ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Hamzah, a 25-year-old from Gujrat, Pakistan, arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year to work as a cleaner and repay his family debt. After losing his job due to visa complications, he was forced to spend three months homeless, though he has now secured a job at Dubai airport with his visa fines waived under the UAE amnesty scheme.

The UAE is home to 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates. Thousands of people from different parts of the world are expected to take advantage of the government’s two-month amnesty program, running from September 1 to October 31. The program allows visa violators, mostly from South Asia, to either regularize their status or leave without penalties.

The amnesty aims to reduce undocumented residents to enhance social stability and ensure compliance. For people like Hamzah, it offers a fresh opportunity to rebuild their lives by securing legal status and better jobs.

“I was one of the first beneficiaries of this scheme as after learning about the amnesty scheme, I went to one of the designated centers, and they immediately assisted me by arranging a job and waiving my fines,” he told Arab News over the phone from Dubai on Sunday.

He said he had been living on the streets for the past three months, often finding shelter near mosques after losing his job.

“I didn’t have enough money to afford a room, so I slept on the roadside most nights,” he continued.

As the sole breadwinner for his family in Pakistan, Hamzah’s situation grew increasingly desperate until a friend informed him about the amnesty scheme. Eager for a fresh start, he headed to the amnesty center a day before it was officially launched.

“I spent the night under the open sky, determined to be the first in line,” he said.

His perseverance paid off.

“They waived my fines and arranged a job for me to clean airplanes at Dubai airport,” he said gleefully. “The [UAE] government has given me a second chance, and I’m thankful for their support during this difficult time.”

Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in the UAE has extended its consular services by opening offices on Saturdays. Officials at the Pakistani mission say the extension has been beneficial for those with expired or lost travel documents, enabling them to fully utilize the amnesty period.

“The amnesty scheme announced by the UAE government represents a crucial opportunity for Pakistani nationals in the Emirates who have overstayed their visas or encountered other residency issues to regularize their status without penalties,” Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi told Arab News, saying the Pakistani community in the UAE had responded positively to the amnesty scheme.

He maintained that the initiative reflected the UAE leadership’s commitment to supporting the expatriate community by providing a legal pathway to resolve their residency challenges with dignity and honor.

“The Embassy of Pakistan urges fellow Pakistanis to benefit from this exceptional opportunity provided by the UAE government,” he continued.

Tirmizi said the amnesty scheme highlights the importance of compliance with local laws.

“By offering a legal recourse to many individuals, the scheme not only provides an invaluable opportunity for personal and legal renewal but also underscores the UAE leadership’s steadfast commitment to treating the expatriate community with compassion and providing them with an amicable environment to live in with dignity,” the ambassador said.

“We are extremely thankful to the UAE government for providing this generous opportunity,” he added.

Tirmizi said the UAE government had established facilitation centers at multiple locations for the amnesty scheme where Pakistanis could directly visit to have their issues resolved.

“If some Pakistanis have passport or out-pass related issues, they can approach the mission,” he said, adding that the Pakistani teams at the embassy and consulates were also visiting the designated centers to assist community members.