ABU DHABI // Almost 62,000 illegal residents took advantage of the Government's visa amnesty, the Ministry of Interior announced yesterday.
During the two-month amnesty, which began on December 4, the ministry issued 61,826 exit permits to people of different nationalities, said Maj Gen Nasser Al Menhali, acting under secretary of federal naturalisation, residency and ports affairs.
He confirmed that 38,505 of them have left the country so far and the rest will leave in 10 to 15 days.
In a crackdown after the amnesty ended, the ministry has found and fined more than 1,000 people for residency and naturalisation breaches, Gen Al Menhali said.
Inspections will continue across the country in the coming days.
All of those arrested will be dealt with legally and deported, he said.
In the last amnesty, in 2007, 341,958 illegal residents across the country took part. Of those, 95,259 legalised their labour status and stayed in the UAE.
The most recent amnesty gave those living and working illegally in the UAE a chance to register and avoid fines, prosecution and deportation.
"Now no leniency will be tolerated to nab those who reside illegally and break the country's rules," Gen Al Menhali said.
"Already the ministry gave them a chance to leave the country peacefully."
Fines for overstaying visas, breaching immigration rules and living in the country illegally are back in force.
Fines are Dh100 a day for visa offences, and Dh25 a day for residency breaches.
The ministry has not made note of which nationalities benefited from the amnesty or the fines levied on them.
It said it had used all possible mass communication channels to inform illegal residents and spread messages of the amnesty.
Gen Al Menhali urged residents to report anyone living in the country illegally to police.
He also thanked the ministries, missions and charitable institutions that supported the amnesty programme and helped to make it such a success.
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Director: Athale
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David Haye record
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INFO
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
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Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
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The specs
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Company%20Profile
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