Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization Residency and Ports Affairs, stressed that people harboring and employing violators of the Law of Entry and Residence are to be punished. He added that sheltering them has a negative impact on security, economy, and society.
He said: “When the grace period ends, teams assigned to carry out checks and make arrests will not hesitate to arrest and deport violators in order to enhance society’s security and safety. We want to purify society from illegal laborers in order to preserve our homeland’s achievements and civilized milestones that have been attained during the past few years, and place the UAE among the cadre of advanced countries.”
Major General Al Menhali visited the centers designated to process violators of the Law of Entry and Residence in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah. He was briefed on the procedures and workflow employed by the centers. During his visits, he reviewed the steps taken to address the violators that approached the centers to carry out their paperwork.
He stressed the importance of awareness among individuals regarding this issue, urging both citizens and residents not to hesitate to inform authorities about any violator in case they have any information, as those people are considered outlaws.
“The Ministry of Interior is making great efforts using different mechanisms and methods to put an end to the existence of violators, including arrest and inspection campaigns, in order to eliminate this social issue,” Al Menhali said.
“The ministry is keen to facilitate the departure procedures for violators who voluntarily request help. It shall take no legal measures against them and will not implement any fines. Giving violators this grace period and exempting them from penalties and fines comes as a gift from the higher leadership, which aims to put an end to the suffering of those people whose circumstances have prevented them from adhering to the Law of Entry and Residence. This violation leads to hefty fines, which cause significant difficulties to these violators as they try to support families back home,” he added.
During his visit, Major General Al Menhali was accompanied by Brigadier Ghareeb Mohammed Darweesh Al Hosani, Director General of the Ports and Airports Security Department; Colonel Yusuf Khouri, Deputy Director General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Abu Dhabi; and Colonel Ali Ibrahim Al Tunaiji, Head of Violators and Foreigners Affairs Department.
A total of 10 centers have been established to carry out these tasks; they are located in: the Identity Registration Office in Mussafah area, EMAS Company in Abu Dhabi; the Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department in Al Ain City, EMAS Company; the Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department in the Western Region, EMAS Company; the Violators and Foreigners Section, in the Al Aweer area in Dubai.
The centers also include the Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Sharjah; the Office of Naturalization and Residency in Khor Fakkan; the Ras Al Khaimah Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs at the Foreign Offices Department in Al Jazira Al Hamra; the Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Ajman; the Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Umm Al Quwain; and the Directorate General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Fujairah.