Roadshows conducted by the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) to create awareness on the LMRA Easy Exit scheme were wellattended, with large numbers of expatriates enquiring how to avail of the scheme, an official of the Fund said.

“The people include a mix of Bangladeshis,Indians, Nepalis and Pakistanis. Many of them are aware of the scheme, however, they did not have any idea about the application procedure,” John Iype, Chairman of ICRF, told the Bahrain Tribune.

ICRF members have visited several locations in the Kingdom and set up Easy Exit help desks. They explain to the people about the scheme and also urge them to avail of it if they are living illegally in the Kingdom.

 Flyers explaining the scheme are also distributed at the event. Over 5,000 expatriates have left the Kingdom under the scheme which pardons the payment of immigration fines, which for some have accumulated into thousands of dinars.

A person who applies for the scheme will have to pay only BD15 or BD25, if he/she has been residing in the Kingdom on an expired visit or work visa respectively. But an expat cannot avail of this facility if he/she has a legal case pending against him/ her.

People who have been caught working illegally cannot take advantage of the scheme. They will instead have to go through legal procedures according to the law.