Hi Hayyan, In 2014 I had been to Qatar on a "Work-Business" visa valid for 30 days. Before my visa expiration, I fled from Qatar back to India without informing the sponsor or office management. After I returned to India, I received an email from HR stating that the Qatari sponsor has filed an absconding case, a civil case, and a criminal case against me with the Ministry of Interior in Qatar. Now my question is, can I travel to Dubai on a work visa? Will there be any issue entering Dubai assuming that the Qatari sponsor has filed the said cases against me? Awaiting your response, H. Currently staying in India.

Hi Mohammed, We are a tech startup creating an auto service and repair marketplace. As a marketplace, we only facilitate listing and booking the services while the service providers (the workshops) are the service providers and are responsible to deliver and carry the selected/booked job. We need to draft a marketplace supplier/service provider agreement between us and the workshops outlining the responsibilities and liabilities of both sides. I would like to work with a law firm that has previous experience in drafting such marketplace-related agreements. Is this something you can work on and have previous experience in?

We are a tech startup creating the first auto/car service and repair marketplace. As a marketplace, we only facilitate listing and booking the services while the service providers (the workshops) are the service providers and are responsible to deliver and carry the selected /booked job. We need to draft a marketplace supplier/service provider agreement between us and the workshops outlining the responsibilities and liabilities of both sides. I would like to work with a law firm that has previous experience in drafting such marketplace-related agreements.

Hi, I am starting a website that connects freelancers to media professionals and individuals. It will be a marketplace sort of platform. Where can I find a legal advisor to help with the terms and conditions and privacy policy for startups? Thank you for your reply in advance. N.

Legal requirements for starting a business by a minor in the UAE I am currently 16 and I’m an Emirati national. I am willing to start my own e-commerce business. Is it possible to get an e-commerce license even if I am a minor?

Hello, Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?

Hi. One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task." He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know." After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station. They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go. After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems? If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country? Please advise!

Hello, What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?

I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop? If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide? How much would it cost me? Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?

Hello, I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai. Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility? Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case? What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?

Dear Sir/Madam, Does the existing tenancy contract between the tenant and the previous owner remain in force even after the new landlord has purchased the property in the middle of an ongoing lease? And when should a new tenancy contract be made? Should it be made immediately after the property has been sold, or at the end of the ongoing tenancy contract signed between the previous owner of the property and the tenant? Also, does a new contract have to be in place for the tenant to exchange the cheques, or does the existing tenancy contract with the previous owner remain valid for the purpose of exchanging the cheques?

Dear Sir/Madam, I was wrongfully terminated by my school under Article 44 on March 20th, 2023. I have a case in the labor courts, and the first hearing is on April 4th, 2023. However, my employer is asking me to vacate the school accommodation. I asked the Ministry of Labor and the courts, and they informed me that the school cannot evict me until the case is resolved. Is this information correct? I am currently unemployed and have nowhere else to go until I find another job.

Hi, May you and your family be blessed. I'm extremely tense and need your kind feedback on the following issue. If I have a travel ban in KSA, can I travel to the UAE on a work visa? I have been visiting Dubai on a tourist visa without any problems. The ban was imposed because I had to leave KSA suddenly and could not return after an exit-entry, and I was unable to pay back my car EMI and credit card payment totaling 30k SAR, which I intend to pay off gradually now. When I left KSA, they only had my fingerprints at the time. I also understand that while coming for a visit to Dubai, only a retinal scan is done. On the other hand, when obtaining a work visa, UAE takes and registers fingerprints as well. Could this lead to any issues for me? I have finally obtained a better-paying job after a long time and can finally save up to pay off my debts. The case registered for which the travel ban is imposed is only for SAR 16000. As of now, I cannot afford to hire a lawyer to check in UAE. Thank you for your help!

Dear Sir/Madam, My landlord wants to evict me from the property where I reside. They have not provided a court order for eviction within the past 12 months. Additionally, they are requesting a 40% increase in rent and are insisting on a 6-month fixed-term renewal, despite the RERA index indicating no such increase. Furthermore, they have included an unreasonable clause that prohibits pets, even though I have lived on the property with a pet for over three years.  What options do I have if I do not agree to these demands?

