Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

My employer has not issued my residence visa yet and I am in overstay. What can I do?

Q: I came on an E-visa (employment visa) from Uganda to the UAE, and my employer didn`t make my residence visa. Now I have been in overstay for 24 days. What should I do?

The lessor is asking me to vacate the house for the reason of not renewing the lease. What can I do?

Q: The lessor is asking me to vacate the house, citing the following clause, even though I have not sublet the property. What can be done in that case? Clause - "Article (20) paragraph (3) of Law No. (20) of 2006 on the rental of premises and the regulation of rental relations between lessors and tenants in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi."

How to get legal help with drafting a memo for a family case in cassation?

Q: I need help drafting a cassation memo for submission to the Abu Dhabi Court in a family case. I already have all the documents. Since there`s no hearing at this stage, I don’t need full legal representation—just memo drafting. My ex-wife is claiming 2024–25 school fees, though child support is already granted. First instance rejected her claim, but the appeal overturned it and ordered me to pay 16,000 AED. I want to file a cassation due to legal errors and flawed reasoning in the appeal judgment. My budget is limited.

What to do if the bank guarantee provided to Dubai Government Authority has been misplaced?

Q: “The guarantee is valid until 24.11.2021 and shall, before expiry, be automatically renewed until advised by you that the contract has been fulfilled. We have received an email from the Dubai Government Authority stating that the Original Bank guarantee has been misplaced, along with the reason that, due to the COVID period, many staff were working remotely at home, and the Dubai Government Authority has sent NOC for the release of the bank guarantee stating that" “Kindly release the bank guarantee No..... as the supplier has fulfilled the condition of the contract without any claim.” Further, the applicant has provided an undertaking cum indemnity to cancel the bank guarantee and release the underlying cash margin. So in the above case, the applicant has given the undertaking cum indemnity and beneficiary also confirmed by email that they have lost the guarantee so in such case. What further action does the bank need to take? Being the government authority, the bank may get less support in terms of documentation, so please advise.

Can I go without the bailiff to receive the keys of my house from the tenant based on a court judgment?

Q: Hi, My tenant was not paying rent, so I filed a case and won it. The court has given a bailiff eviction date of 7th July. The tenant also has outstanding rent plus court fees to pay. The tenant called me and proposed an out-of-court settlement. She is offering to hand over the keys today, along with her furniture, to compensate for the outstanding rent. I don`t trust the tenant as she has lied many times. She`s asking me to come visit the apartment to look at the furniture and take the keys. 1. Please advise if it`s ok to visit the apartment and take the keys and furniture without involving the bailiff. Do I need to report the furniture adjustment against the rent due to the court? 2. Can she create any other problem on my physical visit, although I have WhatsApp messages of her request? 3. Can she request payment installments from the court if I don`t agree to take her furniture? 4. Can I write down the settlement with her on a plain piece of paper with her signature?

Can we file a case against a customer who launched a campaign online against our business reputation?

Q: Hello, A customer based in Dubai booked a public experience online on the website of a reputable business based in Dubai. The customer came to the business location, the team was ready to provide the experience as per her booking. The customer started to shout loudly, claiming that she was expecting a private experience. She refused to do the experience and left. Then she started calling the Management claiming a refund. The Management explained that as per the T&Cs, experiences booked online are public. The Management offered as a goodwill gesture to refund the customer after deducting the cost of preparations that were paid by the business to set up the experience. The customer refused. The customer used her Instagram account and as an influencer + Google review to launch a campaign against the business reputation, inciting her audience/people not to use the business services. She used signs of alert/warnings. Is there a law that punishes such public incitement in the UAE?

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Am I liable for the previous owner’s unpaid service charges when buying a Dubai property?

Q: Hello, I am purchasing an apartment in Dubai from a seller who originally bought this flat at an auction. There were outstanding service charges from the building management company prior to the auction. That pending amount was never updated on the Mollak system as a write-off, and until now, it appears as outstanding on the statement of account. When I buy this apartment, an NOC is being issued stating that there are no dues from the owner, and based on that, I intend to finalize the deal. I would like to know if, in the future, I may be asked to clear these pending service charges by the owners` association. The building management company is trying to clear the outstanding amount with Mollak, but it seems it’s taking a lot of time. What should I do?

