UAE: Residency Permit Processing Time Reduced By 50%, Fines For Not Wearing Seat Belts

Measures have been taken to cut processing time by 50 per cent to issue residency permits for private sector employees.

The Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Health and Prevention, and Human Resources and Emiratisation and Emirates Identity Authority have collaborated for this initiative.

The move is part of the world’s first government accelerators, a new government approach that will accelerate the achievement of the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021.

Launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the accelerators have multiple tasks and responsibilities to boost the pace for achieving the goals of the National Agenda and projects.

The government bodies will also be tasked with implementing joint projects in record time to transform government services to advanced standards by 2021.

Dr Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for Health Centres and Clinics, Ministry of Health, said the ministry has established the happiness station at the Ajman Preventive Medicine Centre with other partners to streamline the process of issuing the residency permits.

Meanwhile, Taxi drivers should not get moving unless all passengers fasten their seat belts, a top police official said

After the stringent seat belt law came into effect on July 1, many taxi drivers have expressed concerns about whether they will be fined for carrying passengers who refuse to wear the seat belt.

Major-General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Assistant Commander-in Chief for Operational Affairs at Dubai Police and Director of the Federal Traffic Council, said that taxi drivers can ask the passengers to wear the seat belt and if they refuse, they have the right to not start the ride.

Taxi drivers should be aware that all passengers need to wear the seat belt. If a passenger refuses, the driver has the right to not move the vehicle until the passenger complies, Maj-Gen Al Zafein said.

He advised all drivers to educate their passengers of the fact that a refusal to wear the seat belt can lead to a Dh400 fine for the driver.

The driver is the captain of the vehicle and he must control everything inside. Taxi drivers can persuade passengers even in the rear seats to wear the seat belt. Otherwise, they will be fined, he added.

He claimed the officers will first warn the passengers who are not wearing seat belts in the backseat before issuing a Dh400 fine, The fine must be in the presence of a policeman, not in absentia.

In the first three days of the new law coming into effect, police issued nine fines to passengers not wearing seat belts in the backseat.

Meanwhile, Maj-Gen Al Zafein, said they will coordinate with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to provide extra child car seats in the taxis for families with more than one child under the age of four.

We will speak with RTA to provide child seats in taxis in Dubai and will see if this suggestion works. These child seats need to be placed in the trunk of the car so that it can be used at the time of need, he said.

Maj-Gen Al Zafein urged mothers to sit in the rear seats if they are carrying a newborn baby to ensure the safety of the baby.

I don’t know why some mothers insist on sitting in the front seat, with their baby in their lap. They must sit in the back and put the child on their lap, he said.

On Thursday, the RTA issued an advisory to all taxi franchises and limousine operators to provide child car seats at all times.