Dear Respected, I have a travel ban on me and a case raised in Dubai Courts against the company. The reason is the company owner asked me to sign a cheque to a service provider and the cheque bounced. I'm not a shareholder in the license. I'm not a partner in the license or elsewhere. I'm not a manager in the license or elsewhere. I only hold a POA from the owner to assist him in opening a bank account while he was abroad and be the authorized signatory in the bank. What should I do in this case? Thank you respected.

I am the owner and have legally notified my tenant regarding my intention to sell and have given her first right of refusal. But she is not signing nor allowing me access to arrange visits for other interested clients. What are my rights / legal steps to force a viewing

I am seeking legal advice to terminate the contract due to a delay in the project for a period of 16 months only. The following is the details of the project as per SPA and some givens: - 30% paid in installments (on time, no delay in payment). - 70% to be Paid on Handing Over. - Expected Handing over date: 1st April 2019. - Longstop date of Handing over: 1st April 2020. - Actual date of delivery announced by developer: 10th August 2020. - Notification sent to the developer by myself to terminate the SPA and return the 30% paid amount. - Developer responded that the notification is rejected as the delay is due to force majeure (Covid-19 Pandemic). Question: Do I have a winning case if I filed to court to return the paid amount?

Our residence visa grace period expires soon. Because a family member is positive for Covid-19 and he is in-home quarantine, we are unable to fly within the grace time. What should we do? Will we be fined? Please guide!

Hello I am contacting you from London. I have purchased a property in Dubai in a project in 2005. We purchased two apartments and today we have not received anything yet. This construction project is still going on and the developer has changed many times. Another company now runs the project, and whenever I contact them they say it's going to be ready in the next 3-months or 6-months. It keeps postponing work are currently at standstill. I have contacted them then and the same they're waiting for more information from the Dubai authorities. Every time there's a different story, and we get delayed. It's now been 16 to 17 years since we have invested in this and I would like to put a stop to this now, possibly get a refund and compensation. Could you please help me by advising me what my situation can be?

My wife and I got divorced 3 months ago, she has custody of our 6-month old daughter. She wants to remarry but I disagree with the person she wants to remarry as he has a history of violence and abuse. Can I have the custody agreement revoked?

السلام عليكم، أود الاستفسار بشأن قضية إبعاد زوج خالتي من دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة. زوج خالتي كان مقيماً في الإمارات وكان قد وُلد وترعرع هناك. في عام 2013 تم إبعاده من الإمارات، وكان ذلك نتيجة لسياسات حكومية كانت تستهدف مجموعة من المقيمين في تلك الفترة، وهو لم يكن قد ارتكب أي مخالفة في ذلك الوقت وكان يُعتبر ضحية للسياسات المتبعة. أرغب في معرفة الإجراءات التي يجب أن أتبعها حالياً من أجل رفع هذا الإبعاد وتمكينه من العودة إلى الإمارات. أرجو أن توضح لي كيف يمكنني مساعدته في هذا الموضوع. شكراً جزيلاً.

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?

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.

Dear Legal Advice Middle East, I hope you are well. I am seeking legal advice regarding an unpaid salary issue with my former employer, [-----]2 LLC. I was employed with them from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, on a monthly salary of 5,000 AED. However, I only received a partial payment of 2,473 AED on February 24, 2025. The remaining 2,527 AED is still unpaid. I submitted a complaint to MOHRE on March 2, 2025, but I am unable to proceed further through their official channels. This is because I was working under the visa of my previous employer, [---] LLC, and not under [----]’s sponsorship. As a result, I do not meet the criteria to file a labor complaint via the MOHRE app or hotline. Given this situation, I would appreciate your guidance on how I can legally pursue the recovery of my remaining salary, considering the complications related to my visa status during the employment.

Hello, Does the initiation of an online rental dispute case by a landlord in Dubai automatically lead to the imposition of a travel ban on the tenant? This is not related to bounced cheques; the dispute concerns wear and tear versus damage claims by the landlord.