# bounced cheques.



## umm_inara (Jul 2, 2017)

4 years ago I took 3 credit cards with a total of AED 30,000 while still working... after a short while I lost my job and I struggled to pay the banks... but i was paying my minimum toward them. at one point because of all the stress I got sick and I had to travel it took me a while to get well. after as well I got pregnant so when I wanted to return back to UAE some friends told me that the banks opened case. so I postponed my return until i will have enough money to pay my debits. and another issue before I left UAE I renewed my home contract (was more cheaper then to cancel the home) due to the fact that i had no ID card the company who was renting me the apartment took from me 3 cheques but did not give me any contract on hand after 2 month they called me and told me to empty the apartment because they will not accept no further payment from me because I was on tourist visa. so since I had already my ticket to travel I took what I could and left. later I found out that the company opened case for bounced cheques from what I heard was that they try to cash all the 3 cheques yet 1 was bounced already. 

my question is... I would like to come for a mini vacation to UAE and pay my debits. the thing that scare me the most is i will come to UAE with money already but I scare that in the emigration they may arrest me and send me to jail. was I alone i may be ok. but I will have my 2 y.o daughter with me and I don't want to sleep in jail with a toddler. so now I don't know what to do.
could anybody help me to guide me correctly please I will really appreciate
thank you!


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

The world is a big, big place. Go on vacation somewhere else.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

The very short answer is - don't bother. They'll pick you up at the airport and detain you until you've cleared all the owing money and obtain clearance letters. Go somewhere else.


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## QOFE (Apr 28, 2013)

Did you check with the banks how much you owe them now? If the debt across three credit cards was 30,000 AED three years ago it would be considerably much more now as the banks would add interest and penalties for non-payment. How much are the bounced cheques for? It can all add up to a massive amount.
Do you want to come here mainly for settling your debt or do you really want to come here on holiday and feel like you need to pay your debt?

Unless you find out how much you owe, pay it in full and ensure that any cases filed against you are cancelled you will most likely end up arrested as soon as you set foot in the country.


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## umm_inara (Jul 2, 2017)

thank you all for answering. actually I want to come to UAE to clear out my debits. and the reason why I want to come to uae. is that my daughter needs to grow up next to her father.


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## umm_inara (Jul 2, 2017)

I just don't know how to find out. i wrote many times to the banks but they won't answer or not bother giving me clear details


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

That's the catch 22- you need to physically go and see them, but can't because you can't get into the country. Happened to some friends of mine, they had to leave and were literally begging the banks to let them send money to clear an outstanding loan - nothing. They gave up. If you ahve someone here who can go on your behalf, I think you'll need to do that.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Chocoholic said:


> That's the catch 22- you need to physically go and see them, but can't because you can't get into the country. Happened to some friends of mine, they had to leave and were literally begging the banks to let them send money to clear an outstanding loan - nothing. They gave up. If you ahve someone here who can go on your behalf, I think you'll need to do that.


Agreed, OP wants to come for her daughter to see her father - so get the ex husband to do it. All that is needed is a passport copy and anyone can get the details.

Literally anyone.


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## 1506994 (Jul 6, 2017)

*Don't go to the UAE without police check*



umm_inara said:


> 4 years ago I took 3 credit cards with a total of AED 30,000 while still working... after a short while I lost my job and I struggled to pay the banks... but i was paying my minimum toward them. at one point because of all the stress I got sick and I had to travel it took me a while to get well. after as well I got pregnant so when I wanted to return back to UAE some friends told me that the banks opened case. so I postponed my return until i will have enough money to pay my debits. and another issue before I left UAE I renewed my home contract (was more cheaper then to cancel the home) due to the fact that i had no ID card the company who was renting me the apartment took from me 3 cheques but did not give me any contract on hand after 2 month they called me and told me to empty the apartment because they will not accept no further payment from me because I was on tourist visa. so since I had already my ticket to travel I took what I could and left. later I found out that the company opened case for bounced cheques from what I heard was that they try to cash all the 3 cheques yet 1 was bounced already.
> 
> my question is... I would like to come for a mini vacation to UAE and pay my debits. the thing that scare me the most is i will come to UAE with money already but I scare that in the emigration they may arrest me and send me to jail. was I alone i may be ok. but I will have my 2 y.o daughter with me and I don't want to sleep in jail with a toddler. so now I don't know what to do.
> could anybody help me to guide me correctly please I will really appreciate
> thank you!


Hi Umm-Inara.

