Dubai: The Dubai General Department for Residency and Foreigners Affairs will not process any applications unless they are prepared by a typing centre registered with it, said a Ministry of Interior official.

Lt. Col. Khalid Al Razouqi, Assistant-Director for Information and Technology at the general department, told Gulf News yesterday that the residency department will not accept residency or visit visa applications unless these have been processed by a typing centre that is registered with the residency department. "We will not accept from next week any application from any typing centre that is not registered with us," he said.

He added that in the past, people used to type their visit or residency visa applications at any typing centre, from any emirate, and approach the department to finalise their applications. "From now on typing centres must be part of our system," he said.

Black points

Lt. Col Al Razouqi said that the step was taken to avoid any mistakes in the customers' applications.

"There will be a service level agreement between our department and the registered typing centres. Typing centres will be monitored closely by us and they will be fined for their mistakes in typing the application.

"There will be black points for those who make mistakes in typing any application. If the typing centre exceeds the limit, the registration of that unit will be cancelled and Dubai will not take any application from that centre," he said.

"We will classify the mistakes as ‘A' type, for major errors, in typing any application...such mistakes will lead to the cancellation of the registration of that typing centre.

"There will be the minor or ‘B' type mistakes which will allow the typing centre another chance," he said.

Lt. Col Al Razouqi said the department is looking to offer best services to its customers.

"Sometimes we receive complaints from customers saying that typing centres made the errors in [the] applications..." he said.

"We will monitor each and every application by the typing centres but we urge the customers too to check their application before submitting it to us," he said.

Lt. Col Al Razouqi said there will also be a code number or password given to each typist that will allow the department to track those responsible for the errors.

Lt. Col Al Razouqi said that the typing centres' registration will be free for the first six months followed by the payment of a specific amount of money.

"We will have rules and requirements for all typing centres who will be registered with us which include being [issued with a] valid trade licence... all workers [at the typing centre] must be on the typing centre's sponsorship and there will be other requirements," he said.

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