Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
7 available 7 • View allWorking on a visit visa and holding of passport
22
Q: Hello Sir,
A friend of mine was offered a job in Dubai on a visit visa, and he is working at the company for almost past 4 months on the same visa.
Last month, his visit visa was expired and overstayed. The company had cleared his overstay and has issued him yet another visit visa for a month. Now, whenever he asks the HR for work visa status, he is not getting a proper reply.
My friend says he does not want to continue, but the company has the passport and they are not giving him the passport. He knows that working on a visit visa is illegal in the UAE, and he wants to quit.
What are his options? Should he contact the labour department or MOL? Will he be deported, fined and/ or jailed?

Oct 5, 2017
15943
Penalties for overstay on a visit visa
79
Q: If you are on visit visa and you overstay, will you have a ban or you pay penalties?

Jul 9, 2017
8890
Working on a visit visa without labour contract
9
Q: Hi.
I am here in the UAE on a visit visa. A company gave me an offer letter, but it's already 2 months since I'm working here and still, they did not process my employment visa.
Now, my visit visa is going to expire soon. If they do not make my visa, can I file a case on the basis of offer letter? Where can I go for justice, and what do I have to do?
Please advise me.
Thanks

Nov 1, 2017
3199
A company delayed my visa, can I leave without notice period?
1
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
I joined a company in Abu Dhabi during the first week of February.
My offer letter states that if I wish to leave before one month, no salary will be given, and if I leave within six months, one month's salary will be deducted.
However, the company has not yet started to process my visa, and it has been two months.
Can you please advise if I can leave the company immediately without serving the notice period?

Mar 27, 2023
170
I have a friend who overstayed for 6 years and still in the country. How can she resolve her issue?
2
Q: I have a friend who overstayed for 6 years. She ran away due to her rude employer who did not have her food and hurt her. So she ran away.
He filed an absconding case against her and asked for an amount of 9k the total cost of her visa. She had no money at the time they encountered him at the police.
The problem is she did not follow up or ask for help from other people, however. They scammed her with a bunch of money.
I would like to know how can she move forward to work here in UAE. She has no passport right now with an absconding case and with a penalty of 64k as I checked her details.

Jul 27, 2023
284
Will I be deported if I go to an immigration center with an absconding status?
11
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
I was on a visiting visa in Abu Dhabi. I overstayed and absconded from the travel agency. I now have a job offer. They said they would offer me a job if I cleared my absconding status.
I paid my travel agency to remove my absconding status, but yesterday, they texted me screenshots showing that the application was returned.
They said that I now need to go to SWEIHAN myself. I am afraid that I will be deported. Can anyone please guide me on this issue?
I also have a PDF from the travel agency that shows the departure date as 30/12/2023. The reason written there is "CHANGE STATUS".

Sep 5, 2023
1457
Can I leave my job without notice if the company is not processing my visa?


7
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
My company is not processing my visa, and I am already overstaying with fines. I want to leave them.
Can I do it right away without giving them notice?
I have signed the offer letter and contract since I joined them four months ago.



Oct 2, 2023
542
Legal blog
1 available 1 • View allWhat Happens If I Overstay My Tourist or Resident Visa in the UAE? 35
An interview-format article covering the topic of overstaying your tourist or resident visa in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila discusses the aspects of overstaying, like fines, grace periods, exemptions...etc.
Feb 16, 2020
49313
Laws & Regulations
3 available 3 • View allMinisterial Decree No. (764) of 2015 On Ministry of Labour Approved Standard Employment Contracts 5
According to this Decree, tentative approval to admit a foreign worker for the purpose of employment in the UAE cannot be granted until an Employment Offer that conforms with the Standard Employment Contract is duly signed by the employee and presented to the Ministry of Labour.
Sep 27, 2015
5088
Federal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.
Apr 20, 1980
103760
Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).
Sep 20, 2021
26962

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My husband sold the house we bought jointlyand took a cheque plus 1-year instalments from me. What can I do? 0
Hi,
I am a non-Muslim indian expatriate, residing in Dubai since 2015. The first 5 years, I was on a working visa, and after the delivery of my first baby, I left my job and became dependent on my husband.
In 2018, we bought a house together where I invested AED 2 hundred thousand from my income (I have proof in the form of a cheque). I also paid AED 3300 monthly installment for 1 year, for a personal loan taken out for the house.
But in spite of my resistance, my husband tactfully put the house in his name, so the title deed was in his name. In 2024, when my kids and I were in India for vacation, he cancelled our visas and residency. He also filed for a divorce in India.
The divorce is not yet finalised, and we are still married. Since August 2024, he hasn't let me access my house in Dubai, so I filed a case, which eventually went in my favor in January 2025.
Since I used to travel on a visit visa, I left for India and returned in March, to find out that my husband had already sold the house. The new owner is residing there.
What can I do now?
Help!
May 1, 2025
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Can the employer force the housmaid to work for unlimited hours without rest? 0
Hi
I'm a nanny, and at the same time, I work as a housemaid (khadama) here in the house. I work, but as I know, the nannies and housemaids have different rights, and my employer doesn't give me rest.
My work starts at 7:30 am and then finishes at 10 pm or less. It depends on whether the baby is asleep or what time they will take on me if not yet asleep. Is this right?
Also, at the time of eating, I'm still working because the baby is with me, so I just let her sit in her chair. That's how I eat.
Please answer me. I want to know my rights.
Because if I can leave during the 6-month probation, I want to take it if the employer is this kind. I don't know.
They are also expats, but they don't follow the rules of the UAE regarding a housemaid.
May 1, 2025
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My previous organization has not yet released EOSB because I contacted a client. Is this legal? 0
I recently joined a new organization in the Hamriyah Free Zone, and my previous organization has not released my end-of-service benefits.
The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients.
In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service.
Is this legal? What are my rights?
Apr 30, 2025
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Can I renew my trade license and visa if I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me? 0
Hello,
I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year.
My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID.
Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases?
The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority.
I look forward to your response.
Thanks.
May 1, 2025
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Can I return to Dubai after 12 years away on a new employment visa? 0
Hello,
I came from Dubai to India on emergency leave, but unfortunately, I did not return. It has now been 12 years. Can I go to Dubai on a new visa?
I have already received a new employment visa from another employer.
Can I return to Dubai, or will there be any problems with UAE immigration?
Please advise!
Apr 30, 2025
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