Abu Dhabi (Web Desk): The UAE’s amnesty scheme for illegal residents has been extended for one more month, UAE media reported.
Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Al Dallal, spokesperson at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs of the Ministry of Interior, said the amnesty extension came under the directives of His Highness UAE President Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and would now end on December 31.
The extension is the second time the UAE amnesty period has been lengthened. Originally launched on August 1, the amnesty period was initially set for three months until the end of October; it was then extended until November 30 and then again until December 31
Thanks to the amnesty, thousands of amnesty seekers who were living in the UAE illegally have been able to clear their residency status or receive their exit permits without a fine or legal action taken against them. The UAE’s amnesty also provides a temporary six-month visa for amnesty seekers which they can transfer to a residency visa once they legally find a job.