DUBAI, 13 July 2007 — Amnesty seekers with criminal records will be given a life ban from entering the country, a senior immigration official said. “If an absconder/illegal resident is found to have a criminal record, then there is a chance to get a life ban stamped on their passports and they will not be able to enter the country again” said Brig. Mohammad Al-Merri, director general of the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD).
Merri made these comments during a visit to the Indian High School here where more than 30,000 passports of Indian nationals are being distributed following an amnesty, which ends on Sept. 2.
Sources at the Indian Consulate in Dubai said that they have completed processing all applications for Emergency Certificates (out passes) submitted to its collection centers up to June 30. “There will be special delivery of all such out passes from 9 a.m. on July 14 at the Indian High School, Dubai, and Indian Association Sharjah,” said Consul B.S. Mubarak.
Meanwhile, reports from India say that the Indian investigating agencies are keeping a close watch on amnesty seekers as they suspect that underworld gangsters or criminals linked to terrorist groups might take advantage of this occasion. They say that such people may use fake identity to get legal permission to enter India through various airports in the country.
As the Indian government wants to make sure that no non-Indian nationals enter the country by misusing the amnesty scheme, the government has arranged tight security checks at the airports — as many are arriving without passports.
However, India has withdrawn a recently issued regulation that barred Indian citizens returning home on amnesty from landing at most airports in the country. The restriction was imposed for security reasons because large numbers of people are returning from the UAE using emergency certificates.
