UAE Legal Resources - Legal Advice Middle East

Working without a valid visa and claiming labor rights

Q: Ma’am/sir, I just want to ask if we have a right to complain at the labor office. We are working on a company based in Business Bay, Dubai since October 2019. The employer asks us to work though we don`t have working visas. We agreed because he said he will process the visas before the end of the month as he needs to see if we are capable to do the job. After a month, he said he will process our visas since we are doing well. We’ve waited for a month then, suddenly, he said we need to wait for 3 months because we are still on a probationary period. So we keep on extending our visit visas. After 3 months, he said he will process it but till now we don`t have our visas. Most of my colleagues` visas are already expired and he didn’t give us our salary from last month. He doesn’t come to the office too and doesn’t reply to our messages. Can we still get our salaries from him or even fix our visas? Thank you in advance!

The responsibility of a partner in a limited liability company

Q: Hi Sir, I am a partner and I have a partner visa in one of the courier companies in Dubai. Currently, I stay outside Dubai in a GCC country, I hold a 25% share in the company. We are 4 partners; 2 inside Dubai and 2 outside. The company was established in 2019; it has been 1 year now and the partners in Dubai are showing a big loss. They took a loan from some investors without our concern and they have a big credit from the customers. They utilized the customers` money. Now, I need to get out of this mess as I was not involved and they were not sharing any updated records. Both Dubai partners are MD in the Memo. I am afraid to come to Dubai as they have asked me to leave my share after paying the loss they have to some other investors. I am afraid to come to Dubai to discuss as the company sponsor is in touch with them. They can put me in trouble in order to get my share. Please advise!

Settling a car loan in court to avoid collection agency harassment

Q: Hello, I had a car loan from a bank. The bank impounded it over 2 years ago. I tried to resolve it with the bank but I couldn`t. The bank sold the car, and I have never heard from them ever again. Now, a debt collection agency is calling me since December 2019 on behalf of the bank, claiming that I have to settle. The agents are RUDE and abusive; they call me a loser who can`t pay bills. I told them that I WILL NOT pay, have the bank return the car and I`ll be happy to deal with them or please proceed to file a case; I would rather deal with the court than the debt collection agency. They refused to listen to me and kept calling, harassing everyone in my office. They even called my mother and yelled. How do I deal with this? I do NOT want to pay a single cent to this agency. I want to deal with this situation in court. What`s your best advice on handling this and how can I report this kind of abuse? Thank You!

The overstay fine when the new visa is being processed

Q: My grace period will finish tomorrow because my new visa is still on process. If I overstay, what will happen?

Claiming refund from a deceiving service provider

Q: I paid AED 15000 to avail services of a holiday service provider. Looks like the company is shut down now. I am not getting any responses. Is there any way to get the money back?

عدم تجديد العقد للاستغناء عن الخدمات والفصل التعسفي

س: أنا موظف من تاريخ ٢٠/١٢/٢٠١٧. قام صاحب العمل بالاستغناء عن خدماتي بحجة عدم الرغبة في تجديد العقد الذي ينتهي في ٢٠/١٢/٢٠٢٠. وهويتي وإقامتي تنتهي في 15/01/2020. تم إعطائي خطاب الفصل يوم 12/1/2020. هل يعتبر هذا فصلاً تعسفيًا؟

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Doctrine of Economic Substance in the UAE

The introduction of the Doctrine in the UAE brings the UAE in line with other jurisdictions that have recently issued economic substance legislation and affirms the UAE’s commitment to addressing concerns around the shifting of profits derived from certain mobile business activities to “no or nominal tax jurisdictions” without corresponding local economic activities.

Terminating an employee due to misconduct

Q: Good morning, I gave an employee a notice last week that we will be closing the position and I gave him a notice period of 3 months. The employee refused to sign the notice letter stating that he will read it and get back to us on Sunday this week. In the letter, it is stated that he has to keep me informed of all activities regarding our business during the notice period. He must not make use of confidential information over the notice period as well. The employee has not kept in contact with his activities regarding clients and, yesterday, he walked into our client`s office and took copies of all our consignment stock agreements without informing me, the client sent me an email confirming this. What action can I take against this employee?

Claiming last month salary after signing the cancellation papers

Q: Good day, I resigned from my company with a 1-month notice until December 31, 2019. My company accepted my resignation but had requested me to extend working with them till January 28, 2020. I agreed but had asked my company to pay my end of service till Dec 31, even I`m still working, since I need to settle my loans before going back to my home country. They told me that my salary for January 1-28 will be given only once I complete my extension. I already signed the visa cancellation and work permit papers even I didn`t receive my remaining salary yet. My visa And work permit was already canceled on January 26. When I followed up for my 28 days salary with HR, they have no response and ignored me. I raised a complaint with the Ministry of labor. We have scheduled a hearing tomorrow Feb 1. What will I do if the employer did not appear on the scheduled hearing? Thank you!

