Amnesty brings ray of hope for undocumented expats in UAE

A shining ray of hope has touched the lives of hundreds of undocumented expatriates living in the UAE. Even as the 2018 visa amnesty nears, these expatriates have been waiting with bated breath ever since the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC) announced the 'Protect Yourself by Modifying Your Status' campaign.

According to social workers as well as the undocumented residents, the general amnesty comes at a perfect time for many. Khaleej Times spoke to a cross-section of residents who are waiting for the first week of August to head over to seek amnesty and avail of a 'new lease on life'. However, most of the illegal residents were living in fear of legal repercussions from UAE authorities, according to social workers.

Vignesh Menon, a legal adviser and owner of Global Smart, a service company for businesses in Dubai, said: "There are about 20 to 25 cases that I am working with at the moment, of which seven are families. Most of these families and individuals are very scared to approach local authorities over the fear of arrest."

He added: "Some families have been here for over one to two years, and some have been overstaying for over five years. The common reason for families staying back are financial problems faced by the husbands, resulting in the entire family having to stay back. In some cases, businesses close down and they get stuck in legal tangles. They can't regularise their statuses because they have heavy fines.

'My status changed overnight'

An Indian migrant, N.B., who has been living and working in the UAE for over 20 years and has a 12-year-old son, said: "Of course, I am going to avail of the amnesty.

"My family and I have been living without documents for over three years and going back to India is not really an option. Three years ago, my status changed overnight. I lent my friend huge sums of money, which I'd kept aside for launching a business in India," said N.B.

Given his friend's condition is equally bad, the money never returned. People like N.B. are glad that they can change their legal status without paying big fines and continue looking for work.

"I can't find a job because of my status and fines. Now, that can change; I can look for a job. I've spent so many years here. I want to continue working and give my family a better life."

Another Indian illegal resident, Mamta Harish Kumar Balani has not gone back to her home in Gujarat for eight years. She used to work as a personal care professional for children until her sponsor passed away in 2012. "Ever since then, my life has been very difficult. After the sponsor passed away, my visa was not cancelled."

She lost her passport over a police case and ended up paying several thousands of dirhams to lawyers and agents. "My children are here, so I want to continue staying here."

'Amnesty is a great initiative'

Girish Pant, a social worker who also works closely with the Consulate-General of India, said: "There are about 20 individuals who I am currently working with and there are six families. Of these, some five to 10 individuals have been living undocumented for over 10 years,"

Girish has been helping residents who have been here for 20 years. In some cases, their sponsors have already absconded and in many cases, they fear arrest if they approach authorities.

He said: "I really appreciate the government's initiative. The diplomatic missions, as well as the government departments, are now working with residents and collecting information so that they can leave on August 1. The UAE has truly shown benevolence and tolerance and set a shining example for other countries to follow."

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Jul 25, 2018

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