Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

How can I cancel my visa to join a new job if my current employer is delaying it?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to seek guidance regarding my work visa cancellation dilemma. Two months ago, my employer placed me on an involuntary, unpaid leave due to business constraints, and this was communicated verbally. Recently, I have secured a new job, and my new employer has expressed the need for me to transfer my visa under their sponsorship. Despite repeated requests to my previous employer to cancel my visa, I have been consistently delayed with promises of "tomorrow" for almost a month. In light of these circumstances, I have two primary concerns: 1. What measures can I take to expedite the cancellation of my old visa? Should I consider reporting this delay to the relevant authorities such as the Dubai Police or the Dubai Court? 2. Alternatively, is there a legal avenue that allows me to retain my existing visa until its expiration date and commence work with my new employer concurrently? I would greatly appreciate your insights and guidance on this matter.

Enforcing DIFC STC judgment against onshore company in Dubai Courts

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have a DIFC Small Claims Tribunal judgment that I need to enforce in the Dubai Courts against an onshore company. I have the STC order and enforcement letter in Arabic.

Is the visa cancelation paper required for new employment visa?

Q: Is the visa cancelation paper required for a new employment visa? My visa has been canceled. I checked through the ICP website. My previous employer is delaying sending the document. Is it required for a new employment visa? Can I get a copy of the visa cancelation by myself through Amer or online?

Can we file a claim against an employee if he caused a financial loss to the company?

Q: There was a legal action against an employee who failed to participate in an international event in Saudi Arabia due to a family issue that resulted in a travel ban, which in turn led to the non-signing of an AED 100,000 deal resulting in a loss to the company. - What legal grounds exist for the employer to pursue legal action against the employee in this scenario? - Does UAE labor law provide any specific guidance or remedies for such situations? - What are the desired outcomes or remedies the employer can seek through legal action? - Are there any potential legal consequences or liabilities for the employer in pursuing this case? - What documentation and evidence are needed to support the employer`s case?

Can I refuse to pay rent if the landlord did not provide electricity?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I rented a warehouse from a landlord on September 13, 2022, for an annual rent of 50,000 AED. I paid the first installment of 12,000 AED. The warehouse is our workshop where we manufacture customer orders. The landlord had an issue with Abu Dhabi Municipality, so he did not issue us a tenancy contract until February 15, 2023. After we received the tenancy contract, we discovered that the landlord also had an issue with ADDC. Due to these issues with the landlord, we were unable to get an electricity connection for our workshop until March 9, 2023. The landlord is now demanding rent for this period, but we refused to pay because it was not our fault. We also suffered a lot of losses during this time because we were unable to fulfill customer orders due to the lack of electricity. We also had to pay salaries to our idle workforce. The landlord has now filed an enforcement case against us by using the installment cheques. What legal actions can we take against the landlord now?

DIFC visa holder owed 3 months salary by employer. What can I do?

Q: Hello, I would like to ask about a situation I am in with my current hospitality and restaurant company. I have not received my salary for three months (since June 2023), and despite my repeated requests, the company keeps postponing payment with excuses. I considered resigning, but many people have resigned during the year and have not received their pending salaries or final settlement. In addition, several other people who opened cases a few months ago have also not received their salaries. We do not have medical insurance. I have a DIFC visa and have tried to speak with the owner, but he has not given me any answers. I am currently working in a high position with no salary. The company owes me three salaries. What should I do to get them? Thank you in advanced! Kind Regards,

Hire a lawyer online

Save time and money. Buy fixed-fee legal services or submit your request and get multiple competitive offers from qualified lawyers.

Buy services Get quotes

Can I request evidence of landlord selling property before I vacate?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My landlord sent me a legal notice through the Dubai Courts notary, giving me 12 months` notice to vacate. He stated that he is willing to sell the house, but it is highly likely that this is not accurate and he is looking to rent it out at a much higher rent. My current lease ends on November 14, 2023, and the legal notice is dated August 7, 2023. The landlord has also emailed me asking to sign a lease for the period November 2023 to August 2024. What are my options? Is it useful for me to send a response to their legal notice stating that we have received their notice, and that if they do not actually sell the villa, we will monitor the situation and not only report to RERA but also file for compensatory damages? Can we request any evidence of them selling the villa? Finally, if I speak to them and it turns out that they want to rent the villa at a much higher rate and they send me a lease with the higher rent, can I use that as support for their intention?

