I filed a money claim above AED 10,000 (but will probably be above AED 50,000 if capital + dividends are combined) against someone in Abu Dhabi. The mediation time has elapsed, 2 court sessions have been done, and the defendant still hasn’t shown up or appeared in either of those. In the last/latest court session, the judge said that the defendant is still inside the UAE. About the travel ban, is it automatically applied to him because of the case, or do I have to ask/request it to be applied to him through the Abu Dhabi court?

I’ve lived in my building for over 4 years, with the most recent rent being AED 50,000. Each year, the management collects cheques and extra AED 2,400–2,500 cash (no receipt) for management and Ejari fees. My contract was due for renewal on 15 Feb 2025, but management delayed, demanding a 10% rent increase even though no formal 90-day notice and the RERA index did not allow it. After a month of excuses, the manager called on 12 March, insisted increase to 55K, and threatened eviction if I refused. When I referenced RDC, he hung up. The next day, he again made unprofessional remarks, so I decided to go with RDC. I submitted my offer and deposit on 13th March, but the management didn’t respond. The case went to the judge on 14 April he ruled in my favor. On 30 April, I applied for the execution of the ruling, and RDC says I can renew Ejari only on 8th May at DLD with cheques given to them. However, on 1st May 2025, I received a notarized eviction notice for non-payment of rent and communication. My question is, what will happen at DLD now?

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.

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?

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, An investor has a residence visa valid until February 2027; however, he wishes to close the company before the current license expires in December 2025. Can the investor still legally reside in the UAE until the residence visa expires?

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!

Hello, I already have a dispute order with MOHRE. Then my employer became willing to settle the case. What should I do in case they do not follow through with the promised amount to pay?

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته، اشتريت عقار (شقة) في دبي في نهاية سنة 2016، وتاريخ الانتهاء المتوقع هو يونيو 2019، ولكن حتى تاريخ هذا اليوم نسبة الإنجاز هي 50% فقط، أريد استرجاع أموالي والمطالبة بالتعويض. السؤال: هل الدعوى مضمونة في هذه الحالة؟ وكم أتعاب المحاماه تقريبًا؟ علمًا بأنني دفعت كل الأقساط في موعدها. دفعت 50% تقريبًا من قيمة العقار وأوقفت الأقساط بعد تأخير التسليم.

السلام عليكم، أرغب في توضيح بعض الأمور بخصوص أتعاب المحاماة في قضية عقارية؛ بدءًا من الإنذار القانوني والتفاوض للتسوية أو رفع دعوى أمام المحكمة. كيف يتم تحصيل أتعاب المحاماة ورسوم المحكمة؟ هل تقوم المحكمة بتحميل الطرف الخاسر كافة أتعاب المحاماة والرسوم مثلاً أم جزء منها؟ وهل تتم المحاسبة قبل القضية أم عند كسبها فقط؟ هل يمكن أن تعين المحكمة أو دائرة الأملاك والأراضي بدبي محامي بالمجان لي؟ علمًا بأنني اشتريت شقة في دبي من مطور عقاري معروف ولم يتم الإنجاز وانتهى وقت التسليم المتفق عليه وقد يكون المشروع قيد الإلغاء.

Good morning, I wanted to know what are the benefits for an employee under a sponsorship visa to get 6-month temporary work permit from the employer?

هل يحق للمؤجر طلب إيجار شهرين غرامة إذا رغب المستأجر في إنهاء العلاقة الإيجارية قبل المدة المحددة بالعقد؟ مع العلم أن المستأجر أرسل إشعارًا بما يفيد رغبته في إنهاء العقد قبل مدته. ليس ذلك فقط، بل قبل موعد الإخلاء بشهرين أيضًا. شكرًا جزيلاً!

إنهاء عقد العمل محدد المدة خلال فترة التجربة وبالرغبة المتبادلة بين الطرفين. يوجد خطاب موقَّع من الطرفين ينص على التراضي والرغبة المتبادلة في إنهاء العلاقة خلال فترة التجربة؟ فى هذا الوضع، هل يتعرض العامل للحرمان؟

Hello, We have been scammed by an individual who did not provide the stated service. They took a lot of money and important documents. I have audio recordings of him talking about these things. We had a bad lawyer in Iraq who stole property by forging documents. This man said he had many connections to help us. While it was true that he had connections, he didn’t actually help us. Instead, he cooperated with the bad lawyer, agreed with him, and gave the bad lawyer all our important documents.

Dear Lawyers, What is the difference between filing a criminal case or a financial case for business fraud? Can both be done through a lawyer? Thank you!

Hi, I purchased a property in 2008 and have now discovered that it has been canceled. I have all the documents and payment records. Can you please help me recover it? If not, how can I recover my money? Thank you!

Dear Lawyers, In case the person avails the amnesty facility and does not want to return to his home country, but wishes to stay in the UAE, can he apply for a residence visa?

Hello experts, I have a hold on my bank account even though I have shared all the requested documents with the bank proving that the money belongs to me. However, they keep insisting that the remitting bank requested a recall. Today, I received a notice of account closure from my bank. When I inquired about the amount on hold, I was informed that only the available balance will be issued via a manager's check. The issue has been ongoing for almost 5 months now. Any advice on how to get my money back, please?