The General Immigration Department has lifted a ban on the issuance of family visit visas for the first degree relatives of the citizens of six countries Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, say security sources. According to Arab Times sources revealed the director of the department, Major General Kamel Al-Awadhi, on Wednesday met the directors of immigration departments in various governorates to discuss the issue. Sources confirmed he instructed the directors to process the family visit visa applications for the first degree relatives of expatriates from the abovementioned countries. Sources also added all residency-related transactions for those who entered the country before imposing the ban will be processed provided the corresponding fines are paid at the concerned immigration department. The transactions are of those expatriates whose families entered the country on dependent visas, completed all the health and other formalities but their residence was not stamped after the ban was imposed.