In 2018, I was involved in a dispute concerning unpaid rent related to a property managed by [-----] under the jurisdiction of the Land Department. [----] proceeded with legal action, resulting in a civil case and the imposition of a travel ban. A civil case had been reported in an Arabic-language newspaper. Not being fluent in Arabic, I missed the Land Department hearing, and the obvious outcome included an order for payment and a travel ban, but I had already left the country by that time. questions: Statute of Limitations: After how many years does such a civil case expire under UAE law, thereby allowing me to legally return to Dubai without facing arrest or enforcement actions? International Travel: Am I currently at risk of arrest or extradition if I travel to non-GCC countries like India or Pakistan? Forgive my brevity and rudeness due to 1000-character limits

Good morning, I have two kids. Their father is in critical care and is not able to communicate, and we have been divorced for more than seven years. The other side of the family is not communicating with the kids about the father's whereabouts for them to visit him, and they have not been in touch with the kids for the past two weeks due to family issues that took place in court regarding guardianship of the kids. How can I find a way for our kids to know what is going on with their father and his condition without reaching out to them, to avoid any further escalation? My daughter has tried to call them, but there was no response. Please advise!

Hello, My husband has been threatening that he will take my 2-year-old daughter to Pakistan and leave her there with his family. He has said this several times and has confirmed to my dad that he will be taking my daughter in the coming few weeks. We are both on his sponsorship. What are my rights in the UAE? Can my husband travel with a minor without the mother's consent? How can I stop him from taking my daughter to Pakistan? Do I have any legal standing if I am under his sponsorship?

Good day, I am a landlord, and my tenant filed a case with the RDC. The verdict was in his favor, and I am to pay the financial claim, which is the fees and expenses of the case. The tenant asked for a specific amount, which is higher than the official receipt that the RDC provided. So, I have paid that exact amount directly to the tenant. Naturally, the tenant asked for more. May I ask for guidance regarding the procedure? It has not been 15 days since the verdict, so I have been told by the RDC that the case is not final, and I must wait for the execution file to determine the exact amount. While I am happy to wait for that, my tenant has been threatening to open an execution file if I do not pay before the 15th day. She mentioned a travel ban as well. I feel lost and uncomfortable with the situation. Please help me understand the procedure.

Hello, I had a fraudulent and unauthorized transaction on my credit card, but the bank is saying no action can be taken as it happened outside the country. We approached the police, but they are saying to proceed legally as it happened outside the country.

Hello, I got a judgment from Dubai Court stating that the employer should do my settlement. It’s been years, but I still haven't received the payment in my account. When I checked with Al Adheed Center, they said if the company is not active, it’s not possible to get the money. However, it’s a group of companies, and a few branches are still running. Is there any chance to claim it, or can I appeal directly to the court?

Hello, My landlord vacated the property with 12 months' notice, stating he would live there himself. However, he started renting the property through the holiday homes system. Is a permit issued by the DTC for a holiday home valid proof to prove that he is renting and to claim compensation?

On Jan 2, 2025, one of my close friends did a privacy breach and recorded me and my van in some specific place. On Feb 5, when I called and asked him why he did this to me, he went and gave a complaint that I scolded him and threatened him. The same case was later closed by the PP when we negotiated outside the station and apologized. At this juncture, can I file a privacy breach case against him, which happened on Jan 2, 2025, and on Feb 5 I scolded him only for the privacy breach that happened on Jan 2?

I have a video recording of my husband beating me in our garden. Can I show this in the child custody hearing? It was filmed with my phone camera

Hello, My partner voluntarily withdrew from our company which we established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We established this company on July 1, 2024. Until now, there is no income or revenue. What is the legality?

Dear Respected Lawyers, Subject: Request for Legal Advice Regarding Unlawful Practices by a Debt Collection Agency I would greatly appreciate your advice and guidance regarding a troubling issue my colleague is facing with a collection agency. The company has been contacting the employer, urging them to ask my colleague to get in touch with them regarding a supposed liability. This claim is related to a 15-year-old closed dispute with a bank credit card, and the issue seems to stem from outdated and inaccurate information on the AECB report. Our main concerns are as follows: Unauthorized Access: The company is accessing her AECB report without her consent. She has never given permission for them to retrieve or view her personal financial information. How is it possible for a third-party agency to openly access and track AECB reports, especially for a dispute that was resolved 15 years ago?

I was evicted from my apartment after living there for five years. My landlord informed me a year in advance that the lease would not be renewed because he intended to sell the property. Prior to this, he attempted to impose a rent increase that was not compliant with RERA regulations, which I refused to accept. He then served me with an official Dubai Court eviction notice, citing the need to take back the property for sale. Five months after I moved out, I discovered the property was rented out at a much higher price. Upon further investigation, I found that the ownership was transferred as a "Gift" rather than a sale. This makes it seem like the eviction was only to raise the rent rather than a genuine need to sell. Do I have a valid case for wrongful eviction against my landlord? Also, under Dubai law, does transferring ownership as a "Gift" hold the same legal grounds as selling in justifying eviction?

