The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has extended the time limit to correct the illegal status of expatriates, who have violated the provisions of the Law of 2015 regulating the entry, exit, and residence of expatriates, until 30 April 2022.
In a statement, the MoI explained this procedure comes within the framework of its keenness to take into account the interests of business owners and expatriate workers to benefit from the 50% reduction in the amount of reconciliation.
Accordingly, all violating expatriates or employers have to submit before April 30, a request for reconciliation at the Search and Follow-up Department or any of the service centres at Umm Salal, Al Rayyan, Mesaimeer, Al Wakra, or Umm Sanim that receive requests to transfer from one employer to another.
With regard to establishments (residency violators and violators of work visas), MOI explained that the unified service centres and the Search and Follow-Up Department receive requests to correct the status of expatriates who violate residency and work visas as well as reconciliation requests. As for requests for residency issuance and renewal for the same employer, they are received in all service centres.
In the case of individuals, domestic worker violators and the like, and family residence violators, the reduction of the reconciliation amount includes failure to complete the procedures for the residence permit for the expatriate or not to renew it.
Meanwhile, reconciliation applications for issuance and renewal of residence permits under the existing employer shall be submitted at any of the service centres at Al Shamal, Al Khor, Al Daayen, Umm Salal, The Pearl, Onaiza, Souq Waqif, Al Rayyan, Umm Senaim, Al Sheehaniya, Mesaimeer, Al Wakra or Dukhan.
The ministry called on all categories benefiting from the offer to correct their status, which include expatriates and companies, to visit the aforementioned department or centres, during the extended period from 1- 6 pm.
MoI urged expatriates to abide by the specified period to benefit from the reconciliation, and avoid facing legal charges.
The following categories can benefit from the grace period:
Expatriates who violated the residency rules (companies)
Expatriates who violated the work visa rules
Domestic workers and the likes who have violated the law
Expatriates who violated family residencies
According to the last released figures, the MoI received more than 28,000 requests from workers, while 8,227 people have returned to their countries, and 6,000 people have regularised their papers and legalized their status.
Initially, the MoI had set the end of the grace period to December 31, 2021, but now it has been extended to March 31, 2022. The latest extension comes as positive news for the community.
The Ministry has urged expats to take advantage of the extension and legalise their residency status.
