A total of 2,053 Filipinos were helped by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government’s amnesty program during its first week which began on 1 September.

According to a Facebook post by the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, most applicants sought help with missing passports, while others requested assistance in obtaining exit passes for repatriation.

One of the program’s beneficiaries was Joy, a 41-year-old Filipina who fled her employer after experiencing sexual harassment and has since been unable to retrieve her passport.

According to the Khaleej Times, the Philippine Migrant Workers Office is investigating her employer to retrieve the document. If the passport is not returned, a travel document will be issued to her instead.

The consulate said that numerous Filipinos utilized the program to legalize their immigration status in the UAE. This included Ruth, a 46-year-old Filipina who had been living in the UAE illegally since giving birth in July 2023.

Her child, now one year old, lacked a birth certificate and passport — issues she hoped to resolve through the program.

The consulate warned Filipinos against dealing with unregistered agents or fixers, urging them to go through the proper channels. The amnesty program will run until 30 October.