“Dear Steve,
I was in dubai for more than 15 years, and had to leave dubai in pain and on sad grounds due to sever financial hit and serious family matters. I had bank loans and credit cards which I could not manage to pay for 6 monts nnow and tha banks kept on calling. I wanted to go back to dubai as I have a job offer, but the banks have already filed a police case against me. I also want to start paying back to the banks and card companies, but the situation the banks has created and the law of dubai does not give me strength and I am helpless. Now since I have got a job in USA and I am scheduled to travel to new york my flight is via dubai and I am very scared. I have seen people dieing in dubai jails and they dont even let your relatives know what has happend to you.
Just want to know that if I have bank loans and credit card loans in dubai, and Ihave left Dubai almost 8 months now. I am scheduled to travel to USA and my flight is via dubai. Will I be arrested at the airport as my next connection is only after 3 hours
Sheikh”
The Answer:
Dear Sheikh,
The consumer debt situation in Dubai is archaic. Yes, people do go to jail in Dubai for debts and I think you should take the issue seriously knowing you have a police case against you. Will you be arrested on your layover to New York, quite possibly.
I am sure that the border control agents in Dubai will make an attempt to check you out as you pass into the country. Nobody has any way to know if they will detain you and arrest you.
The Dubai jails are full of debtors and I’ve not heard of one of them dying from their stay. As crazy as this sounds, the quickest way to clear your debt in Dubai is to actually go to jail. Most go for only a couple of weeks, some a month or so. It really depends on how much debt you have. I’ve even heard the story of one person that used their holiday leave to go do their jail time so their boss never knew.
The advantage of going to jail is when you get out, the debt is cleared. It is almost like the advantage of bankruptcy available in many other countries. In Dubai, bankruptcy is spelled j-a-i-l.
The smart move would be for you to contact a lawyer in Dubai and work out a solution to clear your debt as quickly as possible or to get specific legal advice about your upcoming border crossing.
If you have a credit or debt question you’d like to ask just use the online form. I’m happy to help you totally for free.