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!

Hello, How can I be exempted from paying the 5% court fee, and where should I go to apply?

Hello, Our customer has gone into liquidation, and we are shipping goods to Saudi Arabia. We have stopped the shipment and requested payment of their outstanding balance. How can we request to take ownership of their goods to sell in order to recover our outstanding invoices? Is this possible in Dubai Courts?

Hello, I bought an apartment, but the previous landlord is refusing to vacate it. The contract clearly states that the landlord should hand over the apartment on the day of the transfer. Out of courtesy, I gave him three days to vacate so he could find a new place to stay, but the time has passed, and he is still refusing to vacate and hand it over. What should I do in this case?

Hello. I went to a very well-known and professional salon (or so I thought) for a normal hair dye. The guy who did my hair left the dye on my hair for over an hour when it was supposed to be on for a maximum of 30 minutes. He wasn’t paying attention to me walking around the store talking to everyone and also doing another customer's extensions. Now my hair is potentially damaged, my skull burns, and is flaky (meaning the dye wasn’t ammonia-free which is extremely unprofessional for such an expensive salon). I didn’t even get the outcome that I wanted and the dye color doesn’t even show. I talked to him about it but he shut it down so fast and gaslit me the whole time and made me feel like I was the wrong one and I was ‘complaining about something so light’. Please let me know what I can do legally about this. Thank you.

I was notified by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department that a civil claim had been filed against me. I’m ignoring it. Can I just run away and exit the country easily? I guess no travel ban has been imposed against me yet. Thank you.

My brother had a personal loan of 300k. He lost his job, and the company terminated him, and his visa was cancelled, so he moved back home in 2015. He is trying to find a job back in the UAE. Is there any way to get him cleaned, paying the court fine? The bank he had a loan with has been merged with other groups, and he doesn't know who to contact. Repayment is impossible without a job, and finding a job at the age of 50 is not an easy task. Appreciate your advice. Thanks

Hello, My sister passed away and left her son. Her husband has given me power of attorney and a legal heir certificate. How can I transfer the son's visa to my name in the UAE?

Hello, How can I cancel my partner visa without the sponsor in Dubai?

I had a case at Al Barsha Police Station, Dubai, for one year. On 22 April, the court announced a verdict and imposed a fine of AED 5000, which I paid on the very next day and got the certificate from DPP, which I took to the Al Barsha Police station and submitted there. The police officer told me that they have removed the travel ban, and the records will be updated in other emirates within 24 hours. It's been more than 48 hours now since I applied for a clearance certificate on the MOI app, and it has turned into status "review with the concerned party." I don't have any other cases, only this case, for which I paid the penalty already. Seeking expert advice, please.

Hello, My rental here in Dubai comes with a fridge and cooker. I believe these to be at least 10 years old. The fridge has now stopped working and requires a part to be replaced. This comes at a cost of 540 AED, which is over the agreed amount that I am responsible for. My Ejari comes with an extra addendum provided by the landlord, which states: 1. The landlord is responsible for major maintenance of the apartment (namely structural, electrical, and plumbing) exceeding 500 AED + 5% VAT. The tenant is responsible for any minor maintenance as needed as a result of wear and tear. 2. The property is leased with the following assets (fridge and cooker) owned by the landlord in working condition and should be returned in the same condition. Any maintenance required is the tenant’s responsibility. My question is: If I'm unable to fix this fridge, do I have to provide a new one? The company looking to repair the fridge is having an issue finding the part needed, as it is old.

My brother had a personal loan of 300k. He lost his job, and the company terminated him, and his visa was cancelled, so he moved back home in 2015. He is trying to find a job back in the UAE. Is there any way to get him cleaned, paying the court fine? The bank he had a loan with has been merged with other groups, and he doesn't know who to contact. Repayment is impossible without a job, and finding a job at the age of 50 is not an easy task. Appreciate your advice. Thanks

Hello, My sister passed away and left her son. Her husband has given me power of attorney and a legal heir certificate. How can I transfer the son's visa to my name in the UAE?

Hello, How can I cancel my partner visa without the sponsor in Dubai?

Hello, I'm 23, female, Pakistani, under my dad's sponsorship on a residence visa for the next 2 years. During these 2 years, I hope to leave my house, but my abusive parents would raise hell if I even brought up the topic. So my only option is to leave without them knowing. My concern is: what legal action can they take against me if I move out without their approval? I don’t want to do anything illegal or risk my residency.

Hello, My lawyer has charged me more than the actual amount for registering my labour case. What should I do?

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.

Hello, My sister filed a criminal case against her employer (sexual harassment), and it is already with the Public Prosecutor. Her employer refuses to compensate her at all. Can we file a civil claim? When should we do it? Can we still file a civil claim after the judgment of the case?

Hello, I'm a Malaysian and have worked with a company registered in Dubai. I'm based in Malaysia and have been working with them since 2008. Recently, the company has been facing financial trouble and offered me a 60% pay cut, which I did not agree to. I offered them two options: to temporarily cut my salary by 20%, or to pay me retrenchment compensation based on my contract (which is based on Malaysian law). Please advise me on my next course of action if the company cuts my salary by 60% without my consent.

Hello, We are a building materials trading company based in the UAE. We supplied materials worth AED 50,000 to a customer around 8 months ago, but despite repeated follow-ups and reminders, no payment has been made to date. We would appreciate guidance on the following: 1. What legal action can we take to recover the amount? 2. What documents should we have ready (e.g., delivery notes, invoice, emails)? 3. How long does the legal process typically take in the UAE for such cases? 4. Is there a recommended timeline or deadline after which legal steps should be initiated? Thank you in advance for your advice!