Emirates for unified visit visa to curb illegal workers

Dubai, Dec 31: In a move that is widely seen as to curb illegal workers in the Emirates, the government has completed all preparations to implement the unified system of issuance of visit visas.

''The Naturalisation and Residency Departments (NRDs) at the Ministry of Interior have completed all preparations to implement the unified system of issuance of visit visas in all the emirates,'' said Director of the Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Department (ADNRD) Colonel Nasir Al Awadi Al Minhali yesterday. The move comes with a view to weeding out the menace of illegal workers from the country, Khaleej Times reported.

''The new system will restrict the issuance of visit visas for immediate relatives only, such as parents, brothers or sisters,'' Al Minhali said.

He talked tough on workers who had entered the country on business visas and said they stand to face life ban. The NRDs across the country will reject any application to amend the status of the applicant from his/her business visa to worker's visa, he added. Al Minhali said the measures would be implemented soon after getting the approval from the Minister of Interior, Shaikh Saif bin Zayed.

UNI