ONE-YEAR UAE VISA FOR WAR-HIT EXPATS
One child of mine hasn’t been going to school because of our illegal status. A lot of things stop when we don’t have a legal status — we can’t rent a house, we can’t buy a SIM card and our kids can’t go to school. It becomes very hard to live like a normal person Waleed Al Sharif, A Syrian expat
dubai — Residents who have escaped war in their country and are currently living illegally in the UAE will be granted a one-year residency visa, it was announced on Monday.
According to a resolution adopted by the UAE Cabinet, citizens of affected countries will be granted an extendable one-year permit — “regardless of their condition of residence” — from August 1 to October 31 this year. They will also be exempt from any imposed fines.
The Cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the decision is part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to help those in need around the world. It would strengthen the country’s position “as an incubator of all nationalities, acting as a second homeland” for them.
It is also a part of the country’s
“principles and responsibilities” as an active supporter of international peace and stability to support the most vulnerable people of the world, especially in the Arab and the GCC region.
The resolution is a part of a series of announcements made this month, which mostly focused on immigration reforms. Illegal residents in Ajman, who have escaped
War in Syria, have expressed joy over the news that will legalise their visa status in the country.
Waleed Al Sharif, a Syrian expat in Ajman who has two children living illegally in the country, said gaining a legal status would fix his family’s lives. His children moved here with their mother three years ago from Syria after Daesh had taken over their home.
“One child of mine hasn’t been going to school because of our illegal status. A lot of things stop when we don’t have a legal status — we can’t rent a house, we can’t buy a SIM card and our kids can’t go to school. It becomes very hard to live like a normal person,” Al Sharif told Khaleej Times. “When my children get the visa, they will come out of their depressive state and get their lives back to normal.”
Another Syrian expat, Yasir Hassan, his wife and three children have been living illegally in Ajman for nearly five years. Hassan’s children aged between 12 and 19 years hadn’t been going to school due to their illegal status.
He was forced to escape from his hometown in Jarabulus, Syria, after his home was destroyed. After coming to the UAE on a visit visa, Hassan and his family continued to stay on illegally due to their ability to pay off bills. Going back to Syria seemed a dangerous option for them and obtaining a UAE visa was too costly for them.
“If we get the visa, this will completely change the way we are living now. Once we are legal, I can at least get a job, pay rent on time and send my kids to school,” he said. “It’s a very good news for me and the other people living here illegally due to their inability to live in their own countries due to the war.”