UAE allows residents with expired visas to return home during crisis
Dubai: UAE residents abroad are permitted to enter the country even if their residency permits have expired, a senior official said as authorities expedited procedures during the crisis.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, who is the Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, said operations at all entry points ongoing at high range operated without some major disruptions.
Lt Gen Al Marri added that staff were still working throughout the period - whether at service centres or air, land and sea ports.
“There is no doubt we are experiencing a crisis, but employees were at their posts” making sure services continued to function, he said.
Although passenger numbers were lower than the typical volume, Lieutenant General Al Marri said travel procedures went smoothly without violence.
Calm and cooperation
He added that one of the most notable things about the time was how composed and agreeable travelers were.
“The degree of reassurance and discipline exhibited by passengers, whether arriving or departing, was also really heartening and contributed significantly to the expediency of procedures,” he said.
There were also other concessions under which some residents were allowed to re-enter even after their visas had expired, showing the UAE’s commitment to treating residents like citizens.
Simultaneously, people in breach of residency law were given amnesty to exit the country drama-free.
Flexible solutions
Flexible solutions were implemented for certain cases, including seamless land departures for travellers who needed to exit urgently, Lieutenant General Al Marri said.
To facilitate the onward journey for their passengers given the situation, some were transferred over land borders to Al Wajajah crossing in Oman.
Seamless coordination
He also lauded the strong coordination among different bodies like Dubai Police, Civil Aviation and Dubai Airports and airlines to make the process a model of teamwork in times of crisis.
Dubai airports, he added, achieved optimal efficiency in operations even in the face of difficulties.
“We didn’t have any problems dealing with travellers. To the contrary, there was a strong level of understanding and many of the people we travelled with showed flexibility even at the prospect of planning changing,” he said.
People first approach
Lt. General Al Marri noted that clear directives had been given to put people — citizens, residents and visitors — before everything else, whether they were inside or outside of the UAE.
He acknowledged the work of all teams operating in our airport system and added messages of thanks from those travelling through reflected the high standard of service provided throughout.
Comments