The UAE’s Amnesty Scheme, launched in September 2024 to regularize the status of undocumented expatriates, concludes today, December 31, 2024. Pakistani passport holders hope that the unannounced ban on visit and work visas will be lifted starting January 1, 2025.
Initially set to end on October 31, 2024, the Amnesty Scheme was extended for two more months to allow more individuals to benefit from its provisions. During this period, the UAE maintained a complete suspension of visit and work visas for Pakistani nationals.
The amnesty program has proven to be a significant success, with over 236,000 individuals in Dubai alone resolving their residency issues.
According to Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al Marri, director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, the initiative resulted in the issuance of 55,200 exit passes, alongside thousands of residency renewals and new permits.
As the amnesty concludes, many Pakistani nationals eagerly await updates regarding the visa ban and potential policy changes in the new year.
