A campaign by the UAE to offer support for visitors and residents facing visa issues was brought to an early end following large crowds of people attending a planned pop-up event.
The UAE’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) created the pop-up at Deira City Centre, where it planned three days of support and invited people to come forward if they have issues or questions about visa status.
Officials and staff had planned to be at Deira City Centre from February 25 to February 27, between 10am and 10pm. However, following an overwhelming uptake, the GDRFA event was brought to a close after just one morning.
Huge crowds were seen at the shopping mall location in Dubai, before the support event was brought to an early conclusion.
The GDRFA shared a social media post explaining that the awareness campaign would be moved to a new location at a future date.
Declaring the “first phase” of the campaign a success and completed, the post thanked Deira City Centre’s management for their contribution.
The message read: “The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai has successfully completed in the first phase of its awareness campaign, ‘A Homeland for All’.
“We extend our appreciation to the Deira City Centre management for their valuable contribution.
“Stay tuned for the upcoming second phase and a new site location to be announced soon. Your encouragement is the key to our success. We’re committed to making you happy.”
Before the event, Lieutenant-Colonel Salem bin Ali, Director of the Client Happiness Department at GDRFA told ARN radio: “Our staff will be there to help people, to let people know what is the procedure if they have overstayed for one day, or overstayed for 10 years.
“Don’t be afraid to visit us. We are going to find a solution and, somehow, we are going to clear your problem.”
The GDRFA said the campaign is aimed at “promoting a culture of compliance with entry and residence laws” in the UAE.
Despite the original plan to run the event on February 26 and 27 the GDRFA pop-up at Deira City Centre is now closed. The directorate will announce a second phase of the awareness campaign in the near future.
