ABU DHABI: The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has decided to amend the passport validity period required as a condition for accepting a request to amend the status of violators from 6 months to only one month during the grace period for amending the status of violators that the Authority launched starting from September 1st for a period of two months.

This is to facilitate the task of amending the status of the violator, either by leaving the country without the entry ban stamp or obtaining a job opportunity and remaining in the country.

Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Authority, said that the validity period of passports for residency and visa violators, foreign-born children in the country and those listed on the administrative lists has been changed to one month only instead of 6 months to enable violators to amend their status without the need to renew their passports if their validity period is less than 6 months as was the case before the issuance of the new decision, which allows violators to overcome the challenge related to the long period of time required to renew passports through the embassies present in the country.

He confirmed that the decision represents a new advantage added to the advantages of exemption from fines granted by the grace period to violators to encourage them to amend their status and take advantage of the exceptional opportunity provided by the grace period for amending the situation, noting that amending the validity period of the passport accepted as a condition for completing the service will be applied during the grace period for amending the status only (September 1 - October 31, 2024).

Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili pointed out that the decision to amend the passport validity period reflects the Authority’s keenness to develop sound solutions to the challenges facing beneficiaries of the status amendment grace period, explaining that the Authority is keen to communicate with the targeted beneficiaries, get to know the pulse of the customers, know the challenges they face and develop solutions that help them overcome them within the limits of the powers granted to it in accordance with the law and approved legislation.

He also called on violators to contact the Authority’s call centre and raise their questions and inquiries and identify the challenges they face for the Authority’s concerned team to study and find solutions for them.