# flagged passport



## mike bkk (Jul 12, 2011)

I left the UAE last year with two credit cards and a bank loan unpaid. The CC were for Dirhams 40k each and the bank loan for Dirhams200k. 

The loan was in a company name but I was the sole guarantor. My two UK based Directors had agreed that they would take equal responsibilty but later refused to help.

I moved to Asia and although initially I had hoped to pay the CC's back the bank loan was just beyond my personal reach.

I now understand that there is a flag on my passport if I enter the UAE which was to be expected, however I now understand that they may have put a flag also on my entry to the UK as well.

My question is 1. Is there anyway that a UAE bank can put a flag on your passport in the UK? 2. Is there a way to check?
3. What would happen on arrival in the UK AT THE AIRPORT?

I would like to return to the UK to see my family, but are worried about the consequences...any advice would be welcome.


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## Warold (May 30, 2011)

Hey Mike,

You should give this link a read.

Wanted in Dubai by Interpol for bank debts

It may help you


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

1. WTF? How on earth do you rack up AED80k on credit cards? Why didn't you pay them off? So, you technically racked up huge debts and then absconded? 

2. As of September 2009, the UK and UAE do not have an extradition policy/treaty in place, yet one has been proposed. You better hope it doesn't pass. 

3. If your passport has been flagged by Dubai, then it is almost certain the other GCC countries will have done the same. I would be very careful about travel in the future and avoid the GCC at all costs.

4. Call the banks and credit card companies and try to work something out with them. They might be able to help.

Good Luck.


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

It's always nice to hear about how people fell into debt and did a runner.  So what was your debt 280,000AED??? and you intended to pay off the CC? and just didn't get around to doing it??

I don't know if your passport can be flagged in the UK, but it's possible that there is a collection agency in the UK looking for you. 

You should hope and pray that you are never on a flight that is diverted to Dubai. You may enter but for sure you won't be leaving.


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I don't condone what you're done but maybe you had reasons. 

Why not "lose" your passport and get yourself another in thailand. The tag probably states your existing passport number.


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

Three questions spring to mind,

What sort of car did you have? Where did you leave it? Can you send me the keys?


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

Felixtoo2 said:


> Three questions spring to mind,
> 
> What sort of car did you have? Where did you leave it? Can you send me the keys?


 Thanks, that gave me a good laugh to the start of the working day


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

I am not going to pass judgement as others have, not my business as to what you did or didn't do, or the reasons behind it.

I don't believe that there would be an issue of you returning to the UK. As far as I know, the UK & UAE governments do not have a reciprocal arrangemnent for things like this.

You do need to have some concerns though.

1. If your flight from Asia to the UK was diverted to UAE for whatever reason, you would find yourself detained.

2. More and more fincancial providers in the UAE are now selling the debt to thrid party collection agencies. Even though the collection agency only pays the bank/company a percentage of the outstanding debt, they would chase the full amount. That may be waiting for you in the UK


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## Kawasutra (May 2, 2011)

mike bkk said:


> I left the UAE last year with two credit cards and a bank loan unpaid. The CC were for Dirhams 40k each and the bank loan for Dirhams200k.
> 
> The loan was in a company name but I was the sole guarantor. My two UK based Directors had agreed that they would take equal responsibilty but later refused to help.
> 
> ...


From my knowledge you wont have a problem in the UK so far, you might have a problem in any other GCC country, you shure have a problem in the UAE. So, if you like to visit your family take a direct flight.

BTW: very brave to out yourself here in this forum...!


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## GlabrousD (Apr 21, 2010)

Sunset said:


> You may enter but for sure you won't be leaving.


I believe if you were to be detained in the UAE and pleaded guilty in court you'd be locked up for 1 year and then deported.

Apparently it's a scam used fairly frequently in Dubai.
1. Come to Dubai and get a job & bank account.
2. Rack up massive debt as quickly as possible and send the money home.
3. Hand yourself in at the police station and plead guilty in court.
4. Serve 1 year and go home.
5. Repeat every year with a different passport.

Not a bad life with minimal work if you don't mind prison food


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

GlabrousD said:


> I believe if you were to be detained in the UAE and pleaded guilty in court you'd be locked up for 1 year and then deported.
> 
> Apparently it's a scam used fairly frequently in Dubai.
> 1. Come to Dubai and get a job & bank account.
> ...


I was going to begin this reply with "Surely...." then I remembered where I was.


