By: Staff Writer
September 02, Colombo (LNW): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced a visa amnesty program allowing individuals including Sri Lankana living illegally in the country to either legalize their residency status or leave without facing penalties.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) confirmed that the amnesty, declared by the UAE’s Authority for Registration of Persons, Customs, and Port Security, offers a chance for those without valid visas or who have absconded from their jobs to regularize their stay or return home without legal consequences.
Approximately 2 million Sri Lankans, about 10% of the nation’s 22 million population, work abroad, sending money back home to support their families. This amnesty is part of a broader trend in Asia, especially in South Asia, where countries like Bangladesh and Nepal encourage labor migration as a key economic strategy.
The amnesty program will run from September 1 to October 31, 2024, according to VisaGuide.World. The Federal Authority For Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) stated that individuals who choose to leave during the amnesty will not be subject to overstay fines, exit fees, or entry bans, allowing them to re-enter the UAE with valid documents in the future.
The UAE government has promoted this amnesty as a way to encourage “respect for the law, tolerance, compassion, and social cohesion.” Individuals can either leave the country or legalize their visa status during this period without incurring penalties.
The SLBFE has urged Sri Lankan nationals in the UAE to take advantage of this amnesty by either rectifying their visa status or arranging their return to Sri Lanka. The program covers all visa categories, including tourist and expired residency visas. Those born without documents or who absconded from their sponsors can also apply.
However, individuals who entered the UAE illegally, violated visa rules after September 1, 2024, or have pending deportation cases cannot apply for the amnesty.
Eligible individuals can submit their applications either in person at various service centers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi or online. Service centers will operate extended hours, and applicants will need to visit the centers for biometric fingerprinting.
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 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.
