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28 March 2024

Parents not being denied visas: Ministry

Visas for parents are not are being processed at present. (FILE)

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By Staff

The Ministry of Interior has denied rumours that it has stopped issuing visas to the immediate relatives of expatriate residents.

Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Director-General of the Naturalisation and Residency Department, told Gulf News that visas are still being issued to immediate family members, and especially to parents.

According to a report in 'Emarat Al Youm', an official at the department, on condition of anonimity, has confirmed that visas for parents are not being processed at present, however, visas for wife and children are being accepted.   

Al Menhali said there had been no change in the UAE's naturalisation and residency laws. Applicants are required to deposit a guarantee of Dh5,000, in addition to the visa application fee.

Female sponsors

Similarly, the department has stopped accepting visa applications from female sponsors, said an applicant.

Ala’a Saeed, an employee with a foreign company in Abu Dhabi, said she bought her mother's long-term visit visa on August 20. "After two months I decided to change the visit visa to residence visa. But I was surprised as my application was rejected. I was told visas are now issued only for children and wife."

When Eman Refaat approached a typing institute to apply for her mother's residence visa, she was told by the typist that she must first get the approval from the Department of Naturalisation and Residency. She said: "I am the only breadwinner in my family after my father's death. My sister  works in the UAE, but she cannot sponsor our mother as her profession is not one on the eligible category list."

Waheeb Kojeho, an engineer, said: "My salary is Dh15,000. I brought my parents on residence visa a year ago as per the procedures. I also paid a bank guarantee of Dh5,000." But now he has failed to get a new visa and his parents visa is cancelled on the grounds that they overstayed outside the country for more than six consecutive months, he added.