Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

Here is my story so far .......

In June of this year my boyfriend started a new position and 3 weeks in to the job the company were raided by the labour office. The company hadn't gotten round to processing the work visas and my boyfriend and his colleague were taken to the detention centre in Satwa for the day. The company paid a 50,000 AED fine per person and they were released on bail until their court date last week. (Obviously the passports were held by the courts). Last wednesday the Judge fined the company (a very very nominal amount) and ruled deportation or they could appeal. They have taken the appeal route and were refused bail so they are now in Al AWEER prison until the appeal hearing on the 24th November. I get to visit on Sat afternoons! I now need to find a local lawyer to take on the case (their company said they would pay for this) and it's still only 50/50 as to whether or not they will be deported (and get a lifetime ban as it is a criminal case).....

Any other similar stories out there .................................

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

That's a rather worrying story but not unusual over here. So what line of work was your boyfriend in? Are you working too? It could have been worse...they could have deported you too for co-habiting out of wedlock. As you are presumably aware, it's a Police state here and you need to be very careful.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

I am working and have been here for 18 months and have all the proper employment Visas etc.... I didn't say that we lived together so I wouldn't be deported for living out of wedlock, which is something as I know the laws here!

The company he started with is in Real Estate and as per his contract and as per the word of the employer they kept putting off getting the visa sorted out and as with hindsight it would have been better if he had just left the company and found something else but you do trust your employers to get things sorted out.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

Also, does anyone know of any decent Local Lawyers?

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

Can't the company recommend one? Maybe the Lawyer that got them off with a minimal fine?

Is that conflict of interest?

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

SURELY THE COMPANY THAT GOT HIM INTO THIS MESS SHOULD STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND HIRE A LAWYER TO DEFEND HIM. NO DOUBT A LOAD OF S...TE COMPANY??

P.S. Sorry I was in capitaals, not shouting!!

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

but that ain't gonna happen.

anyway, I hear these people are good: KUDSI LAW FIRM

(they are our corporate law firm and have been here ages)

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

Why did they appeal? surely deportation is more preferable?

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

I know the Law Firm you mention - they are in Abu Dhabi and I recommend them for Corporate matters but I don't think they handle this type of case. Also I would advise you to contact a Dubai Firm. Best to check with your Embassy as they usually have a list of Lawyers they recommend.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

Oh yes, they are an AD based firm.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

The company have said they will pay for a lawyer and you are right after speaking with various Lawyers it would probably end up being a conflict of interest (I shall see if I can get any money up front today) and to boot I have also found out that after the court date last week the company called the employees in to a room one by one and said that they were still going to be slow in sorting out visas (subsequently a few people left) and that if they were going to stay they had to sign a confidentiality agreement to say that they wouldn't discuss the case or what has happened outside of work.

I have whittled down to 2 Lawyers now - one being Al Bahar Associaties and another I am waiting for a call back today. I have been told that I need to have a Local Lawyer that is an Emirate because they are the only ones that can actually speak to the judge rather than just giving over more paperwork.

They don't want to take deporatation as both of their lives are here.

The main point of my story for anyone that reads this thread is that it is totally imperative that your "new employer" gets your Visa processed on day one of a new job and I don't mean just gathering the paperwork to take down to Tecom or DIFC or non-freezone - otherwise the employee is the one that takes the wrap no matter what.....

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

I hear what you're saying about getting the visa sorted quickly but it just doesn't work like that over here i'm afraid. I'll bet 90% of the expats here were waiting months for theirs. Mine took 5 months.

In my opinion it is just as much the government's problem due to the protracted process you have to go through.

If i'd have said to my employer 2 years ago that i wouldn't start until the visa was in place i wouldn't be here. Simple as. Many job opportunities here are immediate starts. Employers won't wait.

best of luck with everything.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

So how did that work, given that you can't open bank accounts, rent, set up the utilities without a visa?

Mine was done in 3 weeks.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

The company provides a letter saying that the visa is being processed... it's what let us do everything before getting the official residency visa.

Re: Boyfriend Banged up in Dubai pending Visa Issue - November 2009
 

My visa took three months to come through yet I still signed my rental agreement, utulities, back account etc. As Hello Kitty says, you get letters from Employers stating the applictaion has been made and is being processed. This is standard accepted procedure, although i agree it isn't ideal.

The speed of visa issue depends on the sponsor, the basic competency of the PRO your company has, or is using, their workload and the issuing office workload.

This story is very worrying - to me it sounds like someone was covering their back and rather than take the rap for a mistake/messing up, they reverted to the comfotable protection of the law, as written, not generally practiced.

I hope it works out for you and your boyfriend.