Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates illegally have one more month to make use of an official amnesty period during which they can fix their status.
The UAE government’s amnesty program originally ran from August 1 to October 31, but has now been extended to December 1 to allow overstaying Filipinos to fix their status or be repatriated, ABS-CBN News reported.
The program allows foreigners who have overstayed or have left their jobs to return to their home countries or have their status changed by paying a minimal fee.
Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashidy, acting director-general of Foreigners and Ports Affairs at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, said that the extension is to give those who have yet to submit the required paperwork more time to take advantage of the amnesty.
“Extending the deadline also helps counteract the effect of the delay some amnesty seekers may have faced,” Al Rashidy said.
The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate in Dubai have issued 2,467 travel documents for overstaying Filipinos, with 2,417 of those applicants having already returned to the Philippines.