Dubai: The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner’s Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai no longer accepts black and white photocopies of documents.

Document copies submitted to the GDRFA in Dubai now have to be in colour.

People have been sent back because they did not have colour copies now required for any application.

An applicant, who wished to stay anonymous, said that he was sent back from Al Twar centre on Wednesday because he did not have a colour copy.

“Surprisingly the typing centre where I got the documents typed did not mention the rule. Also another colleague who got his family members visa renewed at Al Manara centre on Wednesday, got it done with a black and white photocopy. He was not asked to get a colour copy,” he said.

An attendant at GDRFA-Dubai’s customer service hotline (Amer service) confirmed the new rule has been in effect for almost a month.

“Typing centres know this now, and have the service,” the employee said.

Applicants are advised to come with their original documents so that in case their copies are not acceptable, colour copies can be done at any of the typing centres at the facility.

A posting at the Al Twar centre in Al Ghusais, said all documents need to be coloured and applicants need to have the original rent contract.

Officials from the GDFRA-Dubai were not available for comment till the time of going to press.

Another Amer employee confirmed that passport copies need to be in colour, but was not able to clarify if other documents needed to be in colour.

Documents required for most GDRFA applications include, passports of applicants and their Emirates ID, tenancy contract, and salary certificate.