The UAE authorities have extended visa fine waivers for illegal residents until the end of this year. As per reports, people who have overstayed their UAE visas have until December 31, 2020, to leave the country without the need to pay their extension fines. Significantly, the short-term amnesty was introduced by the authorities on May 14 in view of the Coronavirus pandemic. While the fine waiver was supposed to end on November 17, the authorities now have extended it until the end of this year.

In this regard, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) stated that fines of illegal residents, whose UAE visas expired before March 1, would be waived off if they will not be able to leave the country on or before the end of December 2020.

"All penalties and restrictions involving Emirates IDs and work permits shall also be lifted," Major-General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, ICA’s Director-General for Foreigners Affairs and Ports, added.

Maj-Gen Al Rashidi expressed his gratitude to the leadership over the decision, adding that the fine waiver extension has come in line with the directive of the authorities to provide a second chance to visa violators to legalise their status.