UAE visa amnesty: Born to undocumented parents, baby gets identity 1 year after birth

Filipina expat Ruth, 46, said her one-year-old baby will now have an identity, thanks to the UAE amnesty programme. She gave birth at home in July 2023. As she has been staying illegally since 2020, she was unable to apply for her boy’s birth certificate and passport.

Ruth, for her part, still has a valid passport. She previously worked as a cleaner before her visa was cancelled four years ago at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, another company has committed to employing her.

“Thanks to the UAE amnesty initiative, my baby and I can now regularise our stay here in the UAE,” Ruth told Khaleej Times.

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Officials from the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi assisted her on Sunday – September 1, the first day of the two-month amnesty programme – and told her the procedure to follow.

First, Ruth has to report her child’s birth to Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DoH) and apply for late registration to get a birth certificate that will be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa). Then, she will fill out an online form and email the Philippine Embassy (abudhabipe.civilregistry@dfa.gov.ph). The Philippine mission will then apply for her baby’s passport.

Officials said birth registration does not only establish one’s identity and kinship to parents, it is also a basic human right. The birth certificate is the most important document to get a passport, which is needed to apply for a residence visa in the UAE.

Ruth, who was accompanied by her partner, Paulo, added: “In the past year, we’ve been uncertain of our child’s future because he’s undocumented.

“We could not even bring him to a clinic because they would ask for identification. Without documents, how could we enrol him in a school or get basic services,” she continued.

In the UAE, all expatriates must get birth certificates attested by Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) and Mofa. Birth certificates stamped by DoH or Dubai Health Authority (DHA) are equivalent to the seal of Mohap. Residents have 120 days from the birth of their child to arrange the formal documents which includes birth certificates, passports, Emirates ID and visas of their new born babies.

If the residence visa is not finalised within 120 days, then a fee of Dh100 per day would be charged for each day over the 120-day period, and the baby will not be allowed to exit the country.

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