DNRD calls on the public to be vigilant against visa confidence tricksters

The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) has appealed to the general public to be increasingly vigilant against groups involved in the production and sale of counterfeit visas for entry into the UAE.

Recent investigations conducted by Investigation and Control section at Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department, lifted the lid on groups engaged in the production and sale of fake employment and visit visas.

The  members of these groups befriend individuals and offer them a chance to buy an employment or a visit visa. They then print the details of the person seeking entry into the UAE on a fake blank pink colour visa sheet and sell the fake document at rates between Dhs 3500 to Dhs 5000. Authorities had recently apprehended individuals involved in the racket and recovered 58 fake visas and Dhs 39,900 in cash from them.

The counterfeits are easily recognisable because of the inferior quality of the paper and the absence of many embedded security features that form an important part of an authentic visa.

Brigadier Saeed bin Belailah, Director, DNRD, said: "Expatriates benefit from the flexible laws and regulations set to obtain either employment or visit visas. Competent individuals, in accordance to the UAE laws and regulations, can apply for visas through the legitimate channels only.

The general public are advised to be on guard against anyone who claims they could get him or her visas upon payment. They are also urged to report incidents involving individuals promising visas for sale or the share their knowledge of such illegal activity with the DNRD."

"The DRND has put in place sophisticated systems to detect and prevent people possessing counterfeit visas from entering the country. DNRD aims to work with the members of the general public to curb such illegal activity.

The members of the public are urged to contact the DNRD to check the authenticity of the visas obtained by them and to report any abuse," added Bin Belailah.

Lt. Col. Rashid Bakhit Al Jumairi, Assistant Director, Investigation and Control section, said: "We are committed to rooting out this illegal activity and protect members of the general public who lack the knowledge of proper legal procedures to obtain a visa from being swindled. We are issuing a stern warning against individuals who are involved in this practice, to let them know that the DNRD will spare no expense in tracking down the perpetrators and bring them to book."