Dubai’s top immigration official has issued a clear reminder to residents: do not overstay your visa after losing employment. Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), emphasized that all individuals must strictly comply with immigration laws, even during uncertain job situations.
“If you follow the rules, no one will question you why you didn’t renew your residency visa. Nobody will come and ask you why you are overstaying,” Al Marri told reporters, as per Gulf News.
His comments come as UAE authorities continue to tighten enforcement of visa and residency regulations. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) revealed on Tuesday that over 32,000 people were apprehended between January and June 2025 for violating the Foreign Entry and Residency Law.
Addressing the common justification from job seekers, Al Marri said, “You say: ‘I lost my job here and I’m trying for another one.’ Okay, you try, but when you lose your job, there is a system.”
He clarified that individuals must leave the UAE upon job loss and seek new employment from abroad before re-entering. “You don’t have to do something against the rule,” he added. “If you follow the rule, all of us will be happy.”
