DUBAI - Overstaying Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have one more month to apply for amnesty and go home before Christmas, while those who would like to take another chance to seek employment can regularize their status by applying for a temporary six-month visa.

The UAE government has extended its amnesty program up to December 1. This is good news to those who have yet to avail of the program since it would take years again for another amnesty to be offered. The last one was held from December 2012 to February 2013.

Originally, the latest program was supposedly for three months only, from August 1 to October 31, for all visa violators and illegal residents in the UAE.

The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate in Dubai have issued a total of 2,467 travel documents to overstaying Filipinos, of which 2,417 have left the country already. There were 2,308 amnesty-seekers whose exit passes were paid by the Philippine government.

An exit pass costs Dhs220 or more than P3,000 per individual who will have to exit within 10 days after getting the exit pass.

There were 3,140 individuals whose passports were renewed so that they can apply for the temporary six-month visa and look for employment.

Moreover, 1,203 applied for lost passports as they want to regularize their immigration status in the UAE.