# "Absconder" Returning...



## behner738 (Jun 11, 2015)

Hi folks,

I have the usual, sticky situation you've all heard 15 million times. Disclaimer: I've read through most posts on here, I've researched quite a bit and gathered what relevant information I can from both forums and official/unofficial web sources, but still inconclusive. But it doesn't hurt to always reach out to fellow expats to bounce some experience/info off one another. 

I recently worked in Dubai for just under 2 years. Approaching this 2 yr mark I was offered a job in another GCC country and accepted it. Small problem - I didn't leave my employer properly because of internal issues and I had no plans to ever come back (spoiler alert: I'm looking to go back). The obvious "big no-no". I can bore you all day with substantiating why I did this but then I would waste your time. (synopsis: I watched other employees resign (brits, americans, etc) and get their passports held for weeks/months due to 'administrative delays with PROs' that turned out to be extensive questioning by the company about going to work for competitors. MOL complaints were made by a few ppl. Company is known to have past financial woes).

So I decided to 'get out of dodge' on my own terms seeing what all others went through, especially having had some very rough patches with the company through my tenure.

Naturally, I accrued some debt which I had not settled prior to leaving, made arrangements with the banks after I left, and progressively paid on some of it, but not all. Fast forward a year+ later, I am back home working in the US having left the other GCC county after unfortunately being made redundant. I have a bank harping and claiming police cases in UAE, etc. Not all, only one. But as of now this is the latest:

On the Visa front...
-Residence Visa is assumed cancelled, either by employer or simply by its expiration (4 mos was remaining on its validity upon my departure). The Employer never advised on what action was taken. Furthermore, I've been advised that legally an employer cannot file the employee as an "absconder" if the complaint is made while the employee is not in the UAE (it would have been filed after I left as the company and I were in communication after I left, though I was given no insight as to the actual outcome except that my contract was simply terminated).

On the Debt front...
-Banks have only just now began to contact me after delayed payments. All but one do not appear to have a police case. One in particular Ive been speaking with has claimed they have filed two police cases, provided "case numbers", but all information was invalid when cross-checked on the Dubai Police website. However its actually unknown what the status is on these cases and/or if these are even real. The bank swears up and down they have filed a case, but have been unable to materialize any proof of this and like said the case numbers are coming up invalid. 

I am now facing a possible job offer back in the UAE, with a highly reputable company, which if offered I would like to take. I have no legal implications (to my knowledge) with all but the 1 bank (assumed). The previous residence visa would have been cancelled by now simply by expiration alone, uncertain if any labor ban was imposed or even if any "absconder" case was filed.

Theres a lot of 'hootin' and hollarin' around about labor bans, immigration bans, 6 months, 1 year, and blacklisting, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on for infinity, but I have yet to see any one share experiences about the actual outcome of these numerous situations. Frankly speaking, for the first six months after leaving Dubai I had several banks claim police cases were filed (with the international ban threat), while I travelled regularly in and out of the GCC, only to find out later from the banks no cases were actually pending or filed in that particular time frame/chain of threats. And there is too much conflicting information floating around the internet to know whats right and what isn't. So its hard to know what to believe with all the misleading threats and information. 

Moving on, I am quite aware of the mistakes here, so hopefully in this forum for discussion we can bypass the obvious "that was stupid" and get right to some useful exchanges of information. With that, I do have a few questions:

1. Visa - Is there a way I can find out what my "immigration" status is and/or if such an "absconder" case was made? Rather it's work visa eligibly or even visitor visa eligibility (the latter would depend upon a police case probably). If YES, is there a way to have the bans removed?

2. Debt - how can I find out if there IS a pending police case? Are 100% of cases which are filed made obtainable online (would assume yes once a case is registered - I am still able to was able to retrieve an old case which I cleared while in country from long ago). Furthermore, theres loads of conflicting data online as to if credit card defaults are Civil or Criminal cases nowadays. And banks are notorious for using scare tactics.

The existing debt is somewhat manageable, but would be much more managable from within the UAE given the salary and I'm much more inclined to settle it if working in-country (and very willing to do).

Does anyone have experiences they can share on either of these topics?

Any and all insight is appreciated.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Contact this woman, she's well known (youtube her) and gives you the information you need to ensure you'll be OK on your return to the GCC.


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## Navaron (Oct 13, 2014)

maybe settle your debts before coming back into the UAE. The rules are flaky but they are seriously toughening up.. you mate be ok but maybe not... personally I wouldn't risk it.


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## frenchie64 (Jul 7, 2015)

i was still listed as an absconder 2 years after leaving the country..and only your ex employer can tell you about cases after for the banks no idea


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