NADRA asked to take action against overstaying foreigners

ISLAMABAD: Interior ministry has penned a letter to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) regarding the ending of the amnesty scheme for foreigners ‘illegally’ staying in Pakistan.

As per details, the NADRA has been asked to fine and blacklist the overstaying foreigners as the amnesty scheme will be expired on December 31.

The amnesty scheme for overstaying foreigners is expiring on December 31, 2022, and was introduced by the Ministry of Interior on July 29 to temporarily permit the stay of illegal expatriates.

The interior ministry wrote a letter to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) regarding the amnesty scheme for overstaying foreigners to exit Pakistan.

It stated that the cutoff date of the general amnesty scheme for overstaying foreigners to exit Pakistan is December 31, 2022.

The interior ministry further asked the NADRA to revert to the existing policy. It added NADRA should start collecting the overstay charges for exit permits from January 1, 2023, from foreigners for an overstay period of more than one year.

The federal government had introduced the amnesty scheme for foreigners, restricting the payment of hefty fines for getting their exit permits.

As per the Foreigners Act 1946, a three-year sentence can be awarded to overstaying foreigners.