r/uaelaw

Hey everyone, sorry for the long post but I’m in a highly stressful situation with my former employer here in Dubai and desperately need some guidance.

The Backstory: My employment was terminated immediately on July 1st. Before this, management asked me to sign a document cutting my salary by 65% for two months (they already cut my salary 3 months prior which I agreed upon) and waiving my annual flight ticket. I flat out refused. When I told them I wouldn't sign, they immediately issued a termination letter citing "economic reasons" (which I signed).

They sent a final settlement breakdown, but they are only offering to pay my MOHRE contract salary, completely ignoring a stamped internal agreement for a salary raise I received. They also excluded my annual leave ticket (I already had my annual leave vacation and paid for my ticket because most of the people do that in this company cause they process everything so slow so they just do reimbursements) (This ticket is also in a signed internal agreement). To top it off, they want to pay my settlement in installments over 3 months (what is this, Tabby?! 😂). I refused to sign this settlement because UAE law requires full cancellation payments within 14 days.

The Current Nightmare: The Equipment Handover My termination letter explicitly states I must return all company hardware (laptop, camera equipment, etc.) no later than July 5th (Today, Sunday).

However, they didn't inform me on who should receive it.

• Friday, July 3: I messaged my supervisor. He washed his hands of it and put me in touch with another person.
• The Power Trip: When I messaged this new person to coordinate, she got incredibly hostile. She blasted me for messaging on a July 3, Friday, and not yesterday (even though the deadline they set was Sunday). When I professionally suggested dropping it off with someone else on Saturday (our office is open Saturdays), she blew up. She literally texted me: "Who are you to dictate to me? Pay respect to me" and called me "arrogant" even though my texts were completely neutral and professional (even ended with "Best, [My Name]." hahahahaha).
• Saturday, July 4: I physically went to the office to hand it to my supervisor. He refused to handle it. I immediately sent him a WhatsApp text confirming the handover couldn't be finalized and that I was taking the gear back for safekeeping. He gave it a "like" reaction.
• Sunday, July 5 (The Deadline): I went back to the office today to return the items in good faith. The office was completely closed.

How I’ve Protected Myself So Far:

1. I have screenshots of every single WhatsApp conversation.
2. Sent my supervisor a WhatsApp text confirming the handover couldn't be finalized and that I was taking the gear back for safekeeping. He gave it a "like" reaction
3. When I found the office closed today, I recorded a video of myself outside the closed office showing the gear, the date, and the time to prove I showed up on the deadline.

My father used to own a maintenance company in the UAE. Due to poor management, the business fell into heavy debt around 2018. He had maxed out around 7–8 credit cards and was unable to repay them. On top of that, the company failed to pay VAT, resulting in many administrative penalties and additional liabilities. Some banks are claiming a principal amount of around AED 300,000, while others have continued adding interest and other charges. My mother was the owner of the company, and my father was the Managing Director. The business is now closed, and my father is no longer able to work. I feel completely clueless about where to start or what to do next.he have a debt maybe after principal 800000 what all can I do to make him exit UAE . As I am teenager I don't know what to do only my sister works now. My mother and father doesn't have visa now . They are overstaying for 6 years

Greetings,

I live in a Studio Room in Abudhabi. I just moved in and it's been a month, however I need to leave due to relocation. I signed an paper contract that says I need to pay 1 months rent as a penalty. Since this isn't a thawtheek contract are there any risks if I don't pay?

Throwaway account.

Expat professional in Riyadh. Resigned late 2025 over months of unpaid salary. Filed HRSD wage complaint, it was accepted, and a wage violation is registered against the employer.

After that, the employer filed criminal complaints against me over financial allegations. Precautionary travel ban followed. Everything is still at the investigation stage: no referral to court, no indictment, and I hold a current criminal clearance certificate. I dispute the allegations fully and have submitted documentary defences with complete bank reconciliations.

Looking for:

Recommendations for a strong criminal defence lawyer in Riyadh, experienced at the Public Prosecution stage in financial/employment matters and travel ban lifting. DMs open.

Anyone who faced employer retaliation after a labour claim here: how did it end, how long did it take?

Realistic defence fee ranges in Riyadh so I can benchmark quotes.

