ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Valid UAE resident visa holders who have been stranded elsewhere after the government suspended all flights back in March may now return to the country.
This is great news for thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were in the Philippines on vacation or business trips when the flight suspensions were imposed on March 24, 2020. The new policy directive aims to bring nearly 200,000 people back to the country, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
“The return of foreign nationals to the country is part of the UAE’s humanitarian efforts in light of the current crisis. The focus will be on residents – representing 50% of the total of the current phase – to be reunited with their families,” WAM quoted Khalid Abdullah Humaid Belhoul, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) as saying in a media advisory issued today, June 13, 2020.
It also quoted Major General Mansour Ahmed Al Dhaheri, Director General of Identity at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC), as saying that: “This initiative came in implementation of the wise leadership’s directives to enable residents abroad to return to the UAE as part of a gradual return to normalcy.”
The application process
Returning UAE resident visa holders should register with the “Residents’ Entry Permit” service on the FAIC website (smartservices.ica.gov.ae.), and all requests will be answered within 48 hours, said the WAM advisory.
Upon receiving approval by e-mail from FAIC, the next step is for them to book a return ticket on the UAE national carriers or other airlines operating flights to the country.
Safety measures
Following arrival, returning resident visa holders will undergo a COVID-19 test and must self-isolate at home or undergo an institutional quarantine for a period of 14 days. Also, an approved app to track their health status will be used for public safety.
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