Colombo, November 5 (Daily Mirror) - The general amnesty period announced by the Dubai Consulate General, initially set to end on October 31, has been extended by two months, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said. 

The amnesty period, which began on September 1, allowed 8,513 Sri Lankans to benefit from the services provided by the Dubai Consulate General. This period will now conclude on December 31.

According to the SLBFE, 8,513 people sought assistance at the Dubai Consulate General during the amnesty period implemented by the United Arab Emirates from September 1 to October 31.

During regular service days, 6,029 individuals received assistance, while an additional 2,484 were served under the amnesty period. Of these, 1,128 people applied for new passports, and 960 applied for temporary travel documents (TTDs). Additionally, 252 individuals visited for passport renewals, and 1,175 air tickets were issued on a concessional basis. These tickets were made available through a counter specially established by SriLankan Airlines and Fitz Air Airlines at the request of the Consulate General to facilitate travel back to Sri Lanka.

Since obtaining the exit certificate issued by the United Arab Emirates may take time, the Sri Lankan Consulate General requests that any Sri Lankans without a valid exit permit or who wish to return to Sri Lanka with temporary travel documents (TTDs) visit the Consulate to apply for these documents.