Christopher
“Dear Steve,
I guess my situation is nothing new. I got caught up in the economic meltdown. I was in Dubai for 2.5 years and had a very good job. As my job went out of business I got fired. I had several credit cards and a large personal loan. I did not intend on stealing anything from anyone. This is bothering me very bad everyday. I had to leave the country or go and sit in the jail until the debt was paid. Living 15 hours on the other side of the world from my country there is no one that would help me with the amount that I owed. I also left a new Mercedes at the airport. Now I am worried that they will come here to my country and take me back to the jail. I still have not found work yet. I also heard I could file bankruptcy.
Last how can I find out f a travel ban is on me and how long does it take to put one out? If I went to Saudi Arabia or another Gulf state could they find me and arrest me and take me back to Dubai?
Can I file for bankruptcy and get things delayed until I find a job even if I am in my country?
Sincerely,
Christopher”
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The Answer
Dear Christopher,
Sadly your situation is not unusual. People reading this would be very surprised to read that in this day and age there are still places in the world where you can be taken to jail for a debt problems and left to rot in there for a long time. It just so happens that the UAE and Dubai is one such place.
Now, faced with crippling debts as a result of their high living and Dubai’s fading fortunes, many expatriates are abandoning their cars at the airport and fleeing home rather than risk jail for defaulting on loans.
Police have found more than 3,000 cars outside Dubai’s international airport in recent months. Most of the cars – four-wheel drives, saloons and “a few” Mercedes – had keys left in the ignition. Source
I seriously doubt that anyone is going to extradite you from your country and haul your ass back to jail in Dubai. I have never heard of that happening.
As far as travel into other GCC countries in the region, that would be a problem. If an arrest warrant has been issued for you then it is possible you could be picked up at the border of any GCC country.
Unfortunately bankruptcy really isn’t an option for you since there is no personal bankruptcy in Dubai and no other country has jurisdiction over your debts in Dubai.
If you want to check what your legal status is in the UAE, then you should contact a lawyer in Dubai for assistance.
Owing debt in Dubai and not being able to pay it is a problem without a solution, even in this modern age.
With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield. Source
As for the fact that you left your Mercedes at the airport, it appears that long term parking at Dubai International Airport is full of similar such cars left by people fleeing the country to avoid the punishment of job loss and not being able to make the minimum payments on debt.
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