Indian Consulate issues 100 outpasses
Mission says at least 70 individuals have already exited the country
The Indian Consulate has helped process 100 emergency certificates (outpasses) and at least 70 individuals have already exited the country, said a representative of the mission yesterday.
Reena Chauhan of the Indian Consulate works at the help desk at the centre for amnesty seekers set up by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Al Aweer.
Chauhan told Gulf News that financially strapped Indians were being helped by the consulate in every possible way. “The fines for those who come here range from Dh220 to Dh740. Absconders have to pay a fine of Dh220 but once that is done they have to pay Dh520 to remove ‘absconder’ from their file, making it a total of Dh740.”
Chauhan said that so far, most people who came here had funds to pay their fines. “In some cases, needy Indian expats are provided assistance. We have also arranged air tickets for people who are unable to afford it, we decide these things on case-by-case basis.”
Out of the 100 cases processed so far, Chauhan said, a majority were those who were working on visit visas. “People pay to get some small company to sponsor their visit visa. They keep working on visit visas for a year or two hoping their sponsor will give them an employment visa.
“However in a majority of cases when visit visas expire, people look for jobs elsewhere and simply overstay when they are unable to get an employment visa.