3,632 residency violators have left the country or legalized their status during the first six days of the amnesty, local media reported quoting Interior Ministry statistics. The amnesty went into effect on Jan 29 and will be on till February 22nd.

According to report, The interior ministry expects more violators will benefit from the amnesty. Over 10,000 violators have already applied for this scheme and are awaiting procedures including stamping, ticket reservations etc.

The interior minister issued the amnesty decision seven years after the last full amnesty for humanitarian reasons.

The amnesty includes those on all types of visas, including domestic and visit visas. Those residency violators who don’t benefit from this amnesty will be arrested after the amnesty and will be deported and blacklisted, officials clarified. "Ministry will be very strict in deporting any violator arrested after the amnesty expires," Col Hamad Rasheed Al-Twalah, General Director of the Central Department for Residency and Entry and Exit Procedures said.