Practical direction only. Jazakum Allah khair.

During my employment, I was subjected to a persistent pattern of workplace bullying, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, and psychological abuse that created a hostile and unsafe working environment.

Throughout my employment, I was systematically isolated from my colleagues. I was excluded from workplace conversations, meetings, decision-making processes, and shared office meals. I was regularly ignored, gossiped about, and subjected to group intimidation and false accusations that damaged my professional reputation. I was also the target of repeated mocking remarks, including comments about my appearance, which contributed to an atmosphere of humiliation and distress.

My manager engaged in conduct that I considered degrading and unprofessional. He laughed at me during interactions, asked me inappropriate personal questions, including whether I prayed, and at one point asked whether I wanted his money. Rather than addressing workplace concerns through appropriate management practices, I was directly told to resign, creating significant pressure to leave my position.

The working conditions were also inappropriate. I was required to use the men's bathroom because there was no suitable alternative, and employees regularly washed dishes in the bathroom sink, resulting in unhygienic conditions and a persistent foul odor.

My workload was excessive and unreasonable. I was expected to perform the responsibilities of three separate roles while receiving compensation that did not reflect the volume or complexity of my work. I was repeatedly pressured to remain at work beyond my contracted working hours without appropriate compensation, and I felt unable to refuse due to the pressure placed upon me.

I also believe my work was deliberately interfered with in a manner that undermined my performance and professional reputation. Despite my efforts and workload, I received a negative performance review without being provided any meaningful feedback, performance improvement plan, or opportunity to address any alleged deficiencies. I believe this evaluation was used to justify denying me fair compensation and to discourage me from requesting a salary increase.

The cumulative effect of these actions caused significant emotional distress, anxiety, humiliation, and damage to my professional confidence and career. I believe I was subjected to a sustained pattern of workplace harassment and constructive dismissal, where the conditions of my employment became so hostile and intolerable that remaining in my position was no longer a reasonable option.

This is linked to my last post about leaving a hostile work environment.

Right now I have no job and no visa, and I'm trying to figure out how to make enough money to survive.

I'm willing to do admin work, English tutoring, translation, content writing, data entry, customer service, or anything else. If you know of jobs, freelance work, or ways to make money in the UAE, please let me know.

I'm running out of options and I'd really appreciate any help.. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a trusted and reasonably priced service provider who can help me complete a non-fault divorce in abu dhabi.

I've already contacted one provider I found through Google, but they quoted me around AED 1,700 just for their service (preparing the memo, filling out the divorce application, and any necessary follow-up), plus AED 5,300 in government fees. The government fees are understandable, but the service charge seems quite high (32% extra charge) for what appears to be a straightforward case.

If anyone has gone through this process or knows a reliable company, consultant, or legal service that charges more reasonable fees, I'd really appreciate your recommendation.

Thank you in advance!

Zak

Wanted to lay out the full situation because it’s been a mess from day one, and what I really need is advice on how to cover myself going forward — I don’t trust this agency at all at this point.
The landlord had just purchased this property and hadn’t even transferred it into his name at the municipality yet. It had never been rented out before — I’m essentially his first tenant post-purchase, and it really shows.

We signed the tenancy contract and handed over checks 3-4 days before the official start date of July 1st. The first check due was paid upfront in cash, separately from the rest. Looking back, I think that’s part of why the agent felt he had leverage over me — he threatened more than once to cancel the contract when I pushed back on delays, even after I’d already paid.

On top of rent, I paid the agency 200 AED specifically so they’d handle contract attestation, sewerage, and electricity setup. That dragged on for weeks with no real answers. Every time I asked for a timeline on the Tasdeeq contract attestation, I got vague, shifting responses — no real date, no explanation. I needed that attestation done quickly because I couldn’t apply for electricity without it, and I wasn’t willing to just sit and wait indefinitely on an agency that clearly wasn’t being straight with me. So I went to the municipality myself to figure out what was actually going on. That’s when I found out the real holdup: the landlord’s ownership transfer and cancellation of the previous tenant’s contract had to happen first — something the agency never disclosed upfront.

