Bahrain has announced a schedule for amnesty seekers, including Indians, to turn up at the immigration offices according to the expiry of their residence permit.

Ali Radhi, chief executive of Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Tuesday said that the new system aims to speed up the process and people can avoid waiting till the last minute to clear their papers.

In a bid to curb the violation of labour norms, Bahrain announced a special amnesty scheme for all expat workers Aug 1. Under this, the government has asked all illegal immigrant workers and their employers to regularise their work permits or face heavy penalties.

Bahrain became the second country after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to announce such a scheme for foreign workers.

"People whose residence permit (RP) expired before 2000, and failed to renew the same, should go to the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence (GDNPR) this month," Ali Radhi said.

"If their RP expired in 2000 and 2001, they should present their papers to GDNPR next month. Workers whose RP expired in 2002 and 2003 should visit the GDNPR in October and expats whose RP expired in 2004 and 2005 should get in touch with the GDNPR office in December," he added.

Over 60 Indians had applied for emergency certificates within two days of the scheme's launch at the Indian mission in Manama. Bahrain's amnesty scheme will end Dec 31.

Ali Radhi also appealed to foreign embassies in the country to help the authorities make the general amnesty smooth and successful, Gulf Daily News reported.

"The amnesty process will not be successful without the support of the embassies," he said.

He also warned that once the special amnesty scheme ended, heavy penalties would be imposed on illegal workers and their Bahraini employers.