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Applicants must submit utility bill and landline telephone number

Abu Dhabi: Residents of Abu Dhabi who wish to renew their residency permits are obliged to submit a valid tenancy agreement in addition to their recent residency’s utility bill. The resident should also list the landline phone number of his or her residence at the time of application.

The new rule was issued by the General Department of Naturalisation and Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi and it covers all the applicants for renewal of residency permits in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as of June 1, 2012, official from the department told Gulf News.

He said the implementation of the new rule is based on a decision by the Ministry of Interior to make sure the department’s records are up to date.

“The objectives of the new rule are to make sure that the families and individuals are provided with suitable housing and to help the authorities have sufficient information about the housing of each person. The third reason is to facilitate collection of data for statistical purposes,” the official said.

He confirmed that the tenant has to have a landline telephone in his name in addition to a mobile phone number.

He said in case of group executive bachelors living in one flat, the names of all the residents should be listed in the tenancy contract of their flat with one of them owning the landline. One of the names in the tenancy contract can also be the one who subscribe for the electricity and water.

‘Security reasons’

“This will provide the government with sufficient information about where families live and where bachelors reside for security reasons. It will help in setting up policies for safety and security of the community and safeguarding a balanced demographic distribution,” reiterated the official.

The condition to provide housing contracts is not limited to heads of households, but also includes individuals who have to provide proof of their place of residence including valid lease agreements, continued the official.

As for the people who are aged over 60, the employers’ approval is a must to renew their residency to make sure they get health insurance.

“Consent of the employer for the renewal of those over the age of 60 years is a must and a copy of their ID card or registration receipt should also be provided for this purpose,” he said.

This also applies to those who live in Abu Dhabi but work in other emirates, he said.

Documents needed to renew residency include a valid passport, a renewal of residency application form stamped by the company, a copy of the former residency, health certificate from the preventive medicine department, a copy of the health insurance card, a copy of the commercial licence of the entity if it is a private company, a valid lease agreement, the last paid water and electricity bill, a copy of the identity card or registration receipt, and an accredited marriage contract for families, said the official.

As for employees in the public sector, a valid passport, a renewal of residency application stamped by the sponsor, a copy of the former residency, health certificate from the preventive medicine department and a copy of the health insurance card are needed, he concluded.