'New lease on life': UAE's visa waiver brings Sudanese back from the brink

Khaleej Times

20-05-2025

A mother of three, whose family faced over Dh18,000 in visa overstay fines, is among the many who have found a new lease of life after the UAE announced a full waiver of residency and tourist visa violations for Sudanese.
The waiver, effective from May 19, 2025, through the end of the year, comes as part of the UAE's ongoing efforts to support those displaced by the conflict in Sudan.
Om Hanin, who arrived in the UAE in July 2023 after fleeing the war in Khartoum, said her family had overstayed for three months and was drowning in fines. "We didn't know how we would ever pay. Every day felt heavier than the last," she recalled. Her children, too young to understand the legal weight of their situation, watched as their mother struggled to hold the family together in a foreign land.
Her husband, she said, was left behind in Sudan after refusing to abandon his elderly mother, who was unable to travel. "He stayed for her. Then one day, he left to get food from a nearby town and never returned. We haven't heard from him since."
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) decision to waive all overstay fines has brought financial relief and emotional reprieve for families like hers.
Another Sudanese expat, Mohamed Issam, had been preparing to fly back to Port Sudan to make his way to Khartoum, which began stabilising in March.
"A lot of Sudanese started going back," he explained. "But what stopped me was my fines. I had over Dh6,000 in fines, and I was going to borrow the money from a friend to fix my visa before travelling."
His plans were disrupted when the Port Sudan airport recently came under attack. "That means I'm still here, but at least my fines will be waived," he said. Mohamed sees the visa waiver as "divine mercy" and is now focused on finding employment in the finance sector to rebuild his life.
The news has also brought hope to those on the frontlines of helping affected Sudanese in the UAE. Mr Awad Allah, who runs a typing centre in Deira, said he sees dozens of Sudanese residents daily looking for guidance. "Whenever it feels like doors are closing, the UAE opens another with even more mercy," he said. "People come to us desperate, not just for paperwork help but for reassurance that they're not alone."
Awad Allah, who also maintains a popular TikTok account sharing updates on Sudanese residency issues, recounted a moment from a recent livestream.
"Two days ago, a man joined the live and shared his hope that the UAE would extend its support by offering the amnesty so he could renew his Crisis & Disaster Countries Visa for his family.
"This waiver is not just about fines," Awad added. "It's about hope. The Sudanese people here are in real need, and this gives them more than time, it gives them dignity."
Sudanese expats are strongly encouraged to begin their application process as early as May 19 through ICP's online services and regularise their visa status without penalty.
Ongoing conflict in Sudan
The visa fine waiver comes amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The fighting has devastated cities like Khartoum and displaced millions internally and across borders. Many Sudanese fled with little notice, leaving behind essential documents and facing uncertain futures in foreign countries.
UAE haven during regional instability
The UAE has consistently extended humanitarian support to those affected by the crisis. In 2023, Dubai and Sharjah airports became temporary havens for Sudanese passengers stranded in the country due to the closure of Khartoum Airport and flight cancellations.
On April 25, 2023, Khaleej Times reported that 13 Sudanese passengers were stranded at Sharjah International Airport due to the conflict. The Sharjah Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management Team (ECDMT) provided the travellers with temporary accommodations and necessary care. Dubai Airports also extended support to Sudanese transit passengers affected by flight cancellations. Passengers who had flown into the Emirate from different countries were offered temporary accommodation until they could travel to Khartoum or choose to fly to other destinations.
Authorities offered visa flexibility, shelter, and assistance to those unable to continue their journeys due to closed airspace and grounded flights. The new fine waiver builds on these earlier efforts, reinforcing the UAE's role as a haven during times of regional instability.