'Can't pay Dh150,000 fine': Illegal UAE expats see visa amnesty as 'last hope' to be with family

Stranded in the country due to hefty penalties and unsettled disputes, many overstaying residents haven't seen their loved ones for years

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Published: Fri 9 Aug 2024, 6:06 PM

Last updated: Sat 10 Aug 2024, 1:32 PM

While the upcoming visa amnesty would give illegal residents an option to regularise their status and stay in the UAE, all some overstayers could think about was flying home.

Nicholas Deneka, a 45-year-old Nigerian national, has been stranded in the UAE for four years now, with fines worth more than Dh150,000 under his name.

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Deneka worked as a supervisor at a construction firm from 2017 until 2020, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, he lost his job.

“The projects of the company where I was working were suspended as firms struggled," he told Khaleej Times.

Despite his relentless job search, the overstay fines he had incurred left him with little hope of securing legal employment. “After my visa expired, I continued to look for a job. But my fine amounted to more than Dh50,000 by August 2022. I lost any hope of paying that off as I had to support my family back home,” he said.

Deneka resorted to taking up odd jobs — working as a porter, car cleaner, and even cleaning houses — to make ends meet. “It’s been a tough few years, and every day has been a battle. I never imagined my life would turn out this way,” he said.

“This amnesty is my last hope. I want to go back to my family and start over. The UAE has given me a lot, but now it’s time for me to go home," he added.

The UAE Government is giving residence visa violators two months to regularise their status and get their fines waived in an amnesty scheme that will start on September 1. Details about the procedures, however, are yet to be announced.

Salary disputes

Mary Bangcas (name changed), a 32-year-old Filipina, hasn't seen her family for the last six years.

“I miss my family terribly. It’s been so long since I have seen them, and this situation is tearing me apart,” said the expat who arrived in Dubai in 2018. She worked as a receptionist but by December 2022, she had to quit her job due to salary disputes and unresolved issues. The move didn't sit well with her employer, who filed a case against her so a travel ban was imposed.

“I have pending salaries and benefits to collect from my company. They have kept me in this position, unable to work or leave,” said Bangcas, who now hopes the amnesty could help her sort out legal issues.

Escaping abuse

Raj Kumar, 38, left his home in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to work in the UAE as a construction worker in 2019. However, what was meant to be an opportunity to support his family turned into a nightmare.

Kumar said his employer "subjected him to constant verbal and physical abuse", withholding his passport and salary to keep him in line.

In 2022, unable to bear the situation any longer, he escaped from his employer. But in doing so, he became an absconder — and his visa automatically became invalid.

“I was scared to go to the authorities because I didn’t know what would happen to me. I had no money, no place to go, and no way to get back home,” Kumar said.

Now, he sees the amnesty as a lifeline. “This grace period is my only chance to come out of hiding, clear my name, and go back to my family," he said. "I’m grateful for this opportunity and hope to start a new life."

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