New hotel-like centre for residence visa violators opens

New hotel-like centre for residence visa violators opens

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai inaugurated a dedicated centre to accommodate residency violators. The centre, located in Al Awir, is built on an area of 16,731 square metres according to international standards. It provides hotel-like accommodations for violators who have become aliens in the UAE because their residency visa expired. Major-General Muhammad Al Marri, the Director-General of the General Administration of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, said: "The centre is provided with state-of-the-art amenities for inmates, during their stay there, which, usually, doesn't exceed 14 days, except under extreme circumstances." He said the construction work for the centre had started in 2015, and the facility was ready by the beginning of 2018. The old shelter home could accommodate 500 inmates, which was equally divided between men and women. The new construction can house 1,288 inmates, including 735 and 553 men and women, respectively. At present, the facility has 11 men and an equal number of women occupants. Additional features in the building include accommodation for visitors and 13 counters to handle their belongings such as luggage, tickets, cash, etc. There is a dedicated counter for visitors who can avail of dnata's travel services, including DUBZ,