Hello, My ex-wife has abused me in chat and called me the following: illiterate, beggar, and said that I don’t have [------]. She called me a bad parent and a bad son. Can I file a cyberbullying, defamation, or abuse case against her? What are my options?

Hi I'm an Irish citizen and a resident of the United Kingdom. I got investment fraud in Dubai. I invested money into a business with a Pakistani national guy in March 2024 via bank transfer into his business account. Now he's giving back the money which I invested in business after 9 months. He's preparing a letter from a local lawyer to kick me out of the business. I do not have any other option than to take out at least my money. But it's unfair to me that he used my money in business and took all the advantage. Some people say to me that if you claim money or take legal action against him, it will take too much time and I need to travel to Dubai to appear in court because it is a civil matter. But I'm not a resident. How can I follow the civil case there? That's why my partner knows that I can not do anything and this case keeps running long time and in the end nothing happens. But I'm thinking that I will submit a complaint through my embassy and I also have a solicitor in the United Kingdom.

Dear Lawyers, My relative lost his wife during childbirth due to clear medical negligence, as stated in the report from the DHA medical committee. He had to relocate to India due to the situation and is currently working there. Please guide us on the steps to take for justice and compensation.

Good afternoon, A gentleman insulted me severely over the phone during a delicate moment in my life when I was pregnant. He conveyed harsh messages through chat, causing me to feel sick, panicked, and scared. Unfortunately, I lost my baby after this incident. I have reported the matter to the police and won the case, leading to the confiscation of his phone and imposition of a fine. However, I believe I deserve compensation for the mistreatment. Can I pursue damages, and if so, what amount can I claim for my loss and damage?

My company terminated my employment because it was making the position I held redundant. I was advised that in no way was this performance-related but purely a restructuring exercise.  However, within 1 month of leaving the company, they have externally recruited another person to fill my exact position, with the same job title, that they made redundant. Whilst I believe that this is unethical behavior, could anyone tell me if this is legal within the UAE or should I lodge a complaint for unfair dismissal?

مرحبًا، أثناء التقديم للإقامة في دولة الإمارات، تم تشخيصي واكتشاف إصابتي بفيروس نقص المناعة المكتسبة، ومن ثَم تم ترحيلي إلى بلدي. التزمت بجميع الأدوية والآن نسبة الحمل الڤيروسي في دمي صفر. مع العلم أنني ملتزم بأخذ العلاج. هل يمكنني إزالة الحظر الدائم الذي فُرض عليّ واستخراج ڤيزا زيارة أو إقامة من جديد؟

Hi, Is the rental valuation certificate only valid for vacant properties? My landlord says that RERA is not the standard and that the valuation certificate prevails.

السلام عليكم، أعمل في شركة منذ سنة ونصف. في البداية حصلت على عرض عمل ولكن لم تصدر إقامه لوجود حظر على الشركة. صدرت منذ 4 أشهر إقامة لي على شركة أخرى يملكها صاحب الشركة التي أعمل بها بسبب الحظر على الشركة التي أعمل بها، ولكن لم أحصل على شهادة عدم ممانعة (إعارة). الآن أريد تقديم استقالتي والانتقال إلى وظيفة جديدة. ما الإجراءات؟ وهل تُطبّق عقوبات ضدي لأنني لم أكمل 6 أشهر على الإقامة أو أي عقوبات أخرى؟

Dear Lawyers, I signed a Form F with a buyer for the sale of my house as we were planning to leave the country. The contract was signed about a month ago, but the handover is not until August. Due to personal circumstances changing, we are no longer leaving Dubai and would like to cancel Form F. The Form F contract stipulates that we have to pay the buyer 10% of the purchase value. The real estate agent is now claiming that we also have to pay the buyer's real estate commission and the conveyancing fee. Our understanding is that the 10% penalty is the only penalty. Which is correct, and what are the next steps to dispute this? Also, is there any way to dispute the 10% itself under the law due to personal circumstances changing?

I got an offer letter from Al-Haldin Gulf Construction & Petroleum LLC. Can you please advise about the company?

Hello, I have a tenant who is always late with their payment. Their renewal was supposed to be last December 2023. Currently, they have not signed any new contract, provided any new cheques, and have stayed for three months from December until now without paying rent. Additionally, I just discovered that they have sublet the apartment with partitions, which is clearly stated as not allowed in the old contract. Please let me know what should I do legally!

Dear Concern, How long will it take to receive the cancellation paper from my previous employer? My last working day at my current company will be on April 7, 2024.

Hi, We sent a renewal notice to our Dubai-based tenant 84 days before his contract renewal, with a 10% increase in rent. The tenant neither agreed nor disagreed with the proposed rent and replied on the day of renewal that he wouldn't be paying the proposed rent. Due to the argument, the landlord decided to reduce the rent, but the tenant has not yet renewed his contract. It has been 12 days since his contract expired. Kindly suggest what could be done in this matter.

