حصلت على قرض شخصي وكريدت كارد من مؤسسة للتمويل بإجمالي ٥٠ ألف وتعثرت لفترة والآن يطالبونني بدفع مبلغ ٢٠٠ ألف درهم بالفوائد وكنت أعطيتهم شيك بقيمة ٤٢ ألف وقتها. سؤالي: هل يوجد سند لأمر داخل عقد القرض (الأبليكيشن) الخاص بالشركة التي وقعت معها في البداية؟ أم لا يملكون ضمانًا آخر يُمكِّنهم من مقاضاتي به سوى الشيك الذي أعطيته لهم فقط؟ مع جزيل الشكر!

هناك مشكلة مع مقاول إذ اتفقنا على بناء ملحق داخل منزل خاص ووقعنا العقد واستلم أول دفعة. اشتغل حسب العقد واستلم الدفعة الثانية وأوقف العمل ويرفض المواصلة. تبين لي بعدما حاولت أن أقدم شكوى ضده أنه يستخدم ختم وعقد لشركة منتهية في سنة 2013 ولا يوجد لديه أي ترخيص. كيف أستطيع أن أشكوه وبنفس الوقت أواصل البناء؟

My wife and I are non-Muslims. Divorce was settled in our home country court which decided that I am the custodian of the children and no alimony has to be paid to her. Children are living with me here in the UAE. However, she still resides here in the UAE using a tourist visa. She is planning to file a Maintenance Case against me in the UAE Family Court. Can she do that? Am I obliged to pay her alimony?

فصلتني الشركة فصلاً تعسفيًا وقمت بمقاضاة الشركة والحمد لله حصلت على حكم بمستحقاتي المالية من رواتب متأخرة ومكافأة نهاية الخدمة. تقدمت بطلب تنفيذ ولم تدفع الشركة لي أي مبالغ حتى الآن! ما الخطوة الواجب فعلها في هذه الحالة؟

Hello I bought an off-plan apartment with a developer, paid half and the other half was supposed to be paid on receiving the apartment which was supposed to be received end of 2019. But they postponed it till March 2020, and now the project is way behind and no improvement at all as I'm in phase 2 and they are still building phase one. What can I do to get my money back?

Dear sir/madam, I would like someone to be honest with me. I am in the UK. How long have I got to claim inheritance in Dubai? I was reading in the Gulf News that the laws of the country of the deceased at the time of death can be applied regarding the will. Is this true or false? I am really looking for these two questions to be answered first. Can anyone help me with this, please?

Dear Advocate Sweta Singh, I am from India and in Sep 2018, I purchased an apartment in a hotel. The hotel has not been completed and the delay is more than a year. They have not paid any compensation as per the contract, nor do they talk about it. I have paid more than 80% in installments and paying it regularly. Please help me, guide me on how to cancel the deal and get a full refund, or any other way which helps me recover my investment. Regards

Dear questioner, My father (Muslim) has passed away in South Africa. He leaves behind 4 children, his wife (our mother) and his own mother. He had a will for South Africa in which, I (oldest son) am executor. The will does state that it encompasses all property and assets wherever they may be. He has various properties and assets in the UAE. My questions are: 1. Does his will have power in the UAE or will it be divided by Sharia? 2. What documents are required to wind up his estate? 3. What is the wind-up process within the UAE?

My son tragically died in Dubai and his salary has been paid into a UAE HSBC bank account. My daughter also lives in Dubai and has an HSBC account. How can I access my Son's bank account, please? I live in the UK.

My uncle died 2 weeks ago in one of the private hospitals here in Dubai. We have already completed everything regarding the repatriation of his body with the help of his employer and his remains are already sent back to our home country last week. He used to give me an access of his ATM card before and I tried to access it just few days ago and I found out that there is some amount of money left on his bank account. I am aware that he has some pending bank loan requests before he died, so I am afraid that amount might be the reason of such big amount. Being the only family member of my deceased uncle, what should I do in order to make sure that the amount is from his savings and not from his bank loans? In case the amount is proved to be his own savings, is there any chance for me to get the authorization to claim that amount from the bank to be used by his family? He has a wife with 3 kids back home. Thanks a lot in advance.

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 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?

Hello, My employee provided a resignation. Our company offered a salary raise and made a deal with him where he agreed to continue with us, but it’s not on paper. He suddenly stopped coming to work, stating he doesn’t want to work anymore. What rights do we have as a company, and what can we do about it?

Hi sir, I am my husband's second wife. We married in Pakistan. Our marriage is not registered in the UAE. Now, he abandoned me and has not sent me a visa. Can I come to the UAE and file a case against my husband?

Dear sir/madam, Am I allowed to start opening a case against my husband for alimony and support if I have not given birth yet? Or do I have to wait until I give birth and then open a case against him?

Hi, Since 2018, I have cheque case amount of AED 345000. During my absence, the court has sentenced me for 18 months of jail. Now I'm in India. How can I clear with the use of POA and how long will it take to clear? I have to return back to the UAE asap.

Is it possible to have a divorce case and leave the country? Do I have to stay in the UAE if the divorce is still not done? The procedures are very slow and I cannot be in the UAE in the upcoming months. What are the options for dealing with the divorce and the court while being abroad?

كنت مديرًا وشريكًا بشركة ذات مسؤولية محدودة، وبحكم وظيفتي بصفتي مديرًا للشركة، وقَّعت شيك ضمان لأحد العملاء بمعاملة تجارية باستخدام دفتر شيكات الشركة، وبعد عامين تركت وظيفتي وانسحبت من الشركة وسلَّمتها لمدير وشريك آخر. حدثت بعد هذا التاريخ خلافات تجارية بين الشركة من ناحية وبين العميل من ناحية أخرى فرفع العميل دعوى مدنية ضدي وضد الشركة. ما موقفي وحجتي القانونية في هذه المشكلة مع العلم أن قيمة الشيك مُثبتَة بالعقد ومُعرَّفة على أنها شيك ضمان وليس وفاء؟ شكرًا لحضراتكم!

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, How many days do I need to wait for company cancellation following resignation and one-month notice?

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?

Hello, Am I allowed to wear a burka during the divorce hearing at the family court?

Hello, I have been separated for 7 years from my late ex-husband in the Philippines. I am a converted Muslim since 2016, and my ex-husband was not Muslim. Can I marry my Egyptian fiancé here in the UAE?

Dear Lawyers, My brother was sentenced to 25 years in jail for a minor drug case (1 gram) on October 24, 2024. Can he get bail? What will happen next, and what can I do to help him get released? Kindly advise!

Hello, I have a question. My husband had a loan 15 years ago, he had difficulty paying this loan, and the bank opened a case, which was solved, and he paid the full loan. He is still in Dubai and has a good work position. How is it possible to remove the solved bank case from the database to have the possibility of getting the credit card and loan? Thank you.

Good Day, As someone unfamiliar with local laws and a non-Arabic speaker, the police took my statement but did not provide a translation and told me to sign. I have no idea what they wrote or presented in the case. The case is now with the Public Prosecution. What should I do to ensure the authorities are aware of this?

Dear Lawyers, My husband is under investigation, and I want to get him bailed out from detention. However, I am a visitor. Can I get him bail by providing my passport?

Hi, good morning, I’m an Indian residing in the UAE and want to apply for a divorce. My husband and I have been living separately for more than 3 years, and he has been living in India since our separation. We are both Indians and Christians (non-Muslims). We have a son who is 8 years old now. Can you please let me know the divorce procedure if we want to proceed in the UAE, both with and without mutual consent? Additionally, please advise on how to proceed with custody, as my son currently resides with me. Thank you!