Authorities waive off over Dh20,000 fines for Filipina in UAE

Dubai - She overstayed in the country after leaving her sponsors six years ago.

Hundreds of runaway maids are rushing to immigration centres to modify their status without paying overstay fines under the UAE's three-month amnesty.
Speaking to Khaleej Times at Al Aweer immigration centre on Monday, domestic workers said they ran away from former sponsors due to mistreatment.
Filipina Jasmine Alvin, whose name has been changed for anonymity, said she has been overstaying in the country for five years after leaving her sponsors. "I worked up to 20 hours a day. I would sleep from 3:00am to 6:00am without a private bedroom, but just a partition in the living room," said Alvin.
She added: "Although I did everything in the house from cooking to washing, even working in their big family's house, we didn't agree on the terms of work as I wasn't given my full rights."
Alvin said she requested the family to take her to the embassy, but they refused. She had no other option but to leave and search for another job. Hearing about the amnesty, she decided to legalise her status to get a job as a helper in a school or cleaning company.
Under the amnesty, absconders can remove their names from the list by paying a fee. They are allowed to leave the country without paying fines or legalise their status if they have a job offer. They can apply for a six-month temporary visa to search for a new job.
At the immigration centre in Dubai, she was told to wait for the police to clear her absconding case after ensuring no criminal record. After four days, she can retain her passport from the embassy and go to Tasheel or Amer centre to apply for a new visa under a Dh521 fee without paying overstay fines.
"The amnesty allows us to be hired under legal means and preserves our rights." She added: "Those with lost passports were asked to apply for travel documents in the embassy."
She added that having a sponsor would help workers renew expired visa or stamp a new one.
Emirati Jamila Al Shehhi was at the centre to modify her helper's status after she ran away from a previous sponsor. "She doesn't have her passport, so we are still applying for her documents."
Al Shehhi said workers are allowed to renew their visa through Amer centres under a new sponsor or they can sponsor themselves for six months under a temporary job search visa.
A similar case to Alvin was Filipina Mary Joseph, whose name has also been changed to grant anonymity. Joseph said she overstayed in the country after leaving her sponsors six years ago when they refused to give her the salary for three months.
She added that after clearance and retaining her passport, she will apply for a new visa to gain a job with higher salary. Authorities removed over Dh20,000 worth of fines for her.
"To lift my ban, I would have had to pay over Dh10,000, and I had no money, which is why I didn't approach authorities. But the amnesty now gives me a new chance," said Joseph.
Filipina Jessa Madarang also said she left sponsors three years ago when they didn't allow her any control over her money. "They sent my salary straight to the Philippines. I wouldn't know how much was sent per month."
She added: "They also punished me sometimes by giving me no food." She left to work for an American family who gave her Dh1,500 a month, who are likely to be her new sponsors.
"I have three children back home and I had to find work to fund them. I'm happy I get to finally settle legally in the country," said Madarang.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com  
 

• UAE