The UAE on Wednesday announced it would waive visa overstay fines faced by travellers unable to leave the country owing to the Iranian attacks.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) said the exemptions would support those who entered the UAE on visit or tourist visas, holders of exit permits and residents who cancelled their residency visa in preparation for departure.
The ruling applies to financial penalties incurred from Saturday, February 28, when the UAE closed its airspace in response to the launch of strikes from Iran.
Tourists and residents with expired visas would typically face fines of Dh50 ($13.60) for each day they remain in the country. The authority said the measures were being introduced to help those stranded in the country because of “exceptional circumstances beyond their control”.
Stranded travellers
The UAE also announced that it finalised travel procedures to allow tens of thousands of travellers to leave the country after its airspace was closed and flights were grounded in response to the Iranian attacks.
The ICP said visa issuances and travel clearances had been finalised for 30,913 passengers at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, Dubai Airports, Sharjah International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and Fujairah International Airport since Iranian strikes began. The authority said hospitality arrangements, transport and accommodation were provided until travel procedures were processed.
The ICP has also issued entry visas to 15,327 travellers at those airports, enabling them to remain in the country until the regional crisis subsides.
The General Civil Aviation Authority this week announced the start of “exceptional” flight operations in the UAE, with airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah operating a limited number of commercial flights. The move was to aid “stranded passengers affected by recent regional developments to depart, in line with the schedules to be announced by airlines to affected passengers and the relevant destinations”, the GCAA said.
Airspace disruption
Airlines in the UAE have extended flight suspensions in place since the country's airspace was closed as a safety measure.
Etihad Airways has announced that all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until at least 2pm on Thursday, March 5.
On Wednesday, Emirates announced that all scheduled flights to and from Dubai would remain suspended until at least 11.59pm on Saturday, March 7, “due to airspace closures across the region”.
