UAE visa amnesty: How this cart puller saved Dh6,500 in just 2 months to regularise status

When Hamza Ali, a cart puller, heard about the UAE visa amnesty scheme in September, all that occupied his mind was the need to regularise his status and live legally in the UAE. To do that, he needed money for the visa — about Dh7,500, the amount he typically saves over two years. However, this time, he had to raise the funds in just two months.

In the beginning, it seemed impossible for Ali, but he was determined to make it happen. “When I heard the news of amnesty, I simply couldn’t believe it. All I thought was I have two months in hand to make up for the visa money,” said Ali.

Hailing from Swabi town of Khyber region in Pakistan, Ali has been working as a cart puller in Deira for the past eight years. His livelihood depended on carrying the loads of shoppers in the bustling business district. He arrived in the UAE in 2016, operating on an independent visa that he renewed every two years at a cost of around Dh7,500. But when the pandemic hit at the end of 2019, his situation worsened, and he was unable to renew his visa due to a lack of funds.

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"Until 2021, the UAE authorities were very kind to let us live as they waived visa fees and extended the stay of expats after the pandemic,” said Ali remembering the period when he was unable to earn anything for his livelihood.

Like many others in Deira, Ali found work scarce during the pandemic. Tourists and shoppers avoided markets due to the lingering fear of the virus, and cart pullers struggled to earn enough to make a living. “Cart pullers were in dire need of income. There were days when we didn’t earn anything at all,” said Ali adding that cart pullers typically earn between Dh20 and Dh50 per day, depending on the number of hours they work and the number of shoppers who come to the market.

“Tourists who visit Deira don’t usually carry their purchases. They hire us to transport their items, but there were very few tourists until the end of 2022,” Ali said.

Business only began to pick up again in 2023, giving Ali and his fellow cart pullers some hope. “In 2023, the business slowly started improving, and we began earning enough to survive here and send a little money back home,” he said. “We don’t have any savings. Living here requires around Dh350 to Dh450 for rent, and around Dh300 for food and other basic needs. The rest of our income goes to our families.”

Summer months often bring in more work for cart pullers as loyal customers avoid visiting the market in the heat and instead call them to collect items from shops. “This summer, I earned about Dh1,800 every month. The remaining amount was sent home to my family, which is still being used,” said Ali.

When the amnesty programme was announced in September, Ali saw an opportunity to get back on track. “It felt like my life was starting over again. I knew I had to save Dh7,500 to renew my visa. I worked extremely hard over the last two months and managed to save Dh6,500,” said Ali.

Ali was initially concerned that he might miss the amnesty deadline. He had visited the GDRFA tent in Al Awir on October 30, only to find it packed with people. Despite getting a token number, he had to leave without being able to regularise his status. But with the extension of the amnesty, Ali’s worries have been eased.

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