Q: I am a trader, my clients provide me PDC cheques (post dated). As per new law if my clients bounce the cheque & I make a case against them, they won't be imprisoned, they would have to pay fine.  What about my payment, how would I recover my bill payments? Will they still be liable to pay my dues? Also, will they be under a travel ban?

Q: Dear Ahmed, Eid Mubarak! I lost my job two years back and I have been on a couple of visit visas without luck! I have a loan which I was able to pay the first few months of being laid off, however, I couldn't afford to until the bank deposited one of the security cheques. I was arrested while exiting the country, and fined where I was handed over my passport. I am back on a visit to look for a job but the bank has threatened to open a civil case, what are my options? Will they take me to jail? Is there a way I can request the court to allow me to pay little instalments until I get a job? Kindly advise

Q: Hi, I have taken a loan from the bank worth AED 450000. I lost my job in 2016 and was unable to pay the instalments, then left Dubai. Bank people never contacted me and I left as I was unable to pay the monthly instalments. Now I am in India. I have got another job in Dubai and I am very keen on joining it. I contacted the bank through email asking their help to sort this, they asked me to call the call centre. When I called the call centre no one was able to help me, they just said "we will get back to you", but no reply yet. For 1 month, they are not able to help me. Now, I have to join my new job in Dubai asap, and unable to understand what to do. I am ready to pay half amount now and remaining half in instalments on monthly basis. But I don't know whom to contact and how to get this sorted. PS: I don't have any friend in Dubai who is ready to help me and go and negotiate with the bank on my behalf. I am just trying to call and sort on my own. Please help and guide me.

In the UAE, cheque bounce is a very frequent problem faced by people during their span in the country. It is covered under the purview of Commercial Transactions Law, and legal implications/penalties can be financially severe and daunting for more “serious” offenses. Bounced cheque issues may arise in a variety of commercial transactions, including but not limited to, companies’ exchanges, bank loans, property rents or purchases, and individual transactions.

The UAE travel ban may be imposed on a person on various grounds, for instance, as the result of criminal offences, unpaid loans, breach of immigration laws or family matters. Implications of such a ban can be financially severe and daunting for the affected person. This article aims to give readers a clear understanding of what is the UAE travel ban, what are the grounds and procedures for its imposition and removal, how to check if the person is banned from travelling and other related topics.

An interview-format article covering the topic of the travel ban and reasons leading to it in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

إن الاستشارات القانونية هي أحد أهم أعمال المحاماة، وقد يعتقد البعض أنه ليس من الضروري تعيين محامي متخصص لأعمالهم أو شركاتهم إلا في حال التعرض لمشاكل قانونية، إلا أن حقيق الأمر تتطلب الحذر دائمًا، فبدلًا من أن تواجه ردود أفعال غير مرغوب فيها قد تكلفك الكثير من الوقت والجهد والمال، يمكنك الحصول على استشارة قانونية أياً كانت قيمتها فلا تقارن بقيمة الخسائر المادية والمشاكل القانونية التي قد تنتج عن التصرف بدونها، ولعل كثرة القضايا والمنازعات سببها عدم أخذ الرأي القانوني من أهل الخبرة.

This Law promulgates the Federal Penal Code (Criminal Law) of the United Arab Emirates. Crimes and chastisement punishments shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other penal codes.

The provisions of this Decree by Law amend the Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 by replacing Clause (4) of Article (379) as well as Articles (600), (617), (641), (642), (643), (644), and adding new articles numbered (635) Bis, (641) Bis (1), (641) Bis (2), (641) Bis (3), (641) Bis (4), (643) Bis (1), (643) Bis (2), (644) Bis (1) and (644) Bis (2). The Decree-Law also repeals Articles (401), (402) and (403) of the Federal Law No. (3) of 1987.