{"id":30418,"date":"2016-01-12T09:59:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-12T05:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.savoryandpartners.com\/?p=30418"},"modified":"2020-08-19T08:11:34","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T04:11:34","slug":"uaes-lebanese-expats-vent-anger-at-passport-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/old.savoryandparnters.com\/blog\/uaes-lebanese-expats-vent-anger-at-passport-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"UAE\u2019s Lebanese expats vent anger at passport changes"},"content":{"rendered":"

DUBAI \/\/ Lebanese expatriates with handwritten passports are upset at having to renew them for electronic versions they say they knew nothing about. <\/span>However, Lebanon\u2019s consul in Abu Dhabi, Hadi Hashem, said that the decision to change the passports was made public a year ago following a recommendation by the\u00a0<\/span>International Civil Aviation Organisation.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were not renewing passports in 2015 and, at the end of the year, we were only issuing new passports,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are trying to expedite the process by sending the passports to Beirut once a week every Thursday, instead of every two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

For expatriates in the UAE, it can take up to five weeks to get the new passport, while issuing one in Lebanon takes up to 48 hours. Mr Hashem said that the embassy or consulate would not confiscate people\u2019s current passports, which may carry a UAE residency visa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe old passport will remain with the individual until the new one is issued,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce it is issued, he or she will be handed the new one along with the cancelled passport.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, that is not the case if a citizen is going to Lebanon after January 20.\u00a0Holders of handwritten passport will find that their credentials are confiscated at Beirut\u2019s Rafic Hariri International Airport.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe person will be requested to head to general security and apply for a new passport,\u201d said Mr Hashem. \u201cHe will then receive his cancelled and new one at the same time\u201d.<\/p>\n

A passport valid for one year costs US$40 (Dh146), and for five years it costs $200 (Dh730). However, it was not clear whether a Lebanese passport holder would be able to travel to other countries. According to Mr Hashem, each country has its own regulations on whether to accept the passports or not.<\/p>\n

However, he added that by March it should be standard that every Lebanese citizen had a new, electronic passport.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are working hard and to the maximum to make sure that the passports are issued,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lebanese expats said they had to go to a great deal of trouble to get a new passport. \u201cIt\u2019s such an inconvenience because no one told us anything about it,\u201d said Thouraya Al Zougbi, 37. \u201cI recently found out from Facebook.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never know when an emergency arises and you have to travel.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ms Al Zougbi also said that it was odd that the Lebanese government was issuing electronic passports when other countries were adopting biometric passports. \u201cThere was talk of needing a biometric by 2017, which is confusing,\u201d she said. \u201cShould we now get a passport for one year or five years? Are they going to soon tell us that we have to pay for yet another passport that is biometric?\u201d<\/p>\n

For Lynn Al Khatib, 34, the matter remained confusing as she was unsure whether she could travel with her current passport. \u201cIt\u2019s just an inconvenience because either way I need to get another passport issued now,\u201d she said. \u201cI wish they had given us a longer notice period, and now I simply don\u2019t know if I can travel to other countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: The National<\/a><\/p>\n

Our Availability<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We are available on every channel convenient for you.<\/p>\n