(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A Pakistani family, who has been living illegally in the UAE for nearly four decades, have had a total of Dh3.7million worth of fines waived off, thanks to the country's immigration amnesty programme.
The Pakistani mother was born in the UAE in 1979, however, her parents did not obtain a birth certificate, passport or a visa for her. For 39 years, she lived illegally in Ajman and her four daughters have also been living illegally since they were born and have never been to school.
Najm Hassan, the husband of the woman, approached the amnesty tent in Ajman yesterday with their case. He spoke to Khaleej Times on the family's ordeal and how they hope to start over once their status has been rectified. Hassan is a Bangladeshi national and is a legal in the country. He married the Pakistani woman in 1996 and has four daughters with her, aged from six to 21-years-old.
"When I married her, I also did not know that she did not have a passport or a visa. Then, we had our children and it was impossible to get them admissions into school - they ask for legal documents of both parents. Five years ago, we managed to get my wife a passport, but, we couldn't get her a visa because the fines were really high," Hassan said.
"We have been tutoring our daughters at home. They've never been to school. It's not a life we imagined we would have or wanted to give to our daughters, but, the legal situation was so bad that we couldn't see a way out of it. My daughters are really intelligent and ambitious and dream of a brighter future."
Hassan said his daughters hope to get the necessary high school completion certificates or diplomas once their status has been rectified.
"My youngest daughter is only six-years-old and if she becomes legal, she can go to KG2 or Grade One. Her education will be on track and she can have a bright future," Hassan said.
"My other daughters want to get a completion certificate and they are also nearing the age for marriage."
"It's been really difficult for us. There has been severe depression that my daughters have been battling. If you are not going to school and getting a proper education, it creates so many problems. This is a very great opportunity for us to start again. I've always been legal in the country, but, seeing my wife and children suffer, has been very difficult."
Hassan's family isn't the only ones in the UAE who have been living in the country illegally for decades. Khaleej Times has highlighted unfortunate cases of several families since the amnesty started on August 1, including the story of a 10-year-old Indian girl who hasn't stepped out of her tin-roofed home in Abu Dhabi in several years. Another one was of a family in the capital, whose five children have never attended school.
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