(khaleejtimes.com) - DUBAI — Reports that visit visa holders are being restricted to entering the UAE only for four consecutive times are posing a new concern for Filipinos, said officials at the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) during the monthly community meeting on Friday.
While the issue was recently discussed formally, it had been talked about within the community for quite some time, causing serious concern for Filipino visitors, a majority of whom seek employment in the emirates. A study conducted last year disclosed that more than 500 Filipinos arrive in the UAE each day.
Although Brigadier Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) denied that any restrictions were imposed on the number of times people could come into UAE with visit visas, he said he was not aware of this particular report concerning Filipinos.
He further denied having received any official communication from Philippine Consul-General requesting for clarification of the immigration policy.
Meanwhile, Philippine Consul-General Antonio S. Curameng said he was informed about two weeks ago that four Filipinos were held and questioned at the Terminal 2 of the Dubai International Airport (DIA). The group had just arrived from a visa change trip to Kish Island.
"The immigration officer at the airport questioned them since their visit visas have been renewed several times. One of them has even been on visit visa for almost two years," said Curameng.
The group was eventually allowed to enter Dubai following PCG's intervention with DNRD, Curameng added.
Although working on visit visa is technically not permitted as per UAE laws, it is no secret that most tourists come to Dubai with the intention of looking for jobs. But if a person has been in the country for almost a year and has not secured an employment or residency visa, it could arouse the suspicion in the minds of immigration officials, commented an officer from the consulate's Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Section.
"The UAE visit visa is being abused by some tourists and leads to unscrupulous employers who often exploit tourists seeking jobs. This may probably be the reason why the Immigration is being more vigilant about visit visa renewals," added the source, who requested anonymity.
Curameng said the PCG has sent an official communication to the DNRD, requesting for a clarification of the immigration policy and is awaiting response.
"We do understand that we have to abide by the rules of our host country. But if the country has issued a visa to a tourist, the implementing immigration officer should honour that document. Otherwise, if they have a new policy on the limitation of entry for visit visa holders, it would be better not to issue visa to a tourist any more and just ask the applicant to go back to his country," the consul-general said.
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