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## Warold (May 30, 2011)

GlabrousD said:


> I believe if you were to be detained in the UAE and pleaded guilty in court you'd be locked up for 1 year and then deported.
> 
> Apparently it's a scam used fairly frequently in Dubai.
> 1. Come to Dubai and get a job & bank account.
> ...



How is that even possible. To get a job you are required to get a police clearance sheet. Your fingerprints are taken and run through the computer.. am pretty sure it will pop up. 

Also arnt you stuck in prison untill youve cleared your debt?


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

Warold said:


> How is that even possible. To get a job you are required to get a police clearance sheet. Your fingerprints are taken and run through the computer.. am pretty sure it will pop up.
> 
> Also arnt you stuck in prison untill youve cleared your debt?


Werd. That is what I thought as well... I don't think it is just a one year prison term. I think you go to jail until the entire debt is cleared.


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Warold said:


> How is that even possible. To get a job you are required to get a police clearance sheet. Your fingerprints are taken and run through the computer.. am pretty sure it will pop up.
> 
> Also arnt you stuck in prison untill youve cleared your debt?


I have worked for 2 companies here and not had to have a police check or fingerprints


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Recently knowing someone who was imprisoned for debt.... They will let you out prior to the debt being paid but retain your passport. But may be a few weeks in jail. Was for an amount around 25k.


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## GlabrousD (Apr 21, 2010)

Warold said:


> How is that even possible. To get a job you are required to get a police clearance sheet. Your fingerprints are taken and run through the computer.. am pretty sure it will pop up.
> 
> Also arnt you stuck in prison untill youve cleared your debt?


I've never heard of fingerprints being taken when starting a new job. As far as the "stuck in prison goes" I'm only reporting what I've heard first hand. 

I think that if you appeal you can end up being locked up for years in a legal process however if you admit your guilt and can't pay the money back then under local/Sharia law you serve your term and get deported without paying back a single fil.

I know of people who have returned with a new passport after receiving a ban and have had no problems getting a new job and residency visa. I don't really think information is shared around properly between government departments.


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## BIG ADD (May 4, 2011)

mike bkk said:


> I left the UAE last year with two credit cards and a bank loan unpaid. The CC were for Dirhams 40k each and the bank loan for Dirhams200k.
> 
> The loan was in a company name but I was the sole guarantor. My two UK based Directors had agreed that they would take equal responsibilty but later refused to help.
> 
> ...


give the home office a call in the uk at least try and put your mind at rest , good luck


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## imom (Jun 4, 2011)

Warold said:


> Also arnt you stuck in prison untill youve cleared your debt?


How would that work? That would be a life sentence for most people.


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

imom said:


> How would that work? That would be a life sentence for most people.


It will require someone to pay it off for you. The UAE don't care where the money comes from, as long as it comes.... think real estate boom 

I remember I read in the Khaleej Times (or something) of someone having his family put up the money to get him out of jail; but I don't know if it was for debt or just criminal fines/fees.


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## Dozza (Feb 17, 2009)

imom said:


> How would that work? That would be a life sentence for most people.


:clap2: - Its a shame this isnt the case; people would then show a little more care before just taking loans out & maxing credit card limits without actually thinking of how to pay it back!


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Dozza said:


> :clap2: - Its a shame this isnt the case; people would then show a little more care before just taking loans out & maxing credit card limits without actually thinking of how to pay it back!


On the other hand, if banks were less petty and were open to helping people with debts, less people would be likely to do a runner from fear of being jailed.

Sad fact is, if you lose your job and struggle to make the next loan payment, if you let the bank know to try and work out a solution, you then won't be able to leave the country as they'll go straight to the police.

If I was in that unfortunate position, I'd be going straight to the airport, and to be honest, if I was forced to do a runner from this place because of the backward nature of their banks, I can't see me being too willing to volunteer to pay off the debts from home when there's not much they can do about it.

It's easy to avoid having a guilty conscience when you know that they would do absolutely everything they could to screw you and your family over without batting an eyelid if you were so much as 25 fils overdrawn.

That said, there are some horrendously stupid people out there. A friend of mine had a friend of her's staying with her because he lost his job. He couldn't sell his car because the outstanding amount of the loan was more than the value of the car. If you're stupid enough to get into negative equity on your car, then you don't deserve any help. I don't even know how it's possible.


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## bodget (May 24, 2011)

the banks fueled the boom and were happy to loan money to keep the boom going past uneconominic levels the crash was a result.they took the fees and have to shoulder some of the responsibility,on the other hand maxing your credit at any time isn't a good practice to follow


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## Sunset (Jan 24, 2011)

People get into debt for different reasons.

