By Sanaullah Ataullah and Sidi Mohamed
DOHA: Many expatriates staying in the country illegally have turned up at the Search and Follow-Up Department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) since last afternoon to take advantage of the three-month amnesty which came into force yesterday.
The inflow of people started at around noon, much ahead of the schedule given by the authorities, and police officers were found screening the visitors at the reception area of the department.
Those who came with all required documents were able to complete procedures within a few hours, while others were turned back. They were asked to come again with necessary papers.
Once procedures are complete, the amnesty seeker will get an exit permit to leave the country.
Department sources have indicated that they can come back to the country if they were not involved in any serious offences.
The ministry has issued a list of documents required for submitting an application for departing the country during the amnesty period.
The list in various languages is being circulated among expatriate communities and the embassies.
The requirements include a valid passport, a travel document issued by the embassy in case the passport is not available, ID card or copy of entry visa, and an open air ticket or one with a booking after three days.
Applications are received from 2pm to 8pm from Sunday to Thursday every week. The amnesty ends on December 1. A Bangladeshi amnesty seeker said he had come to know about the amnesty through Facebook.
He had been working for several years on a “free visa”, paying a fixed amount to the sponsor every month. Late last year, he fell sick and needed a surgery for appendicitis. The sponsor asked him to go home but he refused because his visa was still valid and he could get treatment at Hamad General Hospital (HGH).
The sponsor filed a complaint at the department saying the worker had run away. However, he got admitted at HGH through a referral from a health centre and underwent the surgery successfully.
“My visa expired on January 18 this year and I was planning to leave the country using my medical report. A relative informed me about the amnesty through Facebook and I decided to avail of this opportunity on the first day,” he said.
He said he came in the afternoon with all required documents, including an open air ticket, and completed procedures by 6pm. “They gave me an exit permit and asked me to go to the airport directly,” he said.
There were another three amnesty seeking Bangladeshi workers, who were hired by a construction company about nine months ago. Each of them paid a hefty amount for their visa but the company failed to secure them a residency permit.
“We worked for nine months and got the salary for six months. We have realised that we can neither get an RP nor be transferred to another employer.
“So we decided to take advantage of this opportunity although we have not gained anything. We don’t have the money to pay back our loans back home,” said a worker.
A Sri Lankan amnesty seeker said he had come to work as a driver in a house but ran away after he got the driving licence. “I worked more than six months and I don’t want to go back to my sponsor. So I decided to leave,” he said.
An African national said he had come to Qatar two years ago and spent almost half of the period without a valid visa and residency permit.
A few women also turned up yesterday, including two Africans. Some of the amnesty seekers came accompanied by representatives from their sponsoring companies and some were seen carrying baggage, all prepared for departure.
An official at the department said amnesty seekers can complete formalities very fast if they come with all required documents.
The Peninsula
