Heads of diplomatic missions welcome development

Bangladesh

Mohammad Imran, Bangladeshi Ambassador to UAE, said that of the 22,000 amnesty-seekers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, 15,000 applied for passports and 7,000 for emergency certificates. “Around 10,500 passports and almost all emergency certificates have been issued,” he said.

Pakistan

The decision will certainly help all those amnesty-seekers who have not been able to complete their papers, said Pakistani Ambassador Moazzam Ahmad Khan. “We urge all those who are illegal to avail of the opportunity and not wait till the last moment,” he said.

Philippines

“We continue to urge our kabayans to avail of the amnesty programme. The extension signals that the UAE has generously provided more time to all with immigration concerns to have their documentation and legal issues resolved and apply for the amnesty,” said Paul Raymund Corte, Philippine Consul-General in Dubai.

Indonesia

Around 3,000 Indonesian amnesty-seekers approached the Embassy in Abu Dhabi, which issued 476 emergency passports (most are still pending confirmation from the amnesty system), said Husain Bagis, the Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE. The embassy also processed 1,725 passports (1,247 new passport and 488 extensions). “The embassy will facilitate our citizens during this extension,” he said.

Sri Lanka

The extension would give more time to those who could not use the amnesty, said A Sabarulla Khan, Charge d’affaires at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi. “We served about 600 Sri Lankans, of whom about 90 per cent took emergency certificates to return to Sri Lanka. We urge all those Sri Lankans who stay in UAE without valid visa to regularise their status using the amnesty,” he said.