And then there’s the 800 AED. Because the landlord’s transfer wasn’t sorted, I had to pay ~800 AED out of my own pocket at the municipality just to get my own tenancy contract registered and attested — money that, as far as I understand, shouldn’t have been my responsibility to begin with. That’s on top of the 200 AED office fee I’d already paid the agency to handle exactly this — of which they only actually delivered on the sewerage part.
Then came the handover itself. No electricity or water was on during the “maintenance” they claimed to have done, so we couldn’t properly inspect the place before signing. After moving in, we had no power for three days — which meant three days in an Airbnb, out of pocket, on top of everything else, in an apartment we’d already started paying rent on. Once power came on, we realized the apartment had never actually been deep cleaned — the maintenance team just painted the walls and mopped the floor. We ended up doing a full deep clean ourselves. Now that power’s on, we’re also finding real issues — lights not working, other maintenance problems.

And now, to top it off: once I started pushing the agency to reimburse me — the 800 AED I paid the municipality, the 200 AED office fee for work they never did, and the Airbnb costs from the electricity delay — they’ve essentially stopped wanting to deal with me. The pressure and stress I put on them by simply asking for accountability seems to have made them check out entirely.
What I actually need advice on:
How do I protect myself as a tenant given I clearly can’t trust this agency to act in good faith?

Is there a way to actually get the 800 AED, the 200 AED, and the Airbnb costs back, now that the agency is avoiding me instead of resolving it?

Can/should I go directly to the landlord at this point, bypassing the agency entirely? And practically — how do I even get his contact info if he’s unlisted and the agency likely won’t hand it over? All I have is the attested tenancy contract itself, no separate lease agreement with his details on it.

Should I be documenting everything (receipts, texts, photos) in a specific way to build a case, and if so, where would that case even go — municipality, RERA-equivalent, small claims?

For those who’ve dealt with a sketchy agency here — what steps actually got results, and what was a waste of time?

Appreciate any advice from people who’ve been through something similar in the Ajman — trying to make sure I’m not just eating these costs and issues with no recourse.

Hi everyone,
I'm hoping someone here has dealt with a similar situation or knows the right person to speak to.

Here's my situation:
My UAE mainland trade license expired in 2025 because my local sponsor had multiple expired licenses under his name, which prevented renewal.
At the time, I couldn't locate the sponsor, so there was nothing I could do.

In 2026, I finally found him, removed him from the license, converted the company to an LLC, and successfully renewed the trade license.

The problem now is that my Establishment Card is still blocked, so I can't renew my partner visa.
Immigration has asked for supporting documents, but I can't provide some of them because the company couldn't operate while the license was expired.

I currently have:
Valid LLC Trade License
Corporate Tax Registration
Ejari with DEWA bill
NOC from the business center
Personal bank statements

I don't have:
6-month corporate bank statement (I couldn't open a corporate bank account because the license had expired)
WPS records (I never had any employees)

Has anyone successfully unblocked an establishment card in a similar situation?
Were alternative documents accepted?
Is there a way to request an exemption or submit an explanation?
Can anyone recommend a PRO, immigration consultant, or business setup company that has actually handled cases like this?

I'm based in Dubai and would really appreciate any advice or recommendations. Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Now this is the person's that was arrested fiancé telling of what has transpired. Last week Friday the man who is a Kenyan was arrested at the mall of Emirates. Apparently he was standing close to a lady selling alcohol and was bunched up with them and taken to Al Warsan police station. Now its been a week. The lady (not the arrested lady but wife to be of the man arrested) has gone with the HR and also the company boss multiple times to get him released but all they asking for is they bring the passport. He says he is innocent and I honestly was looking for a way to get a trail. He has a low paying job and he was just getting on his feet. How can he be helped and also what is the best way to carry forward. Because our next chance to do something is Monday and just want to find a way out of this mess.

Hi everyone,

I work in Dubai and recently resigned from my job. My employment contract clearly states a 30-day notice period, and I submitted my resignation by email on 1 July. I also sent a follow-up email confirming that my last working day will be 31 July, as per my contract.

My boss initially told me he wanted 60 days' notice, but my contract only mentions 30 days. Since then, management has not replied to my emails, and I'm continuing to work normally every day.

I already have a new job offer, and my new employer expects me to join on 1 August.

