Residents thankful to return with infants after permit woes
Expat parents share their experience and procedures they followed
UAE residents, who have returned to the country with valid entry permits and approvals, are grateful they could bring their infants along with them.
Indian expatriate Qamaruddeen Bin Mohammad Najmuddeen, 30, said all that his sevenmonth-old son Ameenuddeen Bin Qamaruddeen needed was a passport to come to the UAE. “My wife and I, along with our other children, had valid visas and Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) approvals,” he said.
On arrival in the UAE, he said he had to sign a bail bond (Sanad Kafala) with a guarantee to secure the baby’s entry permit. He also submitted his passport and that of the infant at the immigration centre as part of the process.
A translation of Sanad Kafala, (a copy of which is with Gulf News) reveals it is a pledge to be signed by the parent to abide by the necessary
■ procedures upon arrival. A translation of the letter reads: “I pledge to abide by all the terms and conditions stipulated to bear all responsibility in the event of failure to fulfil this pledge and to pay an amount of Dh5,000 in the event that the specified period has expired.”
Najmuddeen said: “My family and I were travelling to the UAE from Kuala Lumpur. My child travelled with us. All of us returning to the UAE had ICA approvals. The immigration authorities put a stamp on the letter of guarantee. In my case, I organised my child’s entry permit within three days of our arrival.”
Family reunion
For another Indian expatriate, Lakshmi, it was a sweet family reunion. She and her firstborn were reunited with the baby’s father thanks to this process. She said she flew down with her three-monthold son Achyuth based on the Sanad Kafala. She herself had a valid UAE residence visa as well as a GDRFA approval.
She said upon their arrival, she and her husband managed to get a visit visa for their son.
“We could not get an entry permit for my son earlier as his birth certificate was not attested by necessary government authorities. Only after we were able to procure this, did we manage to get an entry permit for my son.” she added.
Gulf News could not get an immediate comment from ICA for details on the matter.
We could not get an entry permit for my son earlier as his birth certificate was not attested by necessary government authorities.”
Lakshmi | Indian expatriate