DUBAI – The UAE will grant an amnesty to visa violators includingPakidtanis starting from August 1, a senior official said on Thursday.

Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi, Acting Director General of ForeignersAffairs and Ports Department at the Federal Authority for Identity andCitizenship, told *Gulf News* the amnesty will begin on August 1 andviolators will have the option to either rectify their legal status throughpaying nominal fees, or leave the UAE voluntarily without prosecution.

He added details of the amnesty dubbed “Protect Yourself via RectifyingYour Status” will be announced in a press conference soon.

In 2013, almost 62,000 illegal residents took advantage of the last visaamnesty, which ran for two months.

Al Rashedi said a toll free telephone number will be set up later to answerinquiries from members of the public about the amnesty and how to benefitfrom its provisions and the time granted to the violators.