Egypt sends urgent message to its citizens in the UAE

Today, Tuesday, Egyptian Minister of Labor Mohamed Gebran called on all Egyptian citizens working in the UAE to take advantage of the grace period granted to violators of the residency system to settle their status.

Gebran explained that Egyptian citizens working in the UAE should benefit from the decision of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, to grant a grace period for violators of the residency system to settle their status, starting from September 1, 2024, for a period of two months, while exempting them from the financial fines due on them in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners.

According to information from the Central Administration for International Relations, Gebran received a report from the Labor Attaché, Manal Othman, Head of the Labor Representation Office in the Emirates.

According to the report, the categories that will benefit from the grace period for violators of the residency law before September 1, 2024 are:

All residency violators, including violators after the grace period has ended, the term has expired, or the cancellation has taken place.

Those included in the administrative lists and against whom a notice of absence from work (“absconding notice”) has been issued.

Visa holders after the expiry of their specified period of stay in the country.

A foreigner born in the country whose guardian has not registered his residency within 4 months from the date of birth.

The report also explained that the categories not covered by the deadline decision are:

Residence and visa violator after September 1, 2024.

Those listed on a work stoppage report after September 1, 2024.

And cases of deportation restricted to individuals deported from the state or the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

 The report indicated that the exemption period includes five fines, which are:

Administrative fines resulting from staying in the country illegally.

Establishment card fines.

ID card fines.

Violation of not providing the Ministry with the employment contract.

Violation of failure to provide the Ministry with a renewal of the employment contract.

In addition to the following five fee exemptions:

Residence and visa cancellation fee.

Drawing up a work stoppage report.

Departure fees.

And fees for residence and visa details.

Exit permit fees.

The grace period also grants beneficiaries the right to obtain non-denial of entry into the country, such that the violator is allowed to leave the country after settling his status without including any administrative restrictions that prevent his return to the country “without the deprivation stamp.”

In the event of a desire to leave the country, and the biometric fingerprint is previously present, an application for an exit permit is submitted, and then the permit is issued directly.

In the event that the biometric fingerprint is not available, the beneficiary will be directed to visit the designated fingerprinting centers “for those aged 15 years and above”, and the duration of the exit permit is 14 days after issuance, provided that all previous fines and restrictions are automatically re-included if it is not possible to leave within the period or after the permits expire outside the scope of the specified exemption period, noting that fingerprinting centers are available throughout the country in the event of a desire to leave the country.