Federal National Council slams visit-visas policy in the UAE

The UAE Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday criticised the Interior Ministry for issuing thousands of visit visas, which bring in scores of criminals and beggars and for lack of control of the free zones across the country.

 

FNC members argued that the Interior Ministry failed to ensure that only eligible visitors can obtain these visas and subsequently endangered the national security of the country.

 

Ali Majid Al Matroushi, a member from Ajman, said most of the illegals who benefited from the amnesty that ended in November last year were on visit visas.

 

"Scores of people who entered the country on visit visas turned out to be criminals who committed organised crime, murders and took to begging," he said.

 

He questioned the criteria for licensing tourist and other companies who are allowed to obtain visit and tourist visas and said the UAE has 1,800 tourist companies, most of whom are chasing profit and do not care about the country's national security.

 

He called for the development of a black point system for tourist companies to curb the illegal practice of trading in visas.

 

Yousuf Al Nuaimi, from Ras Al Khaimah, said free zones were misused by companies which flout regulations to bring in workers and get involved in money laundering.

 

"Companies operating in these zones are flouting all rules to achieve their illegal goals and obtain as many visas for workers which may not otherwise be obtained through ordinary rules."

 

Sultan Khalfan Sultan, a member from Umm Al Quwain, asked whether the Interior Ministry had any accurate statistics of illegal immigrants who failed to take advantage of the amnesty.

 

Khalid Hamad Bu Shehab, from Ajman, asked why visas were not issued by the country's embassies abroad.

 

Maisa Rashid Bin Ghadir, from Dubai, questioned the performance of ports and checkpoints and said the growing number of infiltrators shows there are loopholes which allow illegal immigrants to enter the country.

 

Minister says: 'There is a problem'

 

Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, agreed with members of the FNC that there is a problem in the visit visa system. He said the problem the UAE faces is that some countries issue documents to visitors who claim to be businessmen or tourists, but they turn out to be beggars or get involved in other crimes.

 

"Sometimes officials at the airports stop many such people only because they are not well-dressed and their appearance shows they can never be businessmen," Shaikh Saif said.

Shaikh Saif pledged to address the issue effectively in the near future.