New UAE rules on foreigners' passports validity out -- DoLE

MANILA, Philippines—The United Arab Emirates has come out with new passport rules for foreign workers and visitors, the Department of Labor and Employment said Tuesday.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said that in line with the new rules, the Philippine passport must be valid for not less than six months if the overseas Filipino workers have no UAE residence permit.

If the OFWs hold a UAE special entry permit or an employment visa, their Philippine passports must be valid for not less than three months, he said.

Without valid passports, Roque said, OFWs will not be granted a UAE entry permit or entry visa, which they need in order to enter the emirates and also return to the home country or any country which issued their passports.

He explained that an entry visa indicates the emirates' approval for the foreigner to enter the UAE; this approval is made on the OFW or visitor's passport allowing. This visa can be issued by a UAE embassy or consulate in the applicant's host country, or by the Naturalization and Residency Department in UAE.

An entry permit, on the other hand, is a special document issued to expatriates allowing them to enter UAE. It is issued only by the Emirates' Naturalization and Residency Department.

Roque said OFWs working in the UAE whether alone or accompanied by their families should follow the rules set by the UAE government concerning visas and entry permits to avoid problems that may hinder their jobs there.

He told the OFWs to ensure that their passports are valid. He advised those with expiring passports may apply for renewal with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City or at the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Roque thus reminded OFWs seeking or returning to their jobs in the UAE to check on the validity of their passports to avoid delay, which could adversely affect their employment there. - Veronica Uy, INQUIRER.net, August 26, 2008