and live decently in the UAE.”
Where to apply for the amnesty
There are locations throughout the emirates where an application for amnesty can be processed.
In Abu Dhabi, people can apply at ICP centres in Al Dhafra, Sweihan, Al Maqam and Al Shahamah and private typing centres that are recognised by the ICP.
Typing centres typically perform administrative services, including application submissions.
In Dubai, amnesty services will be provided at its Amer service centres, and the centre for immigration violators in Al Awir.
Amnesty applications can be made at ICP centres throughout the rest of the Emirates.
Service centres will be operational daily throughout the amnesty from 8am until 8pm.
Where to apply for visa amnesty in Abu Dhabi if you arrived in the country on a tourist visa and are now seeking an exit permit
How much does it cost?
There will be no cost involved to change your visa status or obtain an exit permit.
Any fines previously incurred for staying in the country illegally will also be waived.
The exit permit is valid for 14 days, after that all previous fines will be reinstated if you have not left the country.
“People should benefit from this unique opportunity,” said Maj Gen Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, deputy director general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
“All kind of fines will be waived, even if it’s a huge bulk.”
Is the procedure different if applying for an exit permit?
If you are applying for an exit permit after previously holding a residency visa you can go to any of the centres listed above.
However, if you arrived in the country on a visitor visa you must either go to the ICP centres in Al Dhafra, Suwaihan, Al Maqam and Al Shahama in Abu Dhabi or the Al Awir centre in Dubai.
The reason for this is people arriving on visitor visas do not get their fingerprints scanned.
People who get the exit pass and leave the country won’t be on a banned list and they are free to return to the UAE.
The ICP has been in contact with the UAE's airlines to provide discounted tickets for people who want to waive their fines and leave the country.
What about children who are living in the UAE but not registered?
For a child to leave the country, the parents should get a passport or travel document for the child and either go to an amnesty centre or apply online to get an exit pass for the child.
Parents who had been staying illegally but change their status and stay in the country, can also amend the status of their children without paying fines.
When does the amnesty end?
The amnesty is scheduled to end on October 31. However, an earlier nationwide initiative that was to run for three months was 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 as people looked to resolve their residency status.
More than 105,000 people benefitted then from the UAE’s five-month visa amnesty programme.
There were 30,387 people who received exit permits after fines were waived, while 6,288 people received new residency visas and 18,530 people renewed their visas.
Another 35,549 permits were also issued for job seekers while 13,843 people changed their status from illegal to legal.
Why is there a need for a visa amnesty?
Such amnesties provide a reprieve for those without valid documentation who could be reluctant to come forward due to concerns about potential fines or jail sentences.
This allows the government to ensure people are living in the Emirates legally, an important consideration against the backdrop of a population boom.
It is also a chance for many to grasp the chance of a fresh start – whether in the UAE or back in their home country.
Most residents living or working in the UAE would usually 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 brought in by the UAE Cabinet and several 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 of that year.
What are the visa overstay rules?
The financial penalty has been standardised at Dh50 ($13.6) 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 illegally beyond this existing six-month grace period.
What kind of demand is there for the amnesty?
Ambassadors from countries with some of the largest expatriate populations in the UAE said their offices were filled with hundreds of people seeking more details about the amnesty after it was announced on August 1.
Some missions have opened on Saturdays. Others have sent officials to cities across the country, to inform people that they can return home or legitimately search for a job without being fined for expired visas.
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Silva 8' &15, Foden 33')
Birmginahm City 0
Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
