UAE: Amnesty seeker who 'lost Dh14,000 in visa scams' urges illegals to apply only at official centres

The Filipina expat hopes to rectify her residency status and find a job that will enable her to support her children

Nasreen Abdulla

Published: Mon 2 Sep 2024, 12:54 PM

Last updated: Mon 2 Sep 2024, 9:59 PM

As the UAE's two-month amnesty programme kicks off, a Filipina expat who allegedly lost thousands of dirhams in visa regularisation scams is now warning others.

J.S. claimed to have been a victim of multiple fraud schemes and lost Dh14,000. Now, the amnesty seeker has urged those seeking to regularise their visa status to remain vigilant and ensure that they process their documents only through authorised centres.

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“I have been duped twice, and now I don't trust any so-called agents. That is why I came directly to an Amer centre this time,” she said, speaking to Khaleej Times. Talking about her ordeal, she said, "Soon after I overstayed in 2021, an agency offered to regularise my visa for Dh10,000. At the time, my mother was very sick, and I had saved for her surgery. I paid that amount because I was desperate, and I wanted to visit my mother. But the agent took my money, and I never saw him again.”

The single mother-of-two has been overstaying on her residency visa since February 2021 and had accrued fines of over Dh42,000. In January this year, she again met someone who claimed his son was a ‘high-level officer’ and can help J.S.

“He sounded very genuine, and I trusted him,” the Ajman resident said. “My mother was very unwell, and I desperately wanted to see her. I borrowed Dh4,000 on interest to pay him, and he blocked my number within hours. I am still repaying that debt in instalments.”

Her mother died in February this year and J.S. couldn't see her one last time.

Khaleej Times has previously reported about scammers preying on vulnerable expats with fraudulent offers of residency visas at suspiciously low prices during the amnesty period.

Desperate for a job

Even though she has not gone home in six years, she hopes to find a job that will enable her to stay here. "I am a single mother to two children," she said. "My 22-year-old daughter is studying in college, and my son is 17. The last time I spoke to them, I mentioned the amnesty and explained that I might have to return home if I didn't find a job. They reassured me, saying that in the worst scenario, they would stop their studies because we wouldn't be able to afford it. But I promised my mother before she died that I would ensure my children complete their education. So, I'm not ready to give up yet."

On Sunday, thousands of illegal residents turned up at immigration centres across the UAE, hoping for a fresh start. Currently, those staying illegally in the country can choose to leave without any penalties or convert their visa into a residency visa if hired.

Previously working as a housemaid, she said she was forced to become illegal after her employer allegedly refused to let her go home.

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