Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’

ISLAMABAD: A team from Pakistan’s Consulate General in Dubai visited the Al-Awir Immigration Center in Dubai on Wednesday and praised the various amnesty services being offered to visa violators in the Gulf country. 

The UAE’s two-month amnesty scheme, running from September 1 to October 31, allows visa violators, mostly from South Asia, to either regularize their status or leave without penalties.

The amnesty aims to reduce the number of undocumented residents, enhancing social stability and ensuring compliance. It offers a fresh opportunity for many in the country to rebuild their lives by securing legal status and better jobs.

“A dedicated team from the Consulate General of Pakistan conducted a visit to the Al Awir Immigration Center set up by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai and observed various amnesty services at the Center,” the Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai said in a press release. 

It said the Pakistani team was given an overview of the measures in place to assist individuals in resolving residency issues “swiftly and efficiently.”

“The visiting team conveyed deep appreciation to the UAE government for its continued support and compassion toward expatriate communities, particularly Pakistanis,” the statement said. 

Pakistani expatriates constitute one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the UAE. The Gulf country is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. It is also an ideal export destination for the South Asian nation as the short distance between the two countries limits transportation costs and facilitates commercial exchanges.

UAE is also home to over a million and a half Pakistani expatriates and after Saudi Arabia, is Pakistan’s largest source of workers’ remittances and the preferred choice of thousands of laborers who live and work in the country.