• Home
• /
• Long Reads
• /
• Lifestyle

'I lived on a rooftop': Illegal UAE residents recall struggles before life-changing visa amnesty

One stranded expat went three days without eating and survived off water at mosques

Mariam, an Indonesian domestic worker, has been stranded in the UAE with no access to basic medical facilities or essential grocery trips, and has not seen her husband and two young sons since February 2022. She has been unable to return home after arriving in the UAE on a visit visa, arranged through an agency for IDR 8,410.70 (Dh2,000), a significant amount she and her husband, a sugarcane juice vendor, saved together.

“When I first wanted to come to the UAE, I never thought I’d get into a situation like this,” said Mariam. For most of her time in the UAE, Mariam faced the constant anxiety of being an overstayer, living under the threat of deportation. However, with the UAE’s visa amnesty scheme, she has now been granted a legal visa, bringing her much-needed peace of mind.

“I’ve been counting the days until this amnesty scheme was announced. I was scared about the process and how I’d manage to sustain myself,” Mariam shared. When asked how she knew about the programme, she said she discovered it through TikTok.

The undocumented

Mariam’s initial experience in the UAE was fraught with difficulty. She entered the UAE with a promised job through an agency in Indonesia. At her first place of employment as a maid, her passport was confiscated, and she endured harsh working conditions. “I worked tirelessly, with no idea when I would see my family next. My only solace was the brief video calls with my sons and the money I sent home,” she recalled. After enduring mistreatment for three months, Mariam fled from her employer, but now, as a ‘visa violator.’

Mariam faced further challenges, including dealing with an unregistered group that exploited workers. Despite these hardships, her situation improved when she was employed in a new household, where she received assistance in resolving her visa issues and waiving the Dh27,000 fine for her overstay using the amnesty scheme.

Now, with her visa issue resolved, Mariam is working on obtaining a new passport and feels a renewed sense of hope. “I’m incredibly grateful for this scheme. I want to stay in the UAE and continue working to support my family,” she said, reflecting her newfound optimism and stability.

The UAE’s visa amnesty scheme has not only provided legal relief but also restored Mariam’s hope for a better future. “When I wanted to come to the UAE, I never thought I’d be in a situation like this, but with God’s grace, everything is okay now,” she smiled.

While Mariam was in a situation where she had to tackle her legal challenges alone, several non-profit organisations in the UAE help expatriate workers in similar predicaments to utilise the amnesty scheme.

The amnesty scheme

The UAE’s visa amnesty scheme, announced on September 1, allows residence visa violators a two-month grace period to have their overstay and visa violation fines waived. The grace period, valid until October 31, exempts violators from financial penalties in accordance with the Federal Law on the Entry and Residency of Foreigners.

Highlight of scheme

Rex Prakash, co-founder at Smart Life Foundation, a non-government organisation based in the UAE focused on uplifting blue-collar workers, says this year’s amnesty scheme features two significant improvements. “This year’s amnesty scheme allows individuals who have overstayed their visas to regularise their status or leave the UAE without paying fines or exit fees.

“This is especially attractive as it permits people to depart without penalties and gives them the opportunity to return in the future,” he said.

Rex also added that for those wishing to stay, the amnesty provides a pathway to secure employment and remain in the UAE legally. This is a major draw for many, as it allows them to continue living in a country they love.

'I lived on a rooftop'

The Smart Life Foundation has been identifying and assisting people stranded in such situations, showing them a way to return home. In its most recent efforts, the organisation has helped six individuals who had been stranded on the streets with no means or knowledge of how to rescue themselves.

Mohammed, Faheem, and Padma were found surviving on a rooftop terrace by Smart Life Foundation’s volunteers. “Our situation is very bad at the moment. When I lost my passport, I didn’t have an answer for my wife when she called from back home asking when I’m coming back,” said Mohammed. He had been residing in the UAE for the past six years and lost his passport after the company he was working for filed an absconding complaint against him when he moved jobs.

“When I asked the new company I joined about my passport, they said it was with immigration. I went to the passport office twice but couldn’t find it,” he said. Through Smart Life Foundation’s efforts, Mohammed is returning to his home country. “I would leave this very second if I could, but I wish to come back to the UAE again with proper documentation.” When asked about what going back home means to his family, he said, “My kids are eagerly waiting to see their father again.”

Faheem and Padma, on the other hand, came to the UAE through agents in their home country, similar to Mariam. They were promised jobs along with offer letters but were cheated by their hosts.

Faheem arrived in the UAE with an offer letter but lost his residential rights when he resigned his job. He was stranded on the streets for days. “I went three days without eating. I lived on a rooftop and survived off water at mosques, and plain boiled rice donated by generous people,” he said.

“I entered the UAE on a visit visa and paid Dh2,500 to my agent here who promised me a job in a garment shop. After receiving my money, they stopped replying to me and left me stranded,” says Padma. “If given a chance, I wouldn’t come back to the UAE. I have my kids who are waiting for me, and I am thankful to this organisation and the government’s amnesty scheme for letting me return to my home country safely now,” she says.

A new life in the UAE

While the amnesty scheme helps people who are truly helpless and stranded find their way out of the UAE, there are loopholes that allow for misuse. “There are people using the scheme to clear backlogs and then return immediately to continue working without proper documentation,” said UAE-based social activist Riji Joy. “Amnesty should not only be about waiving fines and regularising status but also addressing the root issues of working on visit visas and how it affects both workers and companies.”

Joy also noted, “The UAE government has introduced many initiatives to avoid adverse situations, but stronger implementation or awareness from the origin countries is needed to prevent people from being left stranded by unauthorised recruitment agencies.”

The UAE government has implemented various ethical recruitment methods and utilised platforms like the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) to engage with origin countries and global supply chains.

The future of the scheme

While the 2024 amnesty scheme has been a significant success, registering over 2,000 people in its first week, it primarily focuses on reinstating expatriates to their previous jobs with minor improvements to their job titles or conditions.

To enhance future editions of the amnesty scheme, it may be beneficial to include provisions for better job opportunities, lifting expatriates from low-paying positions and further improving their circumstances.

Names in this article have been modified to maintain anonymity.

ALSO READ:

• 'Ozempic Face' sweeps UAE: Hidden cost of rapid weight loss is more serious than you think

• ‘Slapped, kicked, called names’: Some UAE teachers open up about getting bullied by students

• These Dubai residents are afraid to be happy; here's why