UAE amnesty: Illegal Indian expat travels back home as a free man

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UAE amnesty: Illegal Indian expat travels back home as a free man

Sharjah - The resident left the UAE via an Emirates flight to Trivandrum International Airport in Kerala on Monday at 9:35pm.

By Amira Agarib

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Published: Wed 8 Aug 2018, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Tue 14 Aug 2018, 3:52 PM

An Indian man has travelled back to his home country after availing of the ongoing visa amnesty scheme, Khaleej Times has learnt. According to a representative of the Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (Sata), the resident left the UAE via an Emirates flight to Trivandrum International Airport in Kerala on Monday at 9:35pm.
The representative, Herman Nelson, said the agency has reserved travel tickets for "several" amnesty-seekers, but they will be issued only after the procedures are completed.
According to a representative of Air Arabia and Cosmo Travel, Mohamed Kasi, a Pakistani amnesty-seeker is all set to travel to his home country today.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Sharjah has issued over 150 exit permits since the amnesty scheme began on August 1.
Representatives of airlines and travel agencies have been stationed at the tents outside the Sharjah immigration department to help applicants book air tickets to their home countries after legalising their status. They said the demand for air tickets is high at the centre, "especially to India and Bangladesh".
Nelson said the agency issues air tickets only after applicants' exit permits are submitted.
Kasi said: "We have made 50 air ticket bookings so far. We can put the reservations on hold for 24 hours. If the applicant is unable to complete the procedure within this time period, the booking is cancelled."
A representative of Orient Travel Agency at the centre said they make between 15 to 20 air ticket bookings daily.
amira@khaleejtimes.com     
 


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