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Expats annoyed over rejection of visa applications for aged relatives
Several expatriates have expressed their disappointment over the recent regulation issued by the Immigration Department regarding refusal of visit visas to relatives aged 65years and above.
According to sources, although there is a near total ban on issuance of visas to aged parents of expatriates, there are cases wherein visas have been granted to relatives above 65 years of age.
A resident, whose application was rejected, told the media that it is very confusing, as sometimes visas are issued, but most of the time, the applications are rejected based on age limit. He revealed that it was for the third time now, that his mother’s visa application has been rejected, without any particular reason being said during each occasion, and only during the third time, he was told that it is due to the age factor.
The others said that despite numerous efforts made to sponsor their parents for short vacations, there has been no response. One of the residents, residing in Doha for ten years now, revealed that she has sought for a visit visa for her parents four times and on each occasion, she has been turned down on the basis of age. Meanwhile, a friend of hers, revealed that despite being a resident of Doha, after moving on to Dubai, she was refused to enter Qatar as she was over 60 years of age.
Even an Arab coupled expressed their unhappiness as their application to sponsor the wife’s parents for a short visit was refused due to age bar.
However, the residents are mystified, as there have been no clear guidelines governing the issuance of visit visas to old relatives.
In the meanwhile, few residents including Africans, Westerners and Asians said that their applications had never been rejected based on age. In fact, an African confirmed that his agreed that his aged parents visited him for three months, and visas were issued without any hassle.
Even a Western expat agrees that he had sponsored his 73-year old mother-in law, on a three month vacation and the entire process has been smooth.
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