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Pay your traffic fines if you want to renew your residential visa

A source at the ministry said the regulation may further include bank defaulters, particularly credit card holders who have not paid off their debts.

If you have not paid your traffic fines, your visa will not be renewed. This is the gist of a new regulation that though in place for months was officially announced by the Ministry of Interior on Monday.

Deputy Director-General for the Legal Council at the Ministry of Interior for Immigration, Residency and Ports Affairs, Brigadier General Dr Rashid Sultan Al Kidhr said in a statement that those who have not paid their traffic violation fines will not be able to renew their residential permits. “Clear your traffic fines first and then come for the renewal of (your) residence permit,” Dr Al Kidhr said.

Residents say the regulation, though officially announced on Monday, has been in place for several months.

“Two months ago I went for my visa renewal and was asked to pay traffic fines first. So I rushed to the nearest traffic department in Al Ghantoot,” said Ishaque Ahmed, a private company employee.

Dr Al Kidhr said traffic violation payment is now linked with the immigration department at the federal level: “If you have traffic violation fines, you will not be able to renew your visa or benefit from any other immigration-related transactions,” he explained.

The official also said traffic regulation violators will not be allowed to leave the country and will be stopped at the immigration counters at air and sea ports unless their fines are cleared. “Now we have the traffic and immigration system linked with all the data system online.”

He further said all the departments concerned have been notified about the new regulation and asked to update their data system.

A source at the ministry said the regulation may further include bank defaulters, particularly credit card holders who have not paid off their debts.

Dr Al Kidhr said the ministry was considering expanding the recovery of fines to all kinds of immigration and other government transactions. “Recovery of fines will be added to all government departments. The traffic violation fine recovery is the just start. No one will be spared,” he added.

“Those who fail to pay their traffic fines may also have their accommodation contracts cancelled. People cancelling their residential contracts and leaving the country have to prove they have no liabilities at the traffic department if they have vehicles registered in their names. Every detail will be in the centralised data shared by the immigration and other departments.”

nissar@khaleejtimes.com