I'm just wondering what happens next.

• Will my current company normally start my visa cancellation and other exit procedures before 31 July?
• Should I just continue working and wait?
• If they stay silent until the last week, what should I do?

I'm a bit stressed because this is my first time resigning in the UAE.

Any advice from people who've been through this would really help. Thanks, guys! 🙏

Hello … I’m looking for practical legal advice from anyone familiar with UAE civil law or cross-border debt recovery.
I live outside the UAE. The person who owes me money is an Egyptian citizen living and working in Dubai and also in Cairo.
Over a period of time, I transferred a substantial amount of money to him. Some of it was personal loans, and some was for expenses and a business venture that he agreed to repay.
For several years he repeatedly acknowledged the debt and assured me that he would repay me once he was financially able. I have extensive evidence, including:
Bank transfer records.
WhatsApp messages where he acknowledges that he owes me money.
Messages where he apologises for delays and promises repayment.
Evidence of purchases made for his apartment, vehicle, business expenses, and other costs that he agreed would be repaid.
My repeated requests for bank statements and supporting invoices, which were never provided.
He has now completely changed his position and is denying responsibility, despite previously admitting the debt in writing.
I’m not interested in revenge, public shaming, or anything unlawful. I simply want to recover what I’m legally owed through the proper channels.
My questions are:
Would this be handled under UAE law because he lives in Dubai?
Are WhatsApp admissions and written promises to repay generally accepted as evidence in UAE civil courts?
Is this something that can be pursued through the Dubai Courts, or is another authority more appropriate?
Are there reputable UAE lawyers or debt recovery firms that deal with international private debt?
Can legal action be started from overseas, or would I need to travel to Dubai?
If judgment is obtained in the UAE, what enforcement options are available if he refuses to pay?
Has anyone here successfully recovered a private debt from someone living in Dubai? What was the process like, and what would you recommend?
I’m looking for genuine legal guidance and would really appreciate hearing from anyone with experience in UAE civil litigation or cross-border debt recovery.
Thank you.

Here's the context.

This family is sitting in UAE, they are influencers. They ruined a girl's life in Pakistan by harassing, bullying and threatening her.

Killed her mom as well.

Take a good look.

Thanks

Hi everyone, I'm working in Dubai with a 2000 AED salary and I'm in a really bad situation because of my own greed and mistake. I need honest suggestions on what to do.

One of my older cousins in India told me about a job vacancy (security guard) where if someone pays 4500 AED, he can arrange an employment visa. I mentioned this opportunity to a guy I know. I told him the visa would cost 5000 AED. He said his friend could pay 6000 AED and brought him.

The guy paid me 3500 AED first, then 1500 AED via bank transfer (total 5000 AED). I sent 4500 AED to my cousin back home. My cousin said the visa would be ready in 2 months. But months have passed, no visa, and now my cousin is not taking my calls.

I've been trying to repay from my salary. In April I gave back 300 AED, and in June I gave 600 AED. Now the guy is demanding the remaining 4100 AED and says if I don't pay, he'll go to the police station and file a complaint.

If my company finds out about any case against me, I'll lose my job immediately. I already told him last month (when I paid the 600) that I would clear the remaining 4100 by the 1st of this month. I tried to borrow from someone but couldn't get the money in time.

I fully accept this is my fault — I got greedy for that extra 500 AED and now I'm terrified of going to jail or getting deported. I genuinely want to pay him back the full remaining amount, but I need a bit more time because of my low salary

Before anyone coming to any conclusion above is the problem one of my company cleaning supervisor is facing. Its ok if you guys think I did all of this but still please give some advise on how to handle this. This guy is really in bad shape.

Dear Community,

I'm looking for some guidance on a UAE cheque bounce situation.

I signed a sale agreement with someone who represented himself as the seller of a business/property (commercial assets). As part of the agreement, I issued several post-dated cheques as the payment method.

After signing, I discovered that the person who entered into the agreement with me does not appear to be the registered owner of the assets/business, and I have not been provided with any document showing that he was authorized by the owner to sell them. Because of this, I informed him that I could not proceed with the transaction and asked him via WhatsApp to return all of my remaining cheques.

