Authorities in the UAE last month said that residency visas that expired during the Covid-19 outbreak would be extended until the end of the year.

The decision was made to help residents and companies amid strict stay-home measures that were put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

But as residents begin to leave the country on repatriation flights or others remain abroad, unable to return because flights have been grounded and borders closed, questions about visas and sponsorships remain.

The National's Ramola Talwar Badam spoke to Haider Hussain, partner at Fragomen, an immigration services firm, to explain the current rules.