India missions’ amnesty helpdesk from July 23
By Monday, the embassy and the Dubai consulate will have a hotline an email address and a helpdesk available to advise people. Navdeep Singh Suri, Indian Ambassador to the UAE
abu dhabi — From next week, Indian missions in the UAE will be introducing a dedicated helpdesk, hotline and email address to cater to amnesty seekers.
Ahead of the three-month general visa amnesty commencing on August 1, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri, told Khaleej Times on Thursday the missions will be setting up the new service in a bid to help the maximum number of illegal Indians currently living here.
“By Monday, the embassy and the Dubai consulate will have a hotline, an email address and a helpdesk available to advise people. We want to try and help the maximum number of Indians in whichever way we can. The consular department will be heading the task.”
Indian citizens staying in the UAE illegally can directly come to the embassy or make use of the helpdesk and speak to a member of the embassy staff for more details. The embassy, meanwhile, is still waiting for a formal directive from the government.
dubai — Financial experts and social workers are witnessing a rising number of financial distress cases among members of the Indian expatriate community.
According to K V Shamsudheen, chairman of the not-for-profit Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, his office receives approximately 25 financial distress calls from Indian expatriates every day. “I began providing financial advice to expatriates in 2011. I have worked with hundreds of families and bachelors, and the numbers have risen in the recent past.”
Furthermore, approximately 2028 people head over to the weekly open house, organised by the welfare body, Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC), also have financial distress cases. Bindu Suresh Chettur, a lawyer who provides legal counselling at the IWRC, said: “Most people who come to us suffer from financial distress. The most common issues are cheque bounce cases, credit card issues and bank loans.”
In a bid to help and educate expatriates facing financial issues, the IWRC is offering weekly free-of-cost open house sessions. “Residents are given free expert consultation and legal advice in cases necessary at the IWRC’s Dubai office from 3pm to 6pm, every Friday and Saturday. Sometimes the sessions go on till 7pm,” said Chettur. In the case the financial issue requires legal counsel, the centre also provides free legal counsel to the distressed individuals.
Shamsudheen said: “The summer is witnessing a high number of cases of bounced cheques and credit card repayment issues. Last week, two families approached me saying they don’t have the means to even have one square meal. In many of these cases, the debt incurred due to lack of knowledge of financial planning.”
P.V.S. (name withheld at request), an Indian resident who has been in the UAE for 13 years, said: “I have a personal loan of Dh350,000 and eight credit cards with high credit limits. My total monthly instalments towards loans are over Dh15,000 and my monthly salary is only Dh17,000. Once I replay all the instalment, I have nothing left for rent or any other expense.”
Shamsudheen also said such cases were very common in the UAE. “I know a man who has 16 credit cards, and he lives here with his family in dire distress. Many people who take bank loans don’t take it as an investment.”
IWRC negotiates with financial institutions
The summer is witnessing a high number of cases of bounced cheques and credit card repayment issues.”
K V Shamsudheen, chairman, Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust
Most people suffer from financial distress. The most common issues are cheque bounce cases, credit card issues and bank loans.”
Bindu Suresh Chettur, a lawyer
During the IWRC open house sessions, the centre helps residents with a settlement plan with the banks. Chettur said: “In many cases, the IWRC negotiates with the financial institutions on behalf of the residents and come forward with a settlement plan.” However, Chettur also said in the case of credit cards, banks don’t display the same confidence when payments need to be recovered.
“When banks sell credit cards, they offer credit shield to the customer. This shield is valid even when people lose their jobs. But when a customer is struggling with repayment, they don’t seem to be showing the same benevolence.” She said that awareness is much better than cure, and people should consider such things before availing a credit card or a loan.
Increase in mobile fraud cases
Chettur said the IWRC has seen a drastic spike in the number of mobile fraud cases, wherein people buy expensive phones or purchase SIM cards by providing the ID proof of innocent people. “Currently, there are a lot of cases with respect to usage of mobile numbers. A lot of labourers are getting involved with such cases. Fraudsters provide different identification cards before purchasing SIM cards or very expensive handsets on instalments,” she explained.
Once the instalments are not paid, huge bills are slapped on these workers, who are clueless about the purchase. She added: “Telecom providers such as Etisalat and Du need to do followup verification calls before selling handsets to people. They need to check if the ID and the number belong to the same person.”
The next IWRC open house session in Dubai is on July 20-21 at 3pm at the following address: 15L, Silver Tower, Cluster-I, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai.