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UAE amnesty: Runaway Indian worker's Dh205,000 fine scrapped

Fujairah - Emirati sponsors help absconders get passports back in Fujairah.

The magnanimity of Emirati sponsors came to the fore as they heeded to the appeal of authorities to hand over passports of absconding employees and gave their full support to the initiative 'Protect yourself by rectifying your status'.
On its fourth day, 80 per cent of the 400 amnesty-seekers who are absconders approached the Al Fujairah center to receive their passports, which were submitted to General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) by their Emirati sponsors.
The sponsors enabled the absconders to benefit from the scheme, said Brigadier Dr Ahmed Ali Al-Saghairy, acting executive director of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs in Fujairah.
After getting their passports from GDRFA, the absconders began procedures related to modification of their status or departure from country.
Al-Saghairy hailed the efforts of Emiratis in backing the move of the authorities by handing over absconders' passports.
On Day Four, the amnesty center carried out a large number of fine-waiving procedures and issued many of them outpass to be able to leave the country. In one case, the GDRFA waived Dh205, 000 for an Indian worker who ran away from his sponsor seven years ago. "This was the maximum waived amount on the day," he said.
Due to the massive turnout, GDRFA has opened new offices to complete the formalities for the amnesty-seekers in a short time.
It has also increased the number of employees - from 11 to 33 - who provide technical support to the beneficiaries of the initiative. The GDRFA also pitched up a new tent with the huge space to accommodate the increasing number of amnesty-seekers who are expected to turn up during the coming days. 
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com