Q: Dear Madam, Just 2 days before I got termination from my company I am working at in the UAE since 24th Feb 2015, I took a personal loan from a bank. Now, the total outstanding including interest is AED 90000. Can you please advise me because I am jobless? I am working in a construction MEP company and it's not easy to get another job. Best regards

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: I already have a loan and now my visa is cancelled. No job, no solution. Please help me.

Q: Salam, I have been working in the UAE for 7 years. A week ago, my employer threatened me with termination. I have a bank liability of around 164,000.00 AED in a form of a personal loan and I fear that in case of losing the job I will not be able to pay off my loan as I have no savings. After reading, I understand that I shall have to face a criminal proceeding if I am not able to pay off my loan (as it becomes due in its entirety in case of loss of job) and also imprisonment. Whatever it may be, I need to know more about it. I was informed by a friend that if a person notifies the bank about this default and termination, then the proceedings shall start and the defaulter shall either be imprisoned or fined. Will appreciate it if someone can guide me on how things shall be in case I get terminated and the loan amount becomes due and this situation turns into a civil/criminal case. Best Regards,

Q: My sister lost her job a few years ago, due to that she suffered a head stroke, resulting in defaulting of payments of her loans to two banks (approximately combined value of 120000 dirhams). She has a case against her (bounced cheques approximately 44000 dirhams) for house rent. She is stuck in the UAE, overstaying illegally and can't travel. She doesn't know what to do, living in fear from the cases against her and can't find a job to try to solve the legal issues. Please she needs help and advice to ease her suffering and solve her legal situation to live without fear knowing that the amounts due are overwhelming and can't be paid at once by her. Is there any solution other than negotiating with the banks and the debtors who insist on her paying the full amounts in one shot to lift the legal cases and the travel ban against her? They offered a slight deduction but due to her situation, she can't pay the amounts.

Q: Dear questioner, I got terminated from a company within the probation period. I have a personal loan of 70000 AED and paid only one month's EMI. I can't pay the loan until I get another job. Please advise what I have to do!

Q: I have a civil case against me. I had a loan of AED 30000 and a credit card total due was AED 19000. In Corona time, I lost my job and went back to my home country. Once I came back, they made a case against me for around AED 47000. It's not a bank but a finance house. Right now I'm on a visit visa. What should I do?

Q: Hello I am N, I was living in the UAE at the time I took a personal loan. I was paying back the installments all on time until I lost my job. I was searching for a job but had no luck and I was not able to get any job in the UAE. After a few months, I got an offer from Bahrain and I moved to Bahrain. I took this opportunity because I have had no job for a few months. It's hard to run my daily life and the salary which I currently earn is not matching my last job. I was trying to contact the bank to know if they can help me, but unfortunately, they are not helping to get the solution. Instead, they have handed over this to the agency and they keep calling me for the payment. Even with the agency, I am trying to request the same if they can help me but no use again. They keep saying they will take legal action and they will impose a travel ban on me which I really not impressed with when am ready to pay if they really help to reduce the monthly installments. Please kindly help me with your advice. Thanks

Q: Hi, Please advise the below issue with the bank. I lost my job last 2018, and due to this, I'm not able to pay my monthly dues to the bank. I visited the bank to discuss that I have insurance for my credit card. But the bank denied that insurance and said to me that I should apply for that insurance after my company finishes my work contract. It takes me 3 months before I visit the bank to apply for the insurance. The bank sued me in a civil case. I paid the amount to the police. But the bank still forces me to pay the pending amount. I manage to pay per month since Sept 2019 and until Dec 2022. Again I lost my work last Dec 2022. I'm not able to pay now the monthly dues that the bank required. Kindly help and advise, please.

The management of individual financial affairs is crucial and all the actions must be weighed down while committing to any financial liability. Whether it's job loss that may have lead to financial failure or the opposite, one must be aware of the personal liability which will not diminish by paying fines for cheque bounce cases. There are two major types of liabilities, criminal liability and civil liability. Each has its own significance, hence, must be dealt with accordingly.

I believe that there is a similarity between medicine and law, and just as there is a way to ask a question to a doctor to get the most accurate and correct answers from him, which ultimately helps you receive the correct diagnosis, and therefore the correct treatment, there is a way to ask a lawyer.

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.

This Law applies to merchants, as well as to all acts of commerce carried out in the UAE by any person even though he be not a trader. Commercial matters regarding which specific Federal laws are issued shall be subject to the provisions of such laws, and to the provisions hereof which do not contradict with said laws.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

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.