An increasing number of people in good jobs are complaining that they are unable to get residence visas for their wives and children even through they fulfil the criteria. A young man drawing salary in five figures told Al Sharq that he recently got married while he was vacationing in his home country and after he came back took a house on rent so he could bring his wife. But his application for wife’s visa was rejected by the authorities concerned although he met all eligibility conditions to sponsor his family. “Not only that I took this apartment on rent but I spent a lot of money to furnish it. I bought expensive household items in the hope that my wife and I would stay comfortably. But now I am staying in this apartment alone as visa application for my wife is rejected with no reason specified,” the young man told the daily. Another expatriate said that he had been staying with his wife and daughter here for long. Due to some emergency his wife went home and did not return in the specified duration of six months. Her visa expired. “However, after a few years I applied for my wife’s visa again and the request was turned down for reasons I don’t understand. The officials don’t give reasons for rejecting a family visa request,” he said. “So my wife continues to stay back in our home country while my daughter is still with me,” he said. The Peninsula sought comment on the issue from the lone woman member of the Central Municipal Council (CMC), the country’s elected representative, Sheikha Al Jefairi. She said: “I wonder why the authorities are refusing family visas for those who are eligible.” According to her, it at all a family visa is refused the authorities should specify the reason. Encouraging people who can afford to bring their families here is advisable because more families here would mean social stability and more productivity. Knowledgeable circles say issuing more family visas is advisable because if a foreign worker has his family here he would spend more and not remit money home which will be good for the local economy. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=February2010&file=Local_News201002172716.xml

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