Crackdown on illegal stay

Manama : The authorities have taken strict measures in a bid to clamp down on expatriates staying illegally in the Kingdom. 

Over 3,500 violators have been apprehended and deported over the past three years, said Nationality, Passport & Residence Affairs (NPRA) Search and Follow-up Director Lt. Col Talal Nabeel Taqi.

He said that NPRA is actively following up residency violations by inspecting work sites. Among the 3,587 arrested and deported people, 967 were apprehended in 2013, 1,487 in 2014 and 1,133 in 2015, he added.

“In order to carry out the measures effectively, we have 29 officers and personnel assigned to carry out inspections. There is also an office that encourages illegal workers to seek voluntarily deportation in coordination with concerned authorities,” Lt. Col Taqi was quoted as saying in a recent report in Interior Ministry’s publication Al Amn. 

“We do this by carrying out surprise raids and regular campaigns at work sites and places where expats gather,” he said, adding that they carried out 759 inspection campaigns. “Of these, 190 campaigns were conducted in 2013, 303 in 2014 and 266 in 2015.”

A huge number of expatriates, who overstayed in Bahrain beyond their visa validity, were also apprehended.  “In recent years, 5,035 expatriates overstayed in Bahrain. Of these, 1,529 cases were reported in 2012, 1,785 in 2013 and 1,721 in 2014.”

Lt. Col. Taqi said the department deported 4,830 male convicts after they had served their sentences in 2015 and 4,415 male convicts in 2014. At the same time, 3,571 female convicts were deported in 2015 and 2,727 female convicts in 2014.

“The department also deported, in association with the Health Ministry, 395 expatriates in 2015 and 185 in 2014 for having contagious diseases,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col Taqi also cautioned employers against exploiting foreign workers. 

“Employers suspected of exploiting expatriate workers would be referred to the Public Prosecution and administrative procedures will be taken against them,” the official said.  

“If the contract of employment does not specify such a location, the employer shall bear the cost of the transport of the foreign worker to the country of his passport. Employers shall also bear the expenses of preparing and transporting the corpse of a deceased foreign worker to the place of his origin or to the place of residence, if his family requests so,” he added.