Dubai to have 70 smart visa centres by 2018 end

Dubai has witnessed the opening of 21 Amer centres to transact visas by the GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs), as it intends to do away with all typing centres where visa applications are being processed now. This is being done after they did not meet certain conditions, officials said on 3 March. The GDRFA stopped hundreds of typing centres from offering visa-related services, and they are being offered at Amer centres, the number of which will reach 70 by the end of 2018. Major-General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, director-general of the GDRFA, was quoted by Gulf News as saying that hereafter, Dubai residents would be able to complete residency and visa transactions at 21 Amer centres existing now. He said that they had already taken out visa services from most of the typing centres after they were given one-and-a-half years to adhere to the rules on space and facility requirements. These centres enable ease of transactions and improve efficiency by letting residents complete all residency and visa transactions without needing to visit the GDRFA. In the presence of many senior officials from various government bodies, Al Merri is said to have inspected six new Amer centres. He said that these centres would offer various services such as issuing or renewing residency visas, issuing entry permits, visa cancellation and other services related to visas provided by other government departments. According to Al Merri, 200 nationals of Emirates were already employed in these centres and the directorate is expecting employ 800 more in all 70 centres of Amer by the end of 2018 as part of their aim to develop and enlarge Amer services in different areas based on their specific needs. In May 2017, the first centre was opened in the city’s Al Muhaisnah 4 area. Other services and transactions to be provided at these centres will be of many other government institutions and organizations in Dubai, including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Health Authority and the Emirates Identity Authority. GDRFA Dubai’s intention was to achieve the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, said Al Merri with a view to make Dubai a model city to attain people’s happiness via innovative, smart initiatives and seven-star services. Major Salem Mohammad Bin Ali, GDRFA Dubai’s director of Amer Client Happiness Department, said a lot of people have conveyed their satisfaction that the Amer Centres services have provided. Bin Ali said that they wanted these centres to adhere to the UAE laws and maintain the reputation of the country of providing top-class services to customers. He said that about Amer centres had provided 91,453 visa transactions in the first two months of 2018. The GDRFA said it would respond to calls on 8005111 on all questions about Amer centres. Alternately, people could visit https://www.amer.ae/contact or contact the call centre to know more. If you are looking to travel to and from UAE, talk to Y-Axis, the world’s no.1 immigration and visa company, to apply for a visa.