Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) - Dubai and Brigadier-General Khalaf Al Ghaith, director-general assistant of follow-up sector of violators and foreigners at the GDRFA said that they are willing to receive any number of people and we will solve their matters. “We will receive some people from other emirates as well because of the facility which we have here. I cannot give you precise numbers now,” they said in an interview to Khalej Times.

Residents can avail of the amnesty for three months from August 1 to October 31. The individuals who are staying illegally in the country can apply for amnesty.

“We are dealing with people who are illegally staying in UAE. The housemaids, if they are illegal residents, should come by themselves to the tent, and if they have a new sponsor we will facilitate that change. Here, we are not talking about those who entered the country illegally. If we deal with the people who entered the country illegally then we are allowing them to enter the country tomorrow again. We are dealing (in the amnesty scheme) with people who entered the country by legal channels.

“There will be representatives from the Philippine and Indian consulates, amongst others, to help their nationals clear their paper work at the tent in Al Aweer. Not only for men, but also for women,” they said.

”You ask and you answer your question by yourself. We are here for the amnesty, but if he (or she) has a bigger case then they must clear the case then come back to the amnesty tent. Once they clear it with the court, they come back to us. Priority is given to clearing criminal cases - once that is cleared, we can fix their status.”

“If the person received their exit permit, they need to come to the tent, we will give them a paper and they can travel with it, but it will be valid for 10 days after its been issued. If the person does not travel within 21 days, the amnesty waiver does not apply anymore and they cannot reapply.”

Those who wish to exit the country can go back to their home countries without paying fines or facing jail term. Or individuals can regularise their status by getting a new visa under a sponsor.

However, people who have been blacklisted and also those who have legal cases against them are not eligible for amnesty. All residency violations will fall under the amnesty scheme.