There was a last-minute surge in the number of foreigners and expatriates who overstayed and applied on the last day of the UAE’s visa amnesty program on Thursday 31 October. Authorized typing centers had to hire extra staff to cope with the rush.

Noushad Hussain, who runs an approved typing centre, said they had seen more than 300 amnesty applicants every day this week. “People waited until the last minute to come,” he said. “At any given time, we have at least 25 to 35 people waiting their turn right now. We’ve been working extra hours to make sure we’re able to meet the demand.”

KL, an Indian expat, was waiting to hear from the company where he had found a job. “I’ve stayed over three years now,” he said. “At the beginning of this month, I managed to find a job and last week the company applied for my visa, but it has not been approved yet. They advised me to wait until lunch today and if the approval does not come, they told me to take the ticket and leave the country.”

he said Khaleej Times he preferred to leave and return rather than risk fines. “I think if I don’t get the pass today, my overstay fines will be reinstated tomorrow. I don’t want to take that risk. I will leave and then come back when the visa approval comes.”

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Leave and come back

Another expat, who did not want to be named, said he waited until the last minute in the hope of getting a job.

“I have been living in the UAE for 10 years,” said the 47-year-old Pakistani expat, noting, “In 2022 I joined a new company as a sales agent, but the company closed down. They kept my passport and then I got fines for overstaying.

“So, I couldn’t leave. Since the amnesty was announced, I have been trying to find a job. Yesterday, I had an interview, but it didn’t materialize either. Now I have no choice but to leave. I am hoping to come back and look for a job again,” he added.

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Nasreen Abdulla

Nasreen Abdulla is a special correspondent covering food, technology and human interest stories. When she’s not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her replaying submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.