OK situation is a very close friend of mine is having marriage dificulties (putting it mildly) and after many weeks of negotiations her husband has taken the children's passports and won't return them to allow her to leave with them. He has become abusive and today tried to attack her. Apparently there are only 4 uk lawyers here in Dubai, he is using one and the other 3 aren't available. The British Embassy will do nothing. The Company will do nothing except offer counselling as he is the employee. So basically she is stuck here with no means of escape - its so wrong. I knew things here were male biased but this is completely ridiculous. Does anyone based in AD know of any lawyers that may be able to give some advice.

[QUOTE=Fairydust;6457471]OK situation is a very close friend of mine is having marriage dificulties (putting it mildly) and after many weeks of negotiations her husband has taken the children's passports and won't return them to allow her to leave with them. He has become abusive and today tried to attack her. Apparently there are only 4 uk lawyers here in Dubai, he is using one and the other 3 aren't available. The British Embassy will do nothing. The Company will do nothing except offer counselling as he is the employee. So basically she is stuck here with no means of escape - its so wrong. I knew things here were male biased but this is completely ridiculous. Does anyone based in AD know of any lawyers that may be able to give some advice.[/QUOTE

That's sad, I just don't get why things have to get nasty and why parents use their children as weapons, I hope it works out

Clyde & CO, Simmons and Simmons are both very good

AC

[quote=annacarna;6457624] simmons and simmons do divorce stuff, thought they only covered corporate...???

MM, xx

PM on its way.......

Thanks everyone much appreciated

[QUOTE=Madam Medusa;6457647] not sure i think they may have started a family law section as so many divorces here now , heartbreak city don't ya know,

If they dont they will give a recommendation

Shame though i hate hearing these stories, depressing!

"The British Embassy will do nothing"

I'm hearing this far too often in far too many circumstances these last few years.

Can anyone actually quote a chapter-and-verse example of a time when one of our embassies was actually any use to anybody??

i've only heard negative stuff, i have to say...

MM, xx

Thankfully, I've never had to seek their help - however, what do we expect them to do? They can't suddenly become police, P.I., lawyer, hitman, banker, whatever to bail us out... (us non-UK tax payers remember)

I think if we were in serious shit (i.e. legal / terrorist etc) then they would do whatever was within their power / remit. Is this not all we can reasonably expect from them?

yep me to, have heard that the US embassy does do a lot more to help.

A friend of ours works in the British Embassy in Pakistan and she tried to sort something out on my friends behalf but apparently the Brit Embassy in UAE is one of the only countries in the world that will not issue an emergency passport in these circumstances!!

Maybe because US citizens here have actually financially contributed to their embassy?

While it is horrible to hear about something like this, I can see why they won't issue emergency passports.

1, The consulate has the mother's word only
2, They cannot take sides in a domestic dispute
3, The passports are not lost, nor have they been stolen

It's a police/courts/lawyer matter and not a consular one.

OK so no lawyer - no court so thats out

So last option in police - as u can imagine thats last option but yes there is bruising, school reports of deterioration but is that enough = who knows and to put the kids through all of this after what they've been through in the last few weeks is perhaps not good. Anyway have got some phone no.s tonight so she can hopefully speak with someone tmw

Has anyone reported passports lost or stolen and if so what details do they require ie will they need fathers sig. to be reissued

If he has hit her then she should called the police. DO the kids have to be involved in the police side of things. If she is reporting he attacked her, then the kids are nothing to do with the investigation