Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

How to cancel my visa if my employer does not sign cancellation papers?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have been working as a Civil Engineer in a Dubai-based construction company since 2003 with an unlimited contract. Due to financial issues, the company has decided not to renew its license and is closing down, but they have the dues that have to be paid to the local sponsor and he is not signing the cancellation papers. Please advise how I can get my visa canceled.

How can I check if an employment offer is genuine or scam?

Q: Hello, Would anyone advise, I have got an employment offer letter from a Dubai based company named `Global Shipping and Maritime Company`. They refer me to a travel agency. Now they want money - 1750$. How can I check if it is fake or real?

How to check the reason for UAE ban

Q: Hi, My friend applied for a visa to Dubai and it’s rejected for the 3rd time and the reason showing is "life ban"... She has no police case or anything with the bank. I just need to know the reason how she`s got the life ban and how to remove or resolve it. Thank you

Early termination of a service contract based on its non-performance

Q: I have entered into a written contract with a UAE based race team for the provision of technical and other services to support my 14-year-old son racing in a national karting championship. The championship is run over 6 rounds between September 2017 and March 2018. I was disappointed with the service delivery at the first round as the conditions of the contract were not met. I have decided to join a different team for the remainder of the championship and have advised in writing my decision to do so. In the meantime, the team that I was contracted to has refused to refund any of my money, citing the non-refundable clause in the contract. The contract value is AED27,000. What recourse do I have based on non-performance?

Setting up a Delaware company with overseas subsidiaries

Q: My company is based in Cairo, and I need to incorporate a mother company in Delaware, along with subsidiaries in London, Munich, and other international cities. How can I do that?

Share purchase agreement of a Delaware company

Q: Hello, I`m currently raising funds in Dubai, have a company registered in Delaware and looking for advice and help to do the share purchase agreement or any other type of stock purchase agreement. Any chance someone can help? I trust all is well and looking forward to your reply. Best, Abdul Kareem

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Early termination of a lease because of poor condition of the building

Q: Hello. I hope I can get some good insight from you. I have tried to reason with my landlord to allow me to break my tenancy contract early. He refused. Now what legal action can I take, and can I refuse to pay the full amount as too many shortfalls in the building? It is very dirty, never cleaning, the gym is so dirty one may get a disease, faulty equipment, very bad maintenance, a pool no one can access... so many. What can I do about it? Can I refuse to pay the whole amount? Who can I complain to? I need some info to know what to do. Thank you.

Partition of an apartment without Sharjah Municipality approval

Q: Is it illegal to build a partition inside a flat? Where can I find anything about real estate laws in the UAE, specifically in Sharjah? Do we have a government official website where I can find the list of laws applied in the UAE?

Legal consequences of unpaid Etisalat bills

Q: I had a pending payment of AED 2656 for Etisalat, but due to some financial issues, I couldn`t pay it for a long time. Now they have finally told me about legal action or travel ban. Please tell me how I can get out of this problem.

Broker's commission which should be paid while buying an apartment in Dubai

Q: Hi, I am going to buy an apartment in Dubai. If I am going directly from the seller`s broker, shall we both (seller and buyer) pay 2% each to this broker? And also it asks for a convenience fee of 5000 Dhs, what is it? Thanks

Engagement of a lawyer for legal representation in a labour case

Q: Hi, I am 11 salaries behind from my company. I am going to lodge a labour case with the local government office and wondered, is it possible to engage a lawyer to represent me as I might have to return to the UK and fight the case from there?

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What to do if you received a call from a person claiming to be a lawyer

Q: I received an unsolicited call on a Saturday night (6.06pm to be precise), on my mobile phone in my place of residence from a lawyer (think he`s actually a partner) claiming to represent my ex-wife in a matter pertaining to a divorce agreement that was ratified in Zimbabwe at the end of August. He threatened that the full force of his law firm will be thrown at me if I did not settle the monetary claim within 48 hours of our telephone discussion. 80% of the monetary amount in question was actually remitted that afternoon, prior to his call, which he didn`t bother to inquire about. There was no formal notification in writing that their services had indeed being retained by my ex-wife. I am not sure if he followed due process & his threats could be construed as coercion in a matter that was all but resolved.

How do I know whether I am able to enter Dubai for layover flights?

Q: Hi, I left Dubai halfway through my contract because of a family ailment. I didn`t give notice, I had a leave and resigned when I got home. It`s been 2 years since. How do I know whether I am able to enter Dubai for layover flights?

Is it legal to discuss maintenance of a child with the employer of my ex-husband?

Q: Hello. I would like to know if it is legal or illegal to contact my ex-husband`s HR dept due to his refusal to pay for child support since the birth of our child (Age 16 now). He lives and works in Dubai. I have remarried and have other children, moved to Abu Dhabi 1 1/2 yrs back and contacted him at his office. He has failed on every promise until now. I cant afford the high legal fees to file a case. Please, let me know what are my options. Thanks.

Harassment by a husband

Q: Salam, I am in need of great help, I am asking my question through my sister as I don`t have access to my phone or internet. I am born an brought up in Dubai, and I am married with three kids and stay in Sharjah now. I am going through a lot of stress because of my husband. He threatens to hit me, he locks me up with my kids and goes to the office, he even took away my phone so I cannot contact my family, he asked me to cut off all the ties with my family members and they are also not allowed to meet me. He has installed a camera at home to keep an eye on me, he also had an affair with an Indonesian female, he threatens to send me to Pakistan with my kids, I really don`t want to go there as my whole family is here. My family cant help me because their financial condition is not very stable. My husband wants me to leave him so that he will not have to pay any alimony for me and my help. I have had a lot of health issues, I really need some help, I feel I will die due to depression.

How long does it take to get UAE employment visa after I accepted a job offer?

Q: Hi, I got a paper and I signed it. That paper included the following: "This job offer has been made up of three counterparts duly signed by both parties. Each party shall receive and retain a copy thereof and the third one shall be submitted by the first party to MOL as a prerequisite for issuance of the work permit." The paper also had first party signature, as the second party signature was mentioned my name, and I put my signature. I got the letter in September 2017 but have not received the visa yet. How long is the time of validity of this letter? Shall I get the visa? Or the company can stop this letter?