The UAE has passed a federal law on entry and residence of foreigners to impose hefty fines. This includes not just illegal infiltrators, but also those shelter them and facilitate illegal entry of foreigners.
The fine starts from Dh 100,000 and goes up to Dh 5 million for cases involving organised trafficking and multiple offenders. Besides they could get a minimum of two months in prison.
The effort is not just to tackle security threats, but also to ensure that visa holders comply with purpose for which their visa was issued.
This comes after the UAE recently stopped issuing visas to Pakistani citizens as many from the country were involved in criminal activities. Some of the Pakistani nationals entering the UAE on visit visa also engaged in beggary, Pakistan-based daily Dawn reported last month, citing officials.
Ordinary passport holders from Pakistan are now finding it difficult to gain entry permits as they face prolonged procedures and require special approvals.
In case foreigners use their visa for purposes other than intended, including working while on visit or tourist visa, they can attract a minimum fine of Dh 10,000. Depending on the offence, they could also get imprisoned.
The new federal law also criminalises forging of residency documents, which is now considered a direct threat to the the state security. Violators could face up to 10 years in prison and hefty penalties depending on the nature of the forged document and how it was misused.