Despite my request, he deposited one of the cheques, which bounced, and he has refused to return the remaining cheques. Instead, he is insisting that I continue making payments and has threatened to file cheque bounce cases if I don't.

My questions are:

1. What legal steps can I take in the UAE to prevent misuse of the remaining cheques?
2. If I have already informed him in writing that I dispute the validity of the underlying sale agreement and requested the return of my cheques before he deposits them, does that help my position?
3. Should I file a civil case, police complaint, or any other legal action before he deposits the remaining cheques?
4. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation where the person collecting payment was not the legal owner or could not prove authority to sell?

I'm already planning to consult a lawyer, but I'd appreciate hearing from anyone familiar with UAE law or who has experienced something similar.

My job at my company was from Feb 10th to June 29th. They informed a month before that I would be terminated on end of June 29th. I had taken a couple of leaves in the last few months all informed. I had discussed with my manager regarding if there would be any deductions for those leaves and he said no. I have that chat. It was all medical leaves. Now the last day due to personal reasons I had come for 2 hours and then left uninformed. It seems this has lead to them unreasonably deducting the final salary. First the salary was 3k. After war we mutually agreed for reduced days of work and reduced pay by 50%. For the last month they have sent me 300dhs. I only took one day off. Or maybe not even that, I came and left after doing the work. So there Is no reason for such deduction. Can someone please tell me if I can report this to MOHRE? What will be the expected action and will it favour me? Do I need to know something before hand?

We are an Indian couple living in the UAE. We both lost our jobs and are stranded with an unexpected financial situation and with zero backup resources. I have an active RDC with my landlord and the Dubai court has issued a travel ban. We are literally zero in savings and are desperately in need of help to move back to India. We have been applying for jobs and got no response. We welcome any suggestions and assistance to help us move back to India. We cannot even call anyone as we are bankrupt. Thank you.

I need to know i am going back to my home country i cancel my visa . I have multiple credit cards if i withdraw the amount from credit cards before going will there be any problem at immigration while exiting.

Note: there is no over due payment no payment missing

Location: United arab emirates

Hi everyone,I need some practical, step-by-step guidance on recovering my money from someone who gave me a bounced cheque. I do not have the budget to hire a lawyer, so I need to handle the civil court process entirely by myself to keep costs down.Here is my exact timeline and case status:Cheque Date: August 2025 (Amount: AED 20,000).Police Complaint: September 2025 (I went to the police right away and got the bank return memo).DPP Transfer: January 2026 (The case was transferred to the Dubai Public Prosecution).Hearings: 1st hearing was June 10th, 2026. 2nd hearing was yesterday. The debtor failed to show up to both.Current Criminal Status: Yesterday, the judge wrapped up the criminal case and fined the debtor AED 5,000.

Since that AED 5,000 fine goes straight to the government and not to me, I need to open a Civil Execution Case immediately to recover my AED 20,000. I have a few specific questions for anyone who has navigated Dubai Courts or Al Adheed by themselves:

Bank Memo Expiry: Since my bank return memo was issued back in September 2025, is it considered expired by the civil court? Or does the fact that I have a fresh criminal judgment from yesterday protect my timeline? Do I need to get a new memo from the bank, or will Al Adheed accept the September 2025 one along with the DPP certificate?

Filing via App vs. Al Adheed: I know the official court fee is 6% (AED 1,200 for my amount). If I use the Dubai Courts Smart App to save money on typing fees, what is the exact name of the service I select? If I go to Al Adheed instead, how much extra do they charge for typing?

Claiming Back Legal Fees & Compensation: When filling out the execution form, how do I make sure the judge adds my AED 1,200 court fee to the debtor's file so he is forced to reimburse me? Also, can I legally claim an additional 10% on top of the AED 20k as compensation/interest for the delayed payment since I've been waiting almost a year for my money?

Enforcement Steps (Travel Ban & Asset Freeze): Once the court gives him the 15-day notice to pay and he ignores it, what is the exact process to trigger a travel ban and freeze his bank accounts? Do I have to pay an extra fee for each separate request?

If you have successfully gone through this exact process by yourself without a lawyer, please share your tips, timelines, or anything I should watch out for.Thank you so much!