Indian Embassy lists 4,497 passports online
Amnesty-seekers can access passports received from 2011 to 2016 without having to visit the mission
The Indian Embassy received 4,497 passports of Indians from the UAE authorities from 2011 to 2016, a senior Indian Embassy official said yesterday.
Employers must have submitted the passports to the UAE authorities after their employees absconded and businesses were closed down, said the official, on condition of anonymity.
Since most passport-owners could be still living in the UAE, they can take advantage of the amnesty granted by the UAE from August 1 to October 31.
For the benefit of these amnesty-seekers, the embassy has published the list of all 4,497 passports on its website (www.indembassyuae.gov.in/docs/1.pdf), so people can access it without having to visit the embassy in person.
Since 2017, the embassy has not received such passports from UAE authorities. Therefore, Indians who lost possession of their passports since then have to approach amnesty centres, the official said.
The list indicates that some have already collected their passports from the embassy. However, most of them are yet to come forward and collect it, to either go back home or regularise their status without paying any fines during the amnesty period. “We have shared the list of passports with all Indian community organisations in Abu Dhabi, which can help people who do not have internet access,” the official said.
He said the embassy has been coordinating with all community organisations, including the informal groupings that represent different regions of India. “People tend to be in touch with community leaders from their own region and they can help and guide amnesty seekers,” the official said.
The embassy has stepped up efforts to raise awareness about the need to avail of amnesty.
A mobile number at the embassy (050-8995583) and a tollfree number (80046342) of the Indian Workers Resource Centre, a support centre established by the embassy, will answer enquiries round-the-clock.
The embassy has also created a dedicated email ID (indemb.uaeamnesty18@gmail.com) for this purpose.
As Gulf News reported, the five Indian organisations registered with the UAE Government set up help desks to assist amnesty seekers.