LATEST: 'Nobody left behind’ - major push to tackle visa issues as amnesty begins second week
Satheeshma Wedhiti's dreams of going to school in the UAE were dashed after his father lost his job and was unable to legalise his stay.
The 10 year old had arrived in the country two years ago on a visit visa, accompanying his father Pradeep Wedhiti, who was working for a social media marketing firm in Dubai. However, things went sour between his father and his sponsor, who seized his passport over financial problems and filed an absconding case against him.
“I never went to a school in the UAE, but I would love to,” Satheeshma told The National. “For the last two years, I learn my lessons at home.”
The two-month-long UAE visa amnesty offered the father and son a ray of hope. "My father and I want to go to Sri Lanka," he added.
However, their plans hit a roadblock when the 41-year-old was told by officers of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) at Al Awir Centre that he needed his passport to secure the exit pass. Seeing Mr Wedhiti's confusion, the officers used their system to help track his passport to the Sri Lankan consulate in Dubai using their system.
Colonel Abdullah Atiq, Deputy Assistant Director of Investigation Affairs in GDRFA-Dubai, said the authority had possession of seized passports in absconding cases, before the amnesty started on September 1. After that, all passports were sent to the relevant consulates and embassies.
“Once they collect their passports, they can come back and complete the procedure to close the case," he said. Despite the slight setback, the 10 year old remains hopeful he'll get the paperwork sorted to return to the UAE later and join a school. “When I get a proper visa I will come back and go to a school,” he said.
Passports mandatory to secure exit pass
Visa overstayers who have had their passports seized by their sponsors are being advised to check if it has been sent to their country's consulate or embassy. If not, they must file a complaint at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
If the sponsor refuses to hand over the passport they must file a civil case at the Al Adheed Centre, added Colonel Atiq.
"Once the court procedure is completed, an order to regain possession of their passports will be issued. This must be submitted at the police station where the sponsor resides to get the passport back,” Col Atiq told The National.
If this doesn't work they can file a missing passport report at the police station and secure an emergency passport from their consulate.
"They can apply for an exit pass with an emergency passport, which is a one-time travel document to your home country. However, it will not allow them to change their visa status.
"Changing visa status will need a valid passport," he said, adding, "Amnesty seekers can also apply for a new passport at their consulate."
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Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Scoreline
Man Utd 2 Pogba 27', Martial 49'
Everton 1 Sigurdsson 77'
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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