The UAE government has confirmed extending the validity of the residency and visit visas for expatriates in the country as travel and movement restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus may be extended globally. Those visas that have expired after March 1, 2020, will remain valid till December 2020, reported Gulf Today.

The government made the announcement during the daily update on the developments of the health situation and the preventive measures in the country, in which Brigadier Khamis Al Kaabi, of the Federal Authority For Identity and Citizenship, and Dr Farida Al Hosani, the official spokesman for the health sector in the UAE, spoke about the latest situation amid the pandemic.

Brigadier Khamis Al-Kaabi said, “We assure our clients of the necessity of completing their transactions through the smart services platform of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, and we are committed to the highest levels of quality in providing these services. @ICAUAE…”

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Al-Kaabi said a set of decisions has been taken to relieve the residents of the state from the effects of the international measures taken in the face of the outbreak of the coronavirus.

He said the expatriate residency, whether they are inside or outside the country, will be considered valid until the end of December of this year, when its expiry date occurred after the 1st of March 2020.

Visas and entry permits for those inside the country are valid until the end of December of this year, when it ends on the date after the first of March 2020. All ID cards ending on March 1 of this year will be valid until the end of December 2020.

Al-Kaabi said “We affirm in the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship our absolute commitment to all segments of society, including citizens, residents, and visitors, and our willingness to receive their inquiries through the communication channels announced on the official website of the authority.”

Moreover, tourists in the UAE who have remained in the country due to travel restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in March 2020, will also have their visit visas extended until the end of December 2020.

The UAE government’s decision to extend the visas acts as a relief for all residents and tourists stranded amid the precautionary measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.9 million people are infected with the novel coronavirus worldwide, of which 4,521 cases have been recorded in the UAE.