Dubai: The Philippine Embassy in the UAE has issued a stern warning to its citizens about fraudulent websites offering registration for the upcoming visa amnesty, which is set to begin on September 1. The embassy has received numerous reports of bogus text messages and emails containing links to these deceptive sites.
In a statement, the embassy urged the Filipino community to exercise caution and avoid sharing personal information on unverified platforms. It emphasized that the UAE government has yet to release official details about the amnesty program.
Previous amnesty programs
The upcoming amnesty will be the fourth of its kind since 2007. The last amnesty, conducted in 2018, saw the Philippine government allocate approximately Dh7.8 million to assist returning Filipinos with exit fees, lifting of absconding cases, airfares, and a modest welfare assistance of $100 per person.
The 2018 amnesty initially scheduled for 90 days was extended by two months to accommodate a larger number of residency violators.
Expected ease of process
Immigration officials have recently discussed plans to streamline the amnesty process through the implementation of smart systems.
Impact of previous amnesties
The 2007 amnesty witnessed a significant turnout of around 342,000 residents across the UAE, while the 2012/2013 amnesty attracted over 60,000 migrants. In 2018, the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) reported a total of 105,809 amnesty applications.
Official information pending
The Philippine Embassy has assured the public that it will continue to coordinate with UAE authorities and will release official advisories as soon as information becomes available.
The embassy strongly advises Filipinos to rely solely on official channels for accurate and up-to-date information regarding the visa amnesty program.