The UAE is offering people with lapsed visas a grace period to finalise their status or exit the country. The National
The UAE is offering people with lapsed visas a grace period to finalise their status or exit the country. The National
The UAE is offering people with lapsed visas a grace period to finalise their status or exit the country. The National
The UAE is offering people with lapsed visas a grace period to finalise their status or exit the country. The National

UAE to begin residency visa overstay amnesty in September


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The UAE will begin a two-month amnesty in September to allow people with expired residency visas an opportunity to secure their status or leave the country without incurring fines.

The initiative was launched by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security on Thursday.

The authority said the grace period was being introduced to afford people with expired documentation the chance to “regularise their status”.

“The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) 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,” it said.

Crucial lifeline

A community leader welcomed the decision saying that it would open up a much needed path for people to return to their home countries.

“It is a big relief for so many, there are people who came here searching for jobs and they overstayed. There are also people duped by agents who promised higher paying jobs and they end up with nothing and they overstay,” said Ishtiyak Raziq, past president of Sahana, a Sri Lankan welfare association.

“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 would grant a reprieve to people who struggled to find employment after the coronavirus 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 said.

Latest visa drive

The UAE held a similar visa amnesty scheme in 2018, from August to December.

It allowed residents who had overstayed their visas or people who entered the country illegally to modify their status with the government, to either return home or legally extend their stay without fear of fine or imprisonment.

It followed similar initiatives held in the Emirates in 2007 and 2013.

The huge turnout for a Dubai government event in February 2023 offering advice to people who have overstayed their visas highlighted how pressing a concern residency status is for many in the emirate.

The awareness scheme, titled “A Home For All”, was scheduled to run for three days at City Centre Deira, from 10am until 10pm.

But organisers had to postpone the information session on its opening day after the venue reached capacity by 1pm, with large crowds gathering to seek support.

It was set up to provide help to residents and visitors with lapsed visas about the steps they need to take to remain in the Emirates and find work legally.

A senior official from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) said at the time that authorities were keen to help people understand the correct procedures to be followed and find solutions to resolve overstay cases.

What are the visa overstay rules?

The financial penalty has been standardised at Dh50 per 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.

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')

Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')

Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs

Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km

Price: Dh235,000

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5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m
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SPECS
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Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

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2012 Beat Andy Murray

2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic

2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic

2017 Beat Marin Cilic

 

 

Key facilities
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How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

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Short term

Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines


Intermediate term

Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations


Long term

A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness  

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m.

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Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

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SPEC SHEET

Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass

CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU

Memory: 4GB

Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD

Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio

Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video

Platform: Android 11

Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics

Durability: IP52

Biometrics: Face unlock

Price: Dh849

The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali

Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km

The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

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Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

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Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Updated: August 05, 2024, 10:48 AM