How to take legal action against a partner who misused a POA and took over the business?

Q: Asalamu Alaikum, I have a question about one partner who took over all the business and blamed the main partner of the business who started this business with his investment. The partner lied and used a fake signature to trap him. He threatened him with jail. The main partner gave him a power of attorney in his absence. But he needs to use it with the approval of his main partner. He has purposefully kept his company in the red for the last eight months. We need legal assistance in this case to get out of this situation.

My brother has a check bounce and he is not in the UAE. Can I get a police report?

Q: My brother has a check bounce. He is currently out of Dubai. He is willing to come to Dubai. Can I get a police report? Will I have a problem if I go to Dubai Police?

The case status used to say Regsrt and now says ACT. What does that mean?

Q: The case status used to say Regsrt and now says ACT. What does that mean?

Which contract is valid in UAE, labor or employment contract?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have a UAE labor contract that is valid from September 29, 2021 to September 29, 2023. I also have an employment contract with my firm that was signed in November 2022, which states the contract duration to be until September 30, 2025. I have since obtained a golden visa. Which contract is valid? I do not want to continue to work with the firm after September 29, 2023.

Looking for something else?

Ask for advice from a lawyer

It’s free and anonymous

No registration needed

Ask a lawyer

Denied visit visa after overstaying by 23 days. What can I do?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I overstayed my visa by 23 days. I paid the fines and left the country on an outpass. I have the receipts from Terminal 2. I applied for a visit visa from Sharjah, but it was refused. I was staying at the airport for more than 48 hours because of the weekend. I want to know what the issue is. Please help me. I am now back in my home country. I have a house contract and a car in Ajman. I am very stressed and depressed.

Forwarder not sharing BL and exit point despite multiple follow-ups. What to do?

Q: Good afternoon, A forwarder on a Free on Board (FOB) basis is not sharing a copy of the Bill of Lading (BL) and exit point with us despite multiple follow-ups. What can we do about this? We need this copy for audit purposes. Thank you!

Can landlord evict me for registering friend as co-occupant?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My rental agreement ends in three days. The landlord gave me two options: vacate the property or pay an additional 10,000 AED, which is more than what the RERA calculator estimates. I am solely responsible for the rent and utilities. I registered my friend as a co-occupant in 2022. I did not agree to the landlord`s demands because the notice was improper. I submitted an offer and rent check, which was approved by the judge. The landlord threatened to evict me, claiming that I was subletting the property. However, I did not make any financial gain from my friend. Can our relationship be considered as siblings? The landlord was aware of my friend`s presence at the very beginning of the lease, three years ago.

What are my options if my husband is refusing to pay child support?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, What are the charges to open an execution file in Sharjah for a divorce case and how much time will it take to execute the court order? My husband told the court that he does not have money to pay for me and my daughter`s expenses because he is earning a minimum amount in which he can only survive. In that case, what can I do? He closed all his bank accounts and sent money to his parents in India. He also told me that he will show in court that he does not have a job or money, so the court or police cannot do anything to him. Can you please guide me on what I can do in this case? I do not have any proof of his salary or bank account because he was not informing me about anything related to his financial matters. In fact, he was forcing me to ask my parents to send money to us. Because of no proof, the court agreed with him and rejected my appeal. I do not have a job and I am struggling for basic expenses. Can I request the court to inquire about his gratuity and end of service? Or can the court ask him to submit proof of the money that he received from his company, as he was working for 30 years in the same company?

My husband is in jail because his friends were arrested in a drug case. How to bail him out?

Q: Assalamu Alaikum all respected lawyers. I just want to confirm my husband is in police custody in Abu Dhabi for a drug case. But he is not involved in drugs. The reports of the drug test are negative. He is stuck because nine of his friends are involved in his case. My question is, if I hire a lawyer, how much time will it take to finish the case or get his bail? Also, how much time will it take to get power of attorney from Al Rahba Police Station? And what will the process be after getting the power of attorney? Please help me with my question