Valid Papers Must to Avail one-year residency Visa
DUBAI — Citizens from conflict areas who want to avail the oneyear UAE residency visa offered under the country’s amnesty programme must ensure they bring relevant documents to process the paperwork.
Documents such as a house rent contract, water and electricity bills, work contract, wedding contract, birth certificate, salary certificate and passport copy are essential, however, the type of documents that are required may vary from emirate to emirate.
Waleed Al Sharif, a Syrian resident in Abu Dhabi with a visa from Dubai, has two young sons living illegally in the country. He went to an Amer Centre in Dubai to seek the one-year visa for his children, however, was asked to bring back a list of required documents.
Though, Al Sharif now faces a newer challenge because he does not have a house contract, nor any water and electricity bills. Because of a low salary, Al Sharif and his family live in a shared villa. He said that he was also asked to bring health insurance certificates – another requirement he does not have, nor can afford.
“It’s my bad luck that these are the necessary documents we need to get the one-year visa. We live in a small and separate room attached behind a villa, in which another family lives in.
“There are three rooms attached behind the villa and there different families living there. I don’t have a rental contract or health insurance,” Al Sharif said, whose children are at risk of dropping out of school due to their illegal visa status.
“This is a good opportunity for us to fix our visa situation and I cannot let it go to waste. So, I will try to save some money and rent a flat and get a contract
It’s my bad luck that these are the documents we need to get the visa. We live in a small room attached behind a villa, in which another family lives in.” Waleed Al Sharif,
Syrian resident
and health insurance. We have until October to solve this problem and I will try my best. The schools are starting in September, so, I have to hurry up.”
Another Syrian facing a similar problem is Hail Harouni and his wife, both who are currently living on a visit visa in Sharjah.
Harouni is a 67-year-old who left Syria after his house and business was destroyed in the war. His lives with his daughter in Sharjah and is desperately trying to get a UAE residency visa as they can no longer afford to continuously pay for a visit visa.
Harouni visited the immigration office in Sharjah and was told to come back with his sonin-law’s passport, visa and Emirates ID copy. However, Harouni’s son-in-law is in the midst of switching jobs and is waiting for his new visa to come through.
Though, Harouni is optimistic that he and his wife will get the one-year-visa relatively soon, possibly this month, once he gathers all the required paperwork.
“It shouldn’t be a problem. I am just waiting until my son-inlaw starts his new job and we can start getting the papers we need for the visa ready,” he said.
“We don’t have anywhere to return to in Syria because we don’t have a house there anymore. This amnesty is a blessing for us and we have to use it.”
Under the amnesty programme, citizens from conflict areas — specifically Syria, Libya and Yemen — are eligible for a one-year UAE residency visa.
It shouldn’t be a problem. I am just waiting until my sonin-law starts his new job and we can start getting the papers we need for the visa ready.”
Hail Harouni, Syrian resident