Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residence Department (ADNRD) plans to introduce new measures to curb the misuse of visit visas after it was found that most illegals had entered the country using them.

"A study of illegal residents who left the country during the amnesty period showed that most of them came here on a visit visa and chose not to go back,” Colonel Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, director of ADNRD, was quoted as saying by Gulf News.

Some of them overstayed for more than three to four years. It is clear that these people did not come here to visit the place, he said.

"The person who is bringing someone on a visit should be able to financially support the visitor. We will also consider this factor while issuing visit visas."

Those wishing to bring close relatives such as spouses, children, parents, brothers or sisters on visit visas will be allowed to do so if they have sufficient income to support the visitor, he said.

"There is a proposal to introduce a refundable security deposit to ensure that the visitor leaves the country at the right time. However this is yet to be approved by the higher authorities."