The National - News

RESIDENCY RULES GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO RESOLVE VISA ISSUES

▶ Three-month grace period will help those trying to make residency arrangemen­ts

- Ramola Talwar Badam

GCC passport holders and UAE residents now have a three-month grace period to renew their visa and residency documents. The move comes as the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenshi­p resumes charging fees for visa services.

The latest amendments apply to all residents, including citizens of GCC countries whose residency permits expired after March 1.

For Emiratis, the documents refer to the validity of their identity cards.

The announceme­nt on Friday also covered residents outside the UAE who have not been able to return for 180 days.

The National spoke to Haider Hussain, a partner at Fragomen, an immigratio­n services company, to explain the updates

Q Who is affected by this new update?

A This covers people with UAE residence permits whose visas expired after March 1 and those with visas expected to expire in the coming months.

For GCC passport holders, it refers to non-sponsored GCC identity cards and Emirates identity cards.

For Emiratis it applies to their Emirates identity cards.

What does the three-month grace period mean?

For people inside the UAE whose residence permit expires after March 1, they now have a three-month grace period that started from July 11. They must renew their visas before October 11.

Earlier residence permits expiring after March 1 were automatica­lly renewed until the end of December to mitigate the effect of the coronaviru­s pandemic. As of July 11, the residency extensions until the end of the year are no longer applicable.

This covers everybody who holds a UAE residence permit that expired after March 1. It covers dependents, employees and domestic workers.

What do I need to do and will I be fined?

Log in to the government portal, enter your residence permit details and check the expiry date so you are clear about when a renewal is required.

Fines will be charged for residents in the UAE if the residence visa is not renewed within the three-month grace period.

To verify visa validity on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenshi­p portal or ICA, visit www.smartservi­ces.ica. gov.ae.

Dubai residents can check the General Directorat­e of Residence and Foreigners Affairs portal.

For those in the country, breaking the residency visa rules incurs a fine of Dh25 a day. When leaving the country, the fine is Dh250 plus Dh25 a day.

There is also a daily Dh20 fine for failing to renew an Emirates identity card. This can go up to Dh1,000.

Those sponsoring dependents or domestic workers should check the portals for the new expiry dates and renew before the grace period ends.

What about UAE residents outside the country?

If they have not been out of the UAE for more than 180 days, they have one month after they return to renew their residency.

What happens to residents who have been out of the UAE for more than six months?

The implementa­tion will be clear in the coming weeks for residents whose visas expired after March 1 and who have been out of the country for more than 180 days. A grace period will be determined by the ICA.

Residents will be permitted to enter the UAE. Once flights resume, they need to get ICA or GDRFA approval.

The understand­ing is the grace period will be 30 days.

Do I need a medical test?

For those who renew their residency visas, the earlier renewal process remains. During stay-home restrictio­ns, residents received an online sticker to show their visa had been extended. From now on, the renewed residency visa will be stamped on their passport.

When can you begin filing renewal applicatio­ns?

The authoritie­s released a schedule for filling applicatio­ns. Details will be available later about whether this applies across the UAE.

For residency visas and Emirates IDs that expired in March and April 2020, the date to resume acceptance of renewal requests is from July 12, 2020, as per the ICA.

For expiration­s in May, the date is August 11, 2020.

For documents that expired in June and until July 11, the date is September 10, 2020.

I’m leaving on vacation for a few weeks, what should I do?

Residents should renew their residency visa before they leave the UAE. Despite the grace period, there could be issues at the airport if updates are not reflected in the system.

Before travelling, people leaving Dubai should also get approval from the General Directorat­e of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. This works as an entry permit for residents that they need to secure before they exit the UAE.

If your residency visa expires after March 1, you fall in the same category as those with residency visas and can follow the same process of renewal.

I’m a student of a college overseas. I have been living on a tourist visa with my family in the UAE since March just before internatio­nal travel shut down. Can I remain in the UAE?

There is a provision to change a tourist visa to a local visa. For those above 18 years and studying abroad, certain criteria must be met and it will be judged on a humanitari­an, case-by-case basis. If the case is genuine and the person cannot leave the UAE, approval may be given by the authoritie­s.

It can depend on the terms of the tourist visa – whether it is 30 or 90 days.

Students who came into the UAE on tourist visas because universiti­es overseas shut down will need to renew if the renewal option exits on their visa.

Those with family in the UAE and who can apply for sponsorshi­p based on their nationalit­y can get a visa on arrival and stay 90 or 180 days.

What about newborns of mothers who gave birth overseas?

If the main sponsor is in the UAE and the mother and newborn are overseas, they can file for an out-of-country permit online through the Amer centre.

For Abu Dhabi and other emirates, they can file on the ICA portal for a newborn return even if the child does not have a residency permit. They can then get a permit when in the country.

What about people who lost jobs or had visas cancelled after March 1?

They have 30 days to find an employer. Failing this, they should leave the UAE within 30 days. They can also apply for an in-country 30 or 90day tourist visa.

The daily overstay fines after one month are Dh225 for the first day and Dh25 for each subsequent day.

What about people whose visas were cancelled or expired before March 1?

As per the earlier guidance, they have until August 18 to leave. The updated notificati­on does not cover people whose permits were cancelled before March.

What about people entering the UAE for new employment?

This applies to Dubai since it has opened up to internatio­nal flights.

A company based in a free zone can apply for an entry permit for people outside the UAE.

Such out-of-country entry permits are being filed and approved so people can come into the UAE. The person will need to complete medical tests.

What if I receive a fine although my residency visa falls under the grace period?

If there is an issue, you can check with the Tadbeer centres or Amer service centres.

The amendments apply to all residents, including citizens of GCC states whose permits expired after March 1

 ?? Reuters; Antonie Robertson / The National ?? Above, Dubai Internatio­nal Airport. Many residents stuck overseas owing to the pandemic can now return and finalise their visas. Left, visa processing centres such as the Amer network are operating again
Reuters; Antonie Robertson / The National Above, Dubai Internatio­nal Airport. Many residents stuck overseas owing to the pandemic can now return and finalise their visas. Left, visa processing centres such as the Amer network are operating again
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