The passport validity required to avail of the UAE visa amnesty programme has been reduced from six months to one month, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) announced on Tuesday.

Maj-Gen Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, ICP director-general, said the amendment “will enable violators to amend their status without the need to renew their passports if their validity period is less than six months as was the case before the issuance of the new decision. This will allow violators to overcome the challenge related to the long period of time required to renew passports through the embassies present in the country."

Al Khaili added the decision will encourage visa violators “to amend their status and take advantage of the two-month amnesty programme which runs until October 31".

Launched on September 1, the amnesty is aimed at “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 with the appropriate visa.

Al Khaili called on violators “to contact the ICP 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".