UAE government has decided to cancel residency and visit visa fines for all travelers and expats, whose documents expired in March during the COVID-outbreak. These individuals have a three-month grace period to exit the UAE starting from May 18th without facing any fines.
The President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has announced the latest news on his Twitter.
“As per the directives of UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, holders of both residency and visit visas that expired in early March are exempted from fines. They have a three-month grace period to depart UAE starting May 18th”, – tweet says.
Brigadier Khamis Al Kaabi, spokesperson of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship has confirmed that the latest directive on waiving fines includes expired Emirates ID and work permits.
Moreover, individuals who will comply with this initiative and leave the country would not be barred from returning to the country in the future. It was also advised to use the smart platform of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to get the necessary services.
Also, government officials confirmed that residency visas of expatriates, no matter they are inside or outside of the country, will remain valid until the end of the year.
Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus which is causing illness in humans and animals. Most people infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus will feel mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without any special treatment. Older people, as well as those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness, and require immediate assistance. Novel Coronavirus was first identified in a cluster with pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan city, Hubei province of China, quickly spreading around the world. On early March 2020, the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic had officially started, becoming the defining global health crisis of our time. Today, it is the greatest challenge people have faced since World War II, worsened by subsequent lockdowns of whole countries, collapse of entire industries, and a major economic recession.