Do not go to the UAE without a police check first. Get a police check either through friends (if you are lucky enough to know someone who can check for you). or through a lawyer. It is almost certain you will have a police case/travel ban and will be detained on arrival

The UAE, unlike most countries, treats debt as a criminal matter, rather than a civil one. I am not talking about people deliberately defrauding banks. I am talking about people who took loans or credit cards in good faith, then their circumstances changed leaving them no longer able to pay what they could before

The automatic UAE sentence for debt when there is a police case is 3 years in jail. Then the debtor stays in prison until the debt is paid. So, very important to negotiate with the banks from a safe distance, eg from your own country, where you are free and outside of jail

Only when you have reached agreement can you clear the case, and be free to reenter the UAE, but not before. Also be careful of dealing with the debt collectors yourself. The UAE banks employ very unprofessional debt collection agencies. They illegally harass you, your family and friends, even new employers. Most of their threats can be ignored. But one nasty thing they do is list you with Interpol on something called a Red Notice. 

Interpol has no mandate to chase debts. So the UAE reclassify debts as fraud. Interpol does not check the validity of these charges, they just list you. And that means whenever you pass through a border you can be detained while the authorities contact the UAE and ask if they would like to extradite you. Surprisingly the UAE often says no, because a lot of countries ignore extradition requests from the UAE. BUT they leave you on the list until you land somewhere that the UAE can count on to extradite you. After extradition to the UAE you are looking at serious, unpleasant, life changing jail time

The important thing is to not ignore the debt and have someone negotiate for you so that your debt is brought down to something you can realistically afford to pay (international law means that nobody can ask you for money you can't physically pay). 

Even if the banks are uncooperative, the fact that you can prove you are trying to negotiate means that a lawyer has ammunition to fight your extradition. Because negotiating to pay the debt is not the action of a criminal/fraudster. So the lawyer can show that the Red Notice is flawed

Anyway, short answer, no. Do NOT go to Dubai while you have an outstanding debt and a possible police case against you. You would be walking into the lion's den. It would be a decision you would regret for ever


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## Reddiva (Feb 24, 2016)

The UAE dropped interpol notices against debtors a few years ago 
The OP will be picked up at immigration though as it happened to a friend who was en route to the Maldives. She was held for a short period, paid what she owed and was let through


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
The Interpol website has a search function for Red list most wanted people.
Currently there is nobody on the list wanted by the UAE - for any crimes - let alone debt.
https://www.interpol.int/notice/search/wanted
Cheers
Steve


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## 1506994 (Jul 6, 2017)

*Interpol still being abused*



Reddiva said:


> The UAE dropped interpol notices against debtors a few years ago
> The OP will be picked up at immigration though as it happened to a friend who was en route to the Maldives. She was held for a short period, paid what she owed and was let through


Hi. Officially the UAE dropped this type of Interpol abuse in 2012. However 2013 had the highest number recorded and it has gone up ever since. 

Even small amounts of debt are being reclassified as debt. It doesn't take much googleing. I don't know if I can post threads, but here goes

British woman under 'house arrest' in Italy over unpaid Dubai debt | Middle East Eye


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## 1506994 (Jul 6, 2017)

*Interpol list not up to date*



Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> The Interpol website has a search function for Red list most wanted people.
> Currently there is nobody on the list wanted by the UAE - for any crimes - let alone debt.
> https://www.interpol.int/notice/search/wanted
> ...


Hi. Unfortunately the Interpol webpage does not show any of the current UAE red notices. There is no legal obligation for Interpol to keep the list up to date. All of the current UAE Interpol removals being done by DID are not publicly listed

detainedindubai

You can apply to Interpol to see if you are on the Red Notice watch list. It's not a particularly easy process, but irts doable and takes around 30 days. Or you can get a lawyer to do it for you

It would be lovely if you could just go on that Interpol search page you published, but why would life be so easy hey? 

(By the way Steve, not sure if I can post links, if I can't please remove it)


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## 1506994 (Jul 6, 2017)

*Interpol abuse still continuing*



Reddiva said:


> The UAE dropped interpol notices against debtors a few years ago
> The OP will be picked up at immigration though as it happened to a friend who was en route to the Maldives. She was held for a short period, paid what she owed and was let through



SORRY FOR REPOST. I NOTICED SEVERAL ERRORS IN MY ORIGINAL POST AND HAD TO REPOST TO CORRECT THEM. THE EDIT BUTTON DISAPPEARED

Hi. Officially the UAE dropped this type of Interpol abuse in 2012. However 2013 had the highest number recorded and it has gone up ever since. 

Even small amounts of debt are being reclassified as fraud and listed as Red Notices with Interpol. It doesn't take much googleing. I don't know if I can post links, but here goes

British woman under 'house arrest' in Italy over unpaid Dubai debt | Middle East Eye


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