Residency violations decrease in Abu Dhabi
abu dhabi — There has been a decrease in residence law violation cases in Abu Dhabi, according to the authorities.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s (ADJD) annual report showed that the Department of Naturalisation and Residency in Abu Dhabi investigated 9,896 cases of residence law violations in 2017, compared to 10,131 cases in 2016. The majority of violations involved families employing runaway maids, firms recruiting workers not sponsored by them, and people caught staying illegally in the country after visa expiration.
According to the report, the authorities’ efforts in identifying violations and the strict enforcement of law on violators have helped reduce the number of people violating residence rules in Abu Dhabi.
The figures showed that the total number of residence violation cases registered in Abu Dhabi area during 2017 was 5,161 cases, down from 5,430 cases registered in 2016. In Al Ain, the violations decreased from 4,827 cases in 2016 to 3,935 cases in 2017.
Judicial authorities said that the adjudication was made in 100 percent of the residence violation handled in 2017.
Authorities catch residence visa violators through reports from the public or random checks by police in public buses, streets and other areas demanding to see valid Emirates ID or visa as part of campaign against illegal immigration.
Abeer Dahmani, an Abu Dhabi lawyer, said most of the residence law violation cases she witnessed involved Asian nationals overstaying illegally in the country after their visit or residence visas expired or those that absconded from their original employers.
“Staying in the country illegally or hiring a person who has run away from their original sponsors is very risky and involves huge penalties. I advice people to refrain from the habit, to avoid problems,” said Dahmani.
The lawyer said that people submitting fake documents to the immigration office — including housing contracts to get residence visas for their families — risk getting into trouble for violating the law.
Members of the public are always encouraged to immediately report illegal workers they come across or absconding housemaids or workers who approach them for a job.
Authorities in the UAE have warned that anyone harbouring illegals and overstaying people would also face the “toughest measures”. People hiring maids who have absconded from their original employers face a fine of Dh50,000, while hiring an illegal worker or maid incurs a Dh100,000 fine and a jail term, according to the country’s laws.