# Relocating from dubai with credit card - help!



## britindubai2014 (Feb 8, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

Hope all is well.

Just a quick question. I have been in Dubai for a year now & had no intention of leaving for a while yet. I currently have 50k worth of debts on 3 different credit cards.

My problem is that I have been offered a job in the States on a much higher salary, much better package and for a better company. I want to know the procedure of leaving the country and my current debts. Obviously, I would continue to pay my statement monthly as there is no way I want to jeopardise being in debt and not being able to visit Dubai again!

I just need to know if this is allowed. If not, then I guess I will turn the offer down - like I said, the last thing I want to do is be restricted from coming here.

The position is immediate and I don't have the funds to pay them all off now.

Thanks,


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

Leaving aside any judgmental comments about how you managed to rack up 50k AED in debt in one year, on none less than three credit cards (didn't having to write a whopping great security cheque for each card give you a pause?).

As long as you make the payments on a timely basis the banks won't do anything.....as long as you don't tell them you're leaving the country. The banks won't know when your visa is cancelled. Leave the accounts open and maintain the minimum balance. Continue the payments till the balance is paid off. Then arrange for the cards to be cancelled and the bank account closed. Don't just leave them open.


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## NjxNA (Jan 13, 2013)

TallyHo said:


> Leaving aside any judgmental comments about how you managed to rack up 50k AED in debt in one year, on none less than three credit cards (didn't having to write a whopping great security cheque for each card give you a pause?).
> 
> As long as you make the payments on a timely basis the banks won't do anything.....as long as you don't tell them you're leaving the country. *The banks won't know when your visa is cancelled*. Leave the accounts open and maintain the minimum balance. Continue the payments till the balance is paid off. Then arrange for the cards to be cancelled and the bank account closed. Don't just leave them open.


I am not entirely sure about this... for what I have understood reading here and there his last salary is marked as final from his employer hence the bank will know when his Visa gets cancelled.

For his situation I think his account will be frozen the moment the last salary comes in his account.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

NjxNA said:


> I am not entirely sure about this... for what I have understood reading here and there his last salary is marked as final from his employer hence the bank will know when his Visa gets cancelled.
> 
> For his situation I think his account will be frozen the moment the last salary comes in his account.


From what i understand, this does not happen any more - maybe a member who has recently changed jobs can confirm this.
I agree that it would not be a good idea to inform the bank that you are leaving the country (and are unlikely to return!)
Cheers
Steve


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## NjxNA (Jan 13, 2013)

Stevesolar said:


> *From what i understand, this does not happen any more *- maybe a member who has recently changed jobs can confirm this.
> I agree that it would not be a good idea to inform the bank that you are leaving the country (and are unlikely to return!)
> Cheers
> Steve


Good if it doesn't happen anymore.
Said that, I think any bank will activate a credit collection procedure against someone who managed to stack up to 50k of debts in one year...
Of course I hope it doesn't happen to him.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

You're right. It can and has happened. But I've also changed jobs twice in the UAE and each time nothing happened to my bank accounts. The companies never sent the "final" salary certificate to the banks. So I'm not entirely sure what happens in those circumstances.



NjxNA said:


> I am not entirely sure about this... for what I have understood reading here and there his last salary is marked as final from his employer hence the bank will know when his Visa gets cancelled.
> 
> For his situation I think his account will be frozen the moment the last salary comes in his account.


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## Nix2012 (May 18, 2012)

I would speak to your HR dept and ask about the leaving process. I work in HR myself and at my company we fax the final settlement to the bank a few days before the person leaves the company. Then the account is frozen for around 5 days until they have clearance from each dept at the bank that all debts have been paid. Once that happens the final settlement is paid and the account is unlocked.


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Probably depends on what kind of account you may have ?
I changed jobs but nothing happened to my account. However, this was with HSBC and I never opened the account as a "salary account" and my company had no relationship with them (and was not listed with them, as HSBC had some requirement that the company would need to inform them of employees leaving among other things to be listed).
Maybe that makes a difference. For personal loans, a colleague was asked for a letter from the company that they would transfer the salary to the designated account, and that they would inform the company when the employee was leaving


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

Take a loan from your home country or the US and pay off the debt before you leave. This is the safest bet.


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

arabianhorse said:


> Take a loan from your home country or the US and pay off the debt before you leave. This is the safest bet.


True. But then I'm not entirely certain he/she can get a personal loan from the U.K/U.S without being physically present there or having started his new job. 

Which then begs the original question, can the person leave the country with that kind of debt on them...


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

saraswat said:


> True. But then I'm not entirely certain he/she can get a personal loan from the U.K/U.S without being physically present there or having started his new job.
> 
> Which then begs the original question, can the person leave the country with that kind of debt on them...


He/she could theoretically leave the country now, without receiving their final pay.
At the end of the day they still have a legal liability for the loan.


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