Can UAE residents get visa extension on humanitarian grounds?

Dubai - My wife cannot travel at this stage of pregnancy.

My Abu Dhabi-based company has been blacklisted at the labour department due to non-compliance with the Wage Protection System. Therefore, it is unable to renew its employees' documents. My visa and Emirates ID expired on May 20, 2019. My wife is days away from delivery and her visa expires in a few days. My question is this: In such a situation, how do I secure the documents for my newborn? My wife cannot travel at this stage of pregnancy. Is there a way that my case be considered on a humanitarian basis?

Pursuant to your queries, a husband in the UAE has to submit his and his wife's original passport, passport copies, valid residence page, UAE emirates ID, legalised marriage certificate and legal Arabic version of the marriage certificate to the hospital concerned in the UAE where his wife will be admitted to deliver a child. Further, he may also have to submit the copy of tenancy contract and recent utility bill. Since your UAE residence visa is already expired, you may file an application in the court which has jurisdiction to hear your matter to allow you to cancel your work permit with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiritisation and your residence visa with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Abu Dhabi. Thereafter, you may avail of a residence visa through your new employer. However, if you are not able to avail new employment before or within a few days prior to your wife's expected delivery of child, you may approach the hospital where your wife will be admitted for pregnancy and request them to provide necessary requirements and support which will enable her to deliver in the UAE on humanitarian grounds. Further, you may also approach the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and Ministry of Interior - Child Protection Centre in Abu Dhabi which may consider your case on humanitarian grounds.

On the other hand, your newborn child's birth certificate, passport, UAE residence visa, Emirates ID and medical insurance need to be arranged within 120 days of birth in the UAE. Further, you need to obtain the birth certificate(s) of your new born child attested by the Ministry of Health and Prevention or by HAAD and by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Keeping this in mind, you and your wife should legalise your residence status in the UAE at the earliest or before the lapse of 120 days after your child's birth so that will enable you to secure aforementioned legal documents for your newborn child.

You should contact the relevant government department in Abu Dhabi to seek further advise from them.
 
Ashish Mehta is the founder and managing partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates, Dubai. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.

• Abu Dhabi