Telugu people to benefit from Dubai amnesty

Thousands of Telugu illegal immigrant workers now settled in UAE will benefit from the amnesty announced by the local government.

An estimated four lakh illegal immigrant workers from Andhra Pradesh, particularly from Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts, live in this Gulf emirates. They live in pathetic condition. Now that the Dubai government has come out with the amnesty, at least a few thousand Telugus will stand benefited from the scheme.

The Consulate General of India received, as of July 12, 2007, 20,490 applications for Emergency Certificates (ECs). It has processed 8881 ECs. Many of them are from Andhra Pradesh. Of the 27000 passports received from the immigration authorities, the Consulate has distributed 6203 passports to the public.

Since the amnesty period is coming to an end in the first week of September, the Consulate will start issuing ECs in five working days. The Consulate will stop accepting fresh applications for ECs from 2nd August 2007.

The last date for applying of EC is July 31.