File photo used for representation only
Officials at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) have warned residents not to wait for last-minute rush concerning the grace period to correct their residence permit or departure from Qatar.
Speaking at a webinar “Grace Period for the violators of the Law No. 21/2015, which regulates the entry, exit, and residence of the expatriates in Qatar” yesterday, Captain Kamal Tahir Al Tairi from MoI's Search and Follow Up Department and Captain Muhammed Ali Al Rashid from the Unified Services Department urged the participants, particularly community leaders, to pass the message to their members who have violated the law to correct their status before the amnesty period concludes on March 31.
Captain Kamal said, “We have about three weeks to the end of the grace period. Those who have violated the law should approach us to process the papers to correct their status. They should take advantage of this period because after the period finishes, the legal actions will come back into effect.”
He said MoI observed many last-minute applications before the initial end of the grace period on December 31, 2021.
“When the first phase of the grace period was ending on December 31, 2021, people were coming one or two weeks before, and we couldn’t finish the process. Those in need of this service should come to the Search and Follow-Up Department or the service centres, and we will guide and assist them in all the procedures they need to take,” he added.
The officials said residents should not be afraid to approach the designated government entities regarding the grace period.
The Ministry has provided all facilities for violators to correct their legal status while inside the country by transferring from one employer to another or by leaving the country of their volition, exempting them from all consequences of legal responsibility.
The amnesty beneficiaries can approach the Search and Follow Up Department reception hall from Sunday to Thursday between 1pm and 6pm. After the travel permit is issued, they must travel within ten days. On the other hand, expatriates who wish to stay inside the country after correcting their status can approach any of the five MoI service centres in Umm Salal, Al Rayyan, Mesaimeer, Al Wakra, and Umm Senaim.
The MoI recently announced that it had received more than 28,476 requests from workers, while 8,227 people have returned to their countries. Besides, 6,000 people have regularised their papers and legalised their status.
