I recently purchased a rented apartment in Abu Dhabi and agreed to honor the existing lease. After the transfer, I discovered that the lease is not a Tawtheeq contract, meaning it is not officially registered. Since I am not receiving rent (as it was a non-refundable arrangement with the seller), I prefer not to issue a new Tawtheeq. I also want to avoid a formal notice to vacate to prevent disputes, as I plan to move in. However, I have already informed the tenant that I will not be renewing the lease. I need legal advice on the implications of proceeding without a Tawtheeq contract. What are my risks, especially if the tenant refuses to move out? What legal actions, if any, can the tenant take in this situation?

My brother has been working for a company for 11 years. In the last 3 weeks, he had an incident/accident and scratched a plane since he only had 1 person to assist him as the company was not hiring enough people. Senior staff like him are working more to train inexperienced new hires which adds to their workload working almost 12 hours/day including travel to DWC. The pilot said it was aesthetic and could be painted over but a police investigation ensued. Last week 3 managers and HR talked him down as the investigation concluded. He was terminated immediately with only this month's pay and his 11-year gratuity will not be given by the company. It was not gross negligence or malicious intent, he just didn’t have enough people to help him. He owned up to the mistake and reported the incident within 24 hours. Can he fight for the gratuity?

A person currently under a deportation order wishes to appoint a trusted person with Power of Attorney (POA) to manage their financial and legal matters, including access to their bank account and other obligations. What is the process for obtaining and registering a POA in this situation? Can it be done while they are still in custody, and what steps should they follow to ensure? Please help.

Dear Sir/Madam, The Dubai Court has frozen my bank account because I was late on an alimony payment. The money was automatically deducted from my salary this month. Will the court automatically unfreeze the account once this is done, or will I need to petition the court to issue an order to unfreeze it?

What is the process of renewing the visa while a criminal case is still ongoing? I got first instance court judgment in my favor and was declared innocent, however, the prosecution filed the appeal. My residence visa is due for renewal next week. Can I process my renewal or it is blocked till the time this case is over?

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.

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, 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, My ex-wife has custody of our 3-year-old daughter. She is a converted Muslim, but she has a Christian boyfriend, and I think they are living together. What actions can I take about it?

Good morning. My tenant was supposed to vacate the property on 15th April 2025 as per the contract. Now he is not answering the phone, and the property is still in use. Please guide the way forward. I have already rented the property to a new tenant.

The bank filed a case against me using security cheques and executed a travel ban from Dubai Courts.

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!

Dear lawyer I seek help on whether I can return to the UAE or not. I exited the UAE on an outpass due to overstaying. I have been patient for more than 7 months. I was advised that I am able to return to the UAE. The process was successful, and I traveled to the UAE, but I was denied entry to the UAE at immigration. Why? I was only overstaying, I hadn't been a criminal, just my boss refused to do a visa for me. After overstaying, my employers traveled to their country. I had no idea how to resolve the issue other than to get an outpass and go back home.

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 had a case regarding fraud by technical means, and we did a tanazul. It was attested and submitted to the court, but the case still hasn’t been dropped and is now with the public prosecution. What do I do now, as I need to travel urgently?

I got an order of 6 months imprisonment and deportation for a judgment in absentia by the Sharjah court for selling medicine without a license. I was not involved in the case directly; my friend used my car, and he had my bank card. They made a confession that they were working for me and made a false claim that they had transferred money to me. As I am outside the country, I came to the UAE to solve my case. I got detained at the airport, and the CID asked me some questions. I mentioned they didn’t transfer me a single Dihram, so he let me go, as the case was already open for appeal. In the first instance court, they gave me the same verdict, then I appealed and attached documents like bank statements and my company details, which were not mentioned before. They gave a date for the judgment, but it was not issued, and they gave the next date. I have been suffering a lot for the last 3 months here in the UAE and for 6 months back home. So my question is that what will happen next? Will the case be open for retrial, and will the CID be convinced by my logic? Can they drop charges, or now the court decide only?

Dear Respected Lawyers, Subject: Request for Legal Advice Regarding Unlawful Practices by a Debt Collection Agency I would greatly appreciate your advice and guidance regarding a troubling issue my colleague is facing with a collection agency. The company has been contacting the employer, urging them to ask my colleague to get in touch with them regarding a supposed liability. This claim is related to a 15-year-old closed dispute with a bank credit card, and the issue seems to stem from outdated and inaccurate information on the AECB report. Our main concerns are as follows: Unauthorized Access: The company is accessing her AECB report without her consent. She has never given permission for them to retrieve or view her personal financial information. How is it possible for a third-party agency to openly access and track AECB reports, especially for a dispute that was resolved 15 years ago?

I was evicted from my apartment after living there for five years. My landlord informed me a year in advance that the lease would not be renewed because he intended to sell the property. Prior to this, he attempted to impose a rent increase that was not compliant with RERA regulations, which I refused to accept. He then served me with an official Dubai Court eviction notice, citing the need to take back the property for sale. Five months after I moved out, I discovered the property was rented out at a much higher price. Upon further investigation, I found that the ownership was transferred as a "Gift" rather than a sale. This makes it seem like the eviction was only to raise the rent rather than a genuine need to sell. Do I have a valid case for wrongful eviction against my landlord? Also, under Dubai law, does transferring ownership as a "Gift" hold the same legal grounds as selling in justifying eviction?

Hi I'm an Irish citizen and a resident of the United Kingdom. I got investment fraud in Dubai. I invested money into a business with a Pakistani national guy in March 2024 via bank transfer into his business account. Now he's giving back the money which I invested in business after 9 months. He's preparing a letter from a local lawyer to kick me out of the business. I do not have any other option than to take out at least my money. But it's unfair to me that he used my money in business and took all the advantage. Some people say to me that if you claim money or take legal action against him, it will take too much time and I need to travel to Dubai to appear in court because it is a civil matter. But I'm not a resident. How can I follow the civil case there? That's why my partner knows that I can not do anything and this case keeps running long time and in the end nothing happens. But I'm thinking that I will submit a complaint through my embassy and I also have a solicitor in the United Kingdom.

Dear Lawyers, My relative lost his wife during childbirth due to clear medical negligence, as stated in the report from the DHA medical committee. He had to relocate to India due to the situation and is currently working there. Please guide us on the steps to take for justice and compensation.

We are a UK-based company that paid for a UAE agency to complete a photoshoot for us. Some time passed as we were struggling to schedule a shoot in our schedule. They also delayed the matter due to a lack of availability for them. They promised us a shoot by November but then stopped responding to us. We threatened legal action and now they are only offering a refund of approximately 18%. Please could you advise me on how to move forward as they have cheated us?

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.

Hi I'm a nanny, and at the same time, I work as a housemaid (khadama) here in the house. I work, but as I know, the nannies and housemaids have different rights, and my employer doesn't give me rest. My work starts at 7:30 am and then finishes at 10 pm or less. It depends on whether the baby is asleep or what time they will take on me if not yet asleep. Is this right? Also, at the time of eating, I'm still working because the baby is with me, so I just let her sit in her chair. That's how I eat. Please answer me. I want to know my rights. Because if I can leave during the 6-month probation, I want to take it if the employer is this kind. I don't know. They are also expats, but they don't follow the rules of the UAE regarding a housemaid.

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.

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, 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?