A three-month grace period starting from May 18 has been provided to residency law violators to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was announced on Tuesday evening.

According to a report published in Khaleej Times, residency violators will be exempted from fines, including residents who overstay after their residence visas expired, as well as visitors who overstay their visit visas.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship staged an online media briefing to update ambassadors and consuls general accredited to the UAE about the latest news on the grace given to overstaying residents and visitors.

Major General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at the authority, said the coronavirus crisis had contributed to restricting movement of individuals to renew their residence visas. "In view of these exceptional conditions, a decision has been taken to exempt all residency and entry violators, provided that they want to leave the country and return to their countries," he said.

As per the decree, all administrative fines will be waived for illegal residents and everyone with expired residence and visit visas.

The move includes residency violators and those who violated entry and visa permits, including absconders from their sponsors, and violators of employment contracts and labour cards if the violation occured before March 1, 2020.

Maj. Gen Al Rashidi said that violators will not profit from these exemptions if they would like to adjust their status and remain in the UAE. The amnesty includes all illegal residents and visitors who want to leave the country. Fines for Identity card and from departure fees will be waived, as well as from cancellation of permits and renewal of labour permits. These categories can re-enter the country if they get new employment contracts, Al Rashidi said. A press conference was held on Thursday to explain more about the waiver and exemptions.