The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai announced that its offices will be closed on Sunday, September 15, in observance of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Khaleej Times reported. The authority encouraged individuals looking to regularise their status or leave the UAE to take advantage of the available period before the holiday.
Services will resume on Monday, September 16, at the Status Regularisation Centre in Al Awir from 8am to 8pm throughout the week, except Fridays, when it will operate from 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 8pm. Additionally, 86 Amer Centres in Dubai will follow their usual working hours.
The UAE’s visa amnesty, which began on September 1, has already helped thousands of illegal residents either regularise their status or exit the country. The first day of the scheme saw skilled workers securing jobs, large fines being waived, and families receiving proper documentation after years of living without it.