Claiming labour rights ten months after resignation

Q: I had filed a complaint against my previous employer to whom I worked for 6 years and 7 months. They did not give me my End of Service Gratuity, Leaves and Salary which amount, in total, to 87,000 AED. They are now 10 months due from the time I resigned. My previous employer`s legal representative first said that I am not eligible for all my claims since I did not serve notice period which is not true. I responded citing evidence and today I received a letter from them again saying that I already signed that I received all my dues. Yes, I signed the MOL cancellation, but I haven`t received my money. There is no evidence that our company transferred such amount to my account. I signed because I was told that they will not cancel my MOL and I would not be able to start with my new job. I wish someone represents me as I feel like my previous employer`s legal representative is only delaying what is due.

The precautions to be taken when investing in a setup company

Q: I want to get a partner visa to start some business activities. What should I be aware of? What are the precautions to be taken if the company has already taken up some loans or there are legal issues? Also, what points to be added in the article of association to be safe in the future? Your advice is needed!

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إثبات البراءة في قضية هتك عرض بالإكراه

س: أنا مُتهم في قضية هتك عرض بالإكراه. المجني عليها تدعي أنني لامست مؤخرتها بيدي وقد تقدمت ببلاغ بعد شهرين من تاريخ وقوع الحادثة. وبعد أسبوع فقط غادرت البلاد بلا عودة مما يثبت كيدية البلاغ. نعمل في محل لبيع الملابس بمول وكان بيننا مشاكل عمل لكنها تريد الانتقام فقط لا غير. ولكن رغم أن تقرير الأدلة الجنائية لكاميرات المراقبة يقول بأن هناك لمس بالجزء السفلي (ليس بالمؤخرة) ويقول بأنه لم يتم التعرُّف على هوية الأشخاص الموجودين في الصور، إلا أن النيابة قامت بتحويل الملف إلى المحكمة، ويُفترض أن يكون هذا دليلاً لصالحي و ليس ضدي. تواصلت النيابة كذلك مع صاحب المحل لأن المجني عليها غير موجودة بالدولة وطلبت منه شهود وأحضر شاهدان. الشهادة الأولى كانت شهادة سمعية فقط لا غير والشاهد الثاني يدعي أنه رأى الحادثة. أؤكد أن الشهادة الأولى كانت سمعية ولا تؤكد حدوث الواقعة و تعتبر في صالحي. أما بالنسبة لأقوالي، فقد نفيت كل هذا وأيضًا أحضرت شاهدة تنفي كل هذه الادعاءات الباطلة. لكن ورغم كل هذا، فقد كان قرار القاضي في المحكمة الابتدائية ضدي بالحكم بالسجن لمدة ٣ أشهر وإبعاد عن الدولة. هل من مساعدة!

Lifting a travel ban resulted from absconding

Q: Dear sir, I was working in Dubai and, for personal reasons, I left Dubai without cancelling my residence visa. My employer blacklisted me in the immigration department because of absconding so I believe I have a lifetime ban. In this situation, what options do I have to remove this ban? And if my employer refused to lift the ban, what other options I have? Can I ask for help from the Ministry of Interior? Or can I pay a penalty? Please advise me! Thanks

Avoiding legal consequences related to a loan

Q: Dear Ma`am, I have an outstanding loan (amount: 25k) for a bank but unfortunately, I have lost my job last April 2019, but now I want to settle it. So what is the minimum amount I should pay to avoid any future consequences? Thank you! Best Regards, R.

موقف المستأجر عند بيع المأجور من حيث طبيعة العقد ودفعات الإيجار وغيرها

س: أنا مستأجر لشقة في أبوظبي من الشركة المطورة والمالكة وأبلغوني بشكل رسمي أنها بيعت لشخص آخر. هل يجب عليّ تغيير عقد التوثيق؟ وبخصوص الدفعات المتبقية، هل يجب دفعها للمالك الجديد؟ وهل أستطيع الرفض ودفعها للمالك القديم (شيكات مؤجَّلة)؟ بخصوص مبلغ التأمين، هل أسترده من المالك الجديد أم القديم؟ إلى مَنْ أسلم مفتاح الشقة حال إخلائها؟ ولكم جزيل الشكر!

رفع قضية ضد مطور عقاري رغم فقد بعض إيصالات السداد

س: السلام عليكم إخواني، أريد أن أرفع قضية على مطور عقاري بسبب التأخير. راجعت الفواتير فوجدت أنني فقدت ثلاث فواتير من أصل 30 فاتورة. ما الحل؟

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