مرحبًا، حُكم على زوجي الذي كان وكيل سفريات بالسجن لمدة 5 أشهر وتم ترحيله العام الماضي في الشارقة بسبب بيع اختبارات كورونا المزيفة للسفر خارج الإمارات. لذا سؤالي هو كيف يمكنني رفع ترحيله وإعادته لأنه من الصعب علي وعلى ابنتي البالغة من العمر سنة واحدة أن نعيش بدونه هنا؟ الرجاء المساعدة.

مرحبًا، لقد حصلت على قرض بمبلغ 4,000,000 درهم، وقمت بسداد المبلغ الأصلي ولكنني رفضت دفع الفائدة البالغة 800,000 درهم، ولا أزال أملك عقارًا في دبي وقيمته حوالي 3,000,000 درهم. يريد البنك أن يأخذ العقار بأكمله كضمان لديوني. هل يستطيع البنك القيام بذلك؟ أم عليهم أن يبيعوا العقار ويأخذوا ما أدين لهم به ويدفعوا لي الباقي؟ أم أنهم سوف يأخذون الممتلكات بأكملها؟ فهل يجوز لهم أن يفعلوا مثل هذا الشيء؟

مرحبًا. نحن بصدد تأسيس شركة استشارات عقارية صغيرة (ناشئة) في دبي لتقديم استشارات الشراء للعملاء وربطهم بالوكلاء العقاريين. نحتاج إلى مساعدة في كتابة سياسة الخصوصية والشروط والأحكام الخاصة بالموقع. يرجى تقديم عرض الأسعار المقدر الخاص بك.

مرحبًا، لقد اشتريت عقارًا تحت الإنشاء في إمارة دبي وكان تاريخ الانتهاء المُقدر 31 أغسطس 2020. لقد تلقيت رسالة بريد إلكتروني تُفيد بأنه بسبب التأخير، تم ترحيل تاريخ الإنجاز المُحدد لي إلى 30 أبريل 2022. ولم توضح رسالة البريد الإلكتروني التي أرسلوها سبب التأخير. بما أن المطور العقاري قد انتهك اتفاقية البيع والشراء عن طريق تأخير تسليم المشروع لمدة 12 شهرًا من تاريخ الانتهاء، فهل يمكنني طلب إلغاء العقد واسترداد المبالغ المدفوعة؟ هل تعتقد أن المطور العقاري يمكنه استخدام فيروس كورونا كقوة قاهرة لعدم الالتزام بالعقد؟ تحياتي.

لقد اشتريت شقة استوديو. ووفقًا لاتفاقية البيع والشراء، كان من المقرر أن يتم تسليم الوحدة في شهر ديسمبر 2019. كما أفهم، إن المطورين العقاريين في دولة الإمارات لديهم فترة سماح مدتها سنة واحدة، لذلك، من الناحية التقنية، كان من المفترض أن يكتمل المشروع في شهر ديسمبر 2020. ومع ذلك، وفقًا لموقع متابعة المشروع، إن تاريخ الانتهاء المحتمل هو الربع الأول من عام 2021. عندما استفسرت عن هذا الأمر، رفضوا التعليق عليه. بصفتي مستثمر أجنبي، ما هي حقوقي في هذه الحالة؟ اكتمل المشروع بنسبة 47٪ فقط حتى الآن. شكرًا.

Respected Law Team Members, I am writing to seek genuine legal advice and guidance for our friend regarding an ongoing issue with her employer. On 23rd May 2025, she received a termination notice via WhatsApp from her sponsor, which clearly states that she is required to complete her handover by 20th June 2025. Since receiving the notice, however, her sponsor has been repeatedly contacting her via WhatsApp and phone calls, pressuring her to immediately return the company laptop and office cabinet keys, despite the agreed-upon handover date. In addition, she has been verbally accusing my friend and making threatening remarks, creating a hostile environment, and causing her emotional distress. To clarify her legal position, she contacted MOHRE, who advised her to reshare the termination notice to the lady employer about the handover date (20th June 2025) as she outlined in the (Cont-1)

Hello, I am a UK citizen. I arrive in Dubai on the 2nd of June. I think I need to apply for an entry permit, as I have been out of the country for more than 1 year. Please, can you help? Everyone I speak to doesn't know and gives different information.

Hello, My previous employer filed a case against me for embezzlement and imposed a travel ban. I know for myself it was all a lie, but since the case is already filed and the police investigation is still ongoing, I need to find a job. However, first, I am worried that my new employer will come to know I have an active case. Second, I am worried that I cannot get an employment visa. Can someone help me?

Hello sir, Is it obligatory to issue an invoice for my customer to process his down payment? Our system doesn't allow us to issue an invoice unless the goods exist in our inventory. We also require this advance or down payment as confirmation of his order. My customer is insisting on issuing him an invoice and says that this is required by UAE laws.

Good morning, I have two kids. Their father is in critical care and is not able to communicate, and we have been divorced for more than seven years. The other side of the family is not communicating with the kids about the father's whereabouts for them to visit him, and they have not been in touch with the kids for the past two weeks due to family issues that took place in court regarding guardianship of the kids. How can I find a way for our kids to know what is going on with their father and his condition without reaching out to them, to avoid any further escalation? My daughter has tried to call them, but there was no response. Please advise!