How long does it take for a bounced cheque case to be closed after a settlement?

Q: Hello, I had a cheque bounce case filed against me in Dubai, but I’ve now settled it with the complainant. The case has been with the Public Prosecution, and I’ve already submitted the notarized settlement documents. It’s been 5 days since submission, and when I checked with the legal team, they couldn’t give me a clear timeline on how long it might take for the case to be withdrawn and for me to receive clearance. Does anyone here have experience with this process? How long did it take for your case to be closed after submitting the notarized withdrawal request? Should I expect it to be done in a few days, or could it take longer? Thanks in advance!

Can I get a UAE police clearance for US immigration if I was deported in 2022?

Q: Hello, I`m living outside the UAE now. Can I get a police clearance for US immigration purposes even though I had a case and was deported in 2022?

What to do if someone impersonated an employee in the company I own and got mobile lines and phones?

Q: Someone impersonated an employee in the company I have owned since 2012 and extracted 18 mobile lines in addition to several iPhones. I was surprised that the company cut off our landline and mobile communications on the pretext that he was monitoring a debt of 167,000 dirhams. This person was arrested, tried, found guilty, and sentenced to deportation. However, the telecommunications company is still demanding from my company and pursuing me because of this debt that we are not to blame for. How can this matter be resolved?

Is it legally acceptable to give birth in the UAE if the mother is single?

Q: Hello, Is it okay to give birth in the UAE if the mother is single and the father is married? Will there be any problem with that, as long as the parents declare that they are the biological parents to obtain the child`s birth certificate?

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How can I refund the amount of online tickets in Dubai for fraudulant misrepresentation?

Q: Last Friday, I was booking tickets for the Miracle Garden on some Dubai tickets website, and on the OTP page, it showed 225 to be paid on my phone. The otp was added automatically, and I couldn`t read the message properly. It turns out 4,225 got deducted from my account. I immediately called the bank, and they said they can`t reverse the transaction, fill out the dispute resolution form, etc. Even tho the transaction was in process today, the transfer shows complete. Is there a way to get it back? I registered an online complaint with the Central Bank and cybersecurity. I really need the money with my rent coming up, please guide me.

How can victims file a group case for fraud, bounced cheques, and misuse of credit cards?

Q: Hello, I would like to ask for legal advice regarding a fraud case in Abu Dhabi involving multiple victims. The suspect issued bounced cheques, received AED with a promise to exchange it into IDR but failed to deliver, misused other people’s credit cards, and operated an unlicensed travel/tour business. Many clients paid for Umrah or vacation packages that never happened. The total loss is significant, and many victims have evidence such as WhatsApp chats, bank transfers, and bounced cheques. We believe this involves a breach of trust and embezzlement. We would like to know if we can file a group case, what legal steps to take, and the cost of legal representation. Thank you!

My wife won custody under the new law. What are my legal options now?

Q: Hello, My wife filed a case against me last December, demanding a divorce and child support. She also requested an extension of the custody age, based on the fact that the new law extends the custody age to 18 years, along with other demands. The ruling was issued 10 days ago, extending her custody age in accordance with the new law. What is my legal position now? Please help me. Thank you very much!

How can we remove a partner from the license if he is present but unresponsive?

Q: Good day! One of our partners on the license has not been in communication since November 2024. He is also in Dubai but is not answering phone calls or replying to messages. What is the procedure to remove his name from the license in this situation without his absence? Please advise!

I had a criminal case in Dubai and it was closed but I cannot get a PCC. What to do?

Q: Salam Sir, I hope you`re doing well. I had a criminal case in Dubai. Now the case is closed, but I want to obtain a PCC. Can I? I already applied for that, but it was rejected. Please help me out. Thanks