For almost five years, Nigerian expatriate Ibrahim Salah faced numerous challenges in the UAE. Homeless and without funds for even a basic meal, he also had to contend with a substantial fine amounting to Dh115,000. On September 1, the 38-year-old entered the amnesty center at Al Awir, part of Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), feeling a mix of relief and happiness. "Finally! It's a relief. I am going home, and I am unable to control my emotions," Salah expressed. He arrived at the GDRFA tent at 10am with the aim of regularizing his visa status and heading back to Abuja, his hometown.
Salah had been employed at a fabrication company until May 2019 when his contract ended, and he fell ill for several months. Due to his health issues, he needed to return home for recovery, and his contract was not renewed by the company. Upon returning to the UAE on a visit visa in October 2019, he secured a position as a head fabricator in Dubai. "I worked on a visit visa for three months. My company assured me that my employment visa was being processed, but after four months, they informed me they couldn't proceed with it and asked me to leave. I held on, hoping to find another job, but it didn't happen, and my fines accumulated, which I couldn't pay," Salah recounted.
Deeply in debt from borrowing from relatives, Salah is keen to go back home, spend time with his family, and strategize his next moves. "I'll return to the UAE after a break, and if I can't secure a job, I'll explore opportunities elsewhere or start a fabrication business in my country. I am hoping for the best," the Nigerian stated. Salah's narrative is just one of many that have emerged from the UAE's amnesty program, which has offered a lifeline to numerous individuals living illegally in the country.
The program allows them to correct their status, stay in the country, or return home without facing severe fines or penalties. As the first day of the amnesty program unfolded, a surge of emotions and new beginnings swept through those affected. Joy, a Filipina domestic worker, fled her employer in July after allegedly facing sexual harassment. Unable to retrieve her passport, she stayed with friends in Abu Dhabi while her employer filed an absconding case against her. "When I heard about the amnesty, I immediately took advantage of the opportunity to return to the Philippines," Joy said.
An official from the Philippine Migrants Workers Office (MWO) in Abu Dhabi will verify if Joy's passport was surrendered by her employer. Officials assured her that if her passport could not be recovered, she could still return home with a travel document issued instead. Philippine officials advised that if the passport is not found, the applicant must apply for a police report and obtain a lost passport certificate through Dubai Police's website or mobile application or at the relevant police station.
Christopher Ravins, a 24-year-old Ugandan, will finally return home after living illegally in the UAE for two years. He arrived in the UAE in November 2020 and worked as an aircraft cleaner until he lost his job two years ago. Duped by agents promising a new job, he has since worked as a cleaner and security guard in uncertain conditions. When Christopher learned about the amnesty program, he bought his flight ticket and was first in line on the morning of September 1. "I booked my ticket and arrived at the amnesty tent at 7am when the doors opened. I'm so happy to have received my exit pass," he said.
Although unsure of the exact amount of fines he has accrued, he estimates it could exceed Dh35,000. "I haven't seen my family for the past two years. Finally, I'll be meeting them," he added. After receiving his exit pass on Sunday, Christopher flew from Dubai to Entebbe, Uganda. Despite his departure, he remains hopeful about returning to the UAE in the future. Another story of a fresh start emerged from the initiative. Dolores, who came to the UAE two years ago to work for a family in Abu Dhabi, lived without a visa for a year and a half after her employer canceled her visa. Now, she is thrilled to return to the Philippines to reunite with her family.
"I want to stay here and continue working, but my family is more important than money," said Dolores. "I will finally see my daughter and husband, and we can be happy again." Dolores's friend Elsa, 47, who has been in the country for five years after fleeing her stay-at-home maid job in Dubai, plans to apply for a new job in the UAE and start afresh. "It's a wonderful thing the UAE is doing, giving people the chance to live happy lives again," Elsa said, expressing her gratitude.
