Indian mission warns UAE jobseekers over visa status

Dubai:  The Indian mission in Dubai has warned people jobseekers to check their visa status with the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK), folllowing the deportation of 17 Indians who came into the UAE with fake employment visas in 2017.

Jobseekers can also verify the status of their visas on the Amer website or the labour department of the Consulate-General of India in Dubai ahead of their travels, the Khaleej Times quoted Consul-General Vipul as saying.

However, given the influx in victims of visa frauds, the consulate had also issued two advisories in 2017, Vipul said.

"One was regarding people who come into the UAE on visit visas and get stuck here as the promised job never materialises. Second, there have been a few cases of Indians travelling on so-called 'employment visas' that were essentially 'visit visas' changed on an image editing software," said Vipul.

"People must check the status of their visa before travelling. It is very easy," said Vipul. 

The visa statuses can be checked on the Dubai Tourism website as well. 

However, Vipul said in the last two-three months, no big visa fraud victim groups from the UAE has been repatriated. 

"About three to four months ago, a big group of Odiya workers, approximately 35-40 individuals, were repatriated by our labour department." 

He explained given the rise in these cases, the consulate is now working with the Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, to take strict action against fraudulent agents.

Approximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians constitute about 30 per cent of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, according to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.