On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the amended Residency and Foreigners Affairs Law after extensive discussion under the dome.
The Legal Committee of the House discussed new amendments to the law, including a change to the time frame for implementing the law. It was agreed to extend the deadline from 60 days to 90 days after its publication in the Official Gazette, instead of the previous 60-day period.
اضافة اعلان
The Chairman of the Committee, MP Mustafa Al-Amawi, confirmed that the discussions revealed significant violations, prompting the need to grant an extension to rectify the violations.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the 90-day period, rather than the previously proposed 30 or 60 days.
Several MPs had suggested that the grace period should be 90 days, and the House voted in favor of this proposal.
MP Abdul-Baset Al-Kabari emphasized the importance of the law as it regulates the presence of foreign nationals in Jordan. He acknowledged the importance of a 60-day period for rectifying violations and suggested that extending the period would benefit the country.
Regarding Jordanian women’s children, Al-Kabari stated that they are exempt from fines, provided they follow procedures outlined by the Ministry of Interior.
The deputies discussed Article 2 of the law, which proposes an increase in fines from 1.5 JDs to 3 JDs for each day of delay in rectifying violations or renewing permits.
Al-Kabari explained that work permits have lower fees than fines, leading some individuals to avoid rectifying their work permits and instead paying the fine upon departure.
He emphasized that raising fines is intended to protect the state and the nation.
MP Ali Al-Khalayleh clarified that the law is not about revenue generation, but is aimed at non-Jordanian violators. He added that the fines should be further increased, pointing out that in some countries, Jordanians are not treated with the same consideration.
