UAE arrests nearly 6000 expatriates for visa violations after amnesty period ends
Dubai: Nearly 6,000 expatriates who violated visa rules have been arrested in security checks carried out across the UAE since the end of the amnesty period, a senior official of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Ports Security (ICP) has revealed.
The arrests were made during 270 inspection campaigns conducted in various parts of the country, ICP Director-General Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili told a press conference. The arrested individuals include both men and women. He also mentioned that 93 percent of those arrested have been deported. He added that these efforts would continue to be intensified to ensure that residents and visitors to the UAE comply with legal standards.
The checks come after the UAE government granted violators a four-month grace period to regularize their status. During the amnesty period, which lasted from September 1 to December 31, 2024, expatriates who were in the country in violation of visa laws were given the opportunity to voluntarily leave the country or regularize their status by obtaining a new employment contract.
The amnesty was aimed at providing a safe and legal environment for all residents of the UAE and those wishing to work and reside in the country. The current action targets those who failed to take advantage of this opportunity and continued to stay in the country illegally.
The inspections focused on areas with the highest concentration of violators. Authorities also announced that fines have been imposed on violators, as well as individuals and organizations found guilty of illegally housing or employing them.
Major General Saeed Salem Al Shamsi, Acting Director General of the Identity and Foreign Affairs Department, stated that inspection campaigns are being carried out in an organized manner, targeting the locations of violators across the country, in cooperation with relevant government institutions. Legal action will be taken against violators, and fines will be imposed on those caught, those who house them, and those who employ them. He stressed that there will be no leniency toward any of them.
He further explained that the law stipulates that anyone who helps, facilitates, or employs a foreigner residing in the country in violation of the law will face imprisonment and a fine of not less than 10,000 dirhams. If the violator is found working for someone other than their sponsor, they will be taken into custody and referred to court for a decision, which may include imprisonment, deportation, and a ban on re-entry into the country.