Residents living in Dubai's Bur Dubai and Al Karama areas can now get their residence visas renewed at Dubai Municipality's branch office in Al Karama.

Earlier, they had to go to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) office near the Trade Centre in Bur Dubai for the same.

The Dubai Municipality's Karama centre now offers a variety of DNRD services.

“This has become possible after a strategic tie-up between the two local government departments,” said Essa Al Ghaffari, head of the centre.

“Initially, the Karama centre will be offering four services, including the issuing of work permits, handling of entry permits applications, renewal of residence visas and issuance of e-Gate cards. However, more DNRD services will be added to this list,” said Al Ghaffari.

The initiative comes in view of the municipality’s decision to allow local government departments and establishments to offer their services through the civic body’s branch offices throughout the emirate. “We had held a coordination meeting with the DNRD officials in this regard. Now, four counters will be dedicated to the DNRD,” the DM official said.

Al Ghaffari urged residents to make use of the service and save time and efforts for themselves. This, he said, will ease the pressure on the main DNRD office near the Trade Centre in Bur Dubai.

Meanwhile, the Karama DM Centre has also added several services of the municipality’s Public Health and Finance departments. These include issuance of permits for sale of drinking water in groceries, licences for new establishments and labour housing, licences for mobile cards in shopping centres and handling of complaints related to public health services.– TradeArabia News Service