This is your opportunity to resolve aunty issues related to overstaying your visa or changing your residency status in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) without incurring any penalty!
A two-month amnesty is being offered by the UAE, which lets you securely depart the country or regularize your status without paying any fines.
Where To Apply?
For residents in Abu Dhabi, ICP centers are located in Al Dhafra, Sweihan, Al Maqam, and Al Shahamah. Those in Dubai can apply at Amer centers or Al Awir. Residents of other emirates can find ICP centers in their respective regions.
Note that the deadline for replacing your lost passport without fines is October 31. Make sure you don’t lose this chance to replace your passports and avoid fines and inform your near ones about the same.
Costs To Replace Lost Passports
The good news is that all fines are waived and there won’t be any costs.
As of October 2022, the standard overstay fine in the UAE is AED 50 (approximately Rs 1,142) per day for all visa types, including tourist, visit, and residence visas.
However, what happens if your passport is lost? The UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs, and Ports Security (ICP) has certain protocols for you in such a case. Getting a missing passport certificate is the first step.
“If a resident loses their passport while being within the nation, they must apply for a new one and have their resident visa stamped in it. The UAE authorities advise reporting the loss of the passport to the closest police station and filling out a particular form as part of the required formalities.”
To report the loss or obtain a replacement passport if you are outside of the UAE or your home country, get in touch with the embassy or consulate of your nation there.
READ MORE: Know More About The UAE Visit Visa Extension Rules – 2024
Follow These Steps To Replace Your Lost Passports
1. Request For a Lost Passport Certificate: This is the first thing you should do If you have lost your passport, this is an essential step.
2. Submit a Request Using The Smart System: The smart system is the method via which requests must be made in Abu Dhabi. A certificate certifying that the passport has been lost will be given to you along with an extract of your residency details. To get a travel document, you must have this document.
Specific Cases and Procedures
- The guardian, or sponsor, is required to notify the police station of the loss of a minor’s passport.
- If you are sponsored by a business, you will need to provide the police with a letter written on business letterhead, the business’s establishment card, and its trading license.
- If your family is funding you, send in a letter that the sponsor has signed and a copy of their passport.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) and Dubai Courts are involved in the processes for lost passports in Dubai. You must visit the appropriate court, the Public Prosecution, and GDRFA to document the loss after reporting it to the police.
To apply for a new passport, you must go to the embassy or consulate of your nation in the United Arab Emirates after obtaining the official certificate of your lost passport. Once your new passport arrives, come back to GDRFA to get your residency permit attached. Both the old and new visas will be valid for the same amount of time. A new visa with a new validity date will be issued if it has expired.
READ MORE: Learn More About How To Extend Your UAE Visit Visa?
Advice For Indian Nationals
The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai has released a warning for Indian nationals. Indian nationals who want to benefit from the program can get help with their applications by getting in touch with different Indian associations.
With almost thirty percent of the population living in the United Arab Emirates, Indians are the largest ethnic group in the nation. According to UAE data, there are approximately 3.5 million Indian residents.
According to government figures, about 20% of this diaspora lives in Abu Dhabi, with the remaining 80% dispersed throughout the six Northern Emirates, including Dubai.