One is due to the fact that companies have cut back on many perks, such as housing and school allowances in a lump sum and have spread those allowances out over the year including it in monthly salaries so rents have to be paid up front, school fees have to be paid up front, to cost of furnishing an apartment in most cases, and there is a need for a car. Most people buy rather than rent. Fees up front for a housemaid. Then they are made redundant and depending on the field that they are in, jobs dry up, as in construction, and in reality the only thing to do is a runner because as said, the banks are not willing to work with you.

You have those who think the party is never going to end and just can't get enough.

Then you have those who plan to leave, run their CCs to the max, take out a loan, and leave with the watches, jewelry, toys, and money transferred out of the country waiting to be collected.

Clearly I don't know how the OP got so deeply in debt, but to say he was going to pay it back. Yeah, right.


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## mike bkk (Jul 12, 2011)

Everyone is being very helpful with their posts , however bottom line is I left with debts, tried to get a new job in another country to repay debt, but so far having trouble just earning enough just to pay to live. All I want to do is to return to visit my family and particularly see my new Grandson, but need a method to check if I can enter the UK without my passport being flagged. Does anyone know if you can pre check the exact status of your passport BEFORE entering the UK?


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## Warold (May 30, 2011)

Ive had my fingerprints taken recently when obtaining a job as a process engineer for a government oil company. But this could only be for obtaining a CNIA security pass. But I have had friends working for private companies also do it.


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

mike bkk said:


> Everyone is being very helpful with their posts , however bottom line is I left with debts, tried to get a new job in another country to repay debt, but so far having trouble just earning enough just to pay to live. All I want to do is to return to visit my family and particularly see my new Grandson, but need a method to check if I can enter the UK without my passport being flagged. Does anyone know if you can pre check the exact status of your passport BEFORE entering the UK?


This must be very worrying for you Mike and I do sympathise. Nobody has the right to sit in judgement without knowing all the facts. I hope you can get back to UK safely soon and meet your grandson


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## JunFan (May 20, 2008)

I was led to understand that if you were passing through Dubai Airport, but not through passport control (on the basis on an interconnecting flight) the authorities here cannot detain you. Therefore, if the information I'm given is correct (and it may well not be!) you would only have a problem if you proceed throgh passport control.

Unlike some others on here, i can sympathise with you. I know a few very decent people (with families here) that have got into financial trouble which has been caused by their Emirati sponsors or employers and there has been no support for them even through the Shariah Courts when they've tried to get what's legally owed to them. In the end they just had to do a bunk or face prison, which is a very different prison to which an local would reside in!


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

I think the reason that many people are not too sympathetic is because most of us have first hand experience of people knowing that they were in trouble and instead of trying to sort it out simply took out the biggest loan they could get, maxed out their cards and left the country. As Gavtek said on another thread, champagne tastes and coco cola pockets.


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

Felixtoo2 said:


> I think the reason that many people are not too sympathetic is because most of us have first hand experience of people knowing that they were in trouble and instead of trying to sort it out simply took out the biggest loan they could get, maxed out their cards and left the country. As Gavtek said on another thread, champagne tastes and coco cola pockets.


Acknowledged but you can't tar everybody with the same brush. Innocent until proven guilty..............

As another poster said on here (and I agree), it was very brave of him to open such a post as I'm sure he was aware he'd be in for a bashing. Really doesn't help his situation one iota


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## bodget (May 24, 2011)

i think all passports on flights in transit are logged by the airline for security purposes


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## Kawasutra (May 2, 2011)

mike bkk said:


> Everyone is being very helpful with their posts , however bottom line is I left with debts, tried to get a new job in another country to repay debt, but so far having trouble just earning enough just to pay to live. All I want to do is to return to visit my family and particularly see my new Grandson, but need a method to check if I can enter the UK without my passport being flagged. Does anyone know if you can pre check the exact status of your passport BEFORE entering the UK?


You can go to the UK embassy and let them check after you explained them your story...!


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## basc (May 18, 2011)

mike bkk said:


> Everyone is being very helpful with their posts , however bottom line is I left with debts, tried to get a new job in another country to repay debt, but so far having trouble just earning enough just to pay to live. All I want to do is to return to visit my family and particularly see my new Grandson, but need a method to check if I can enter the UK without my passport being flagged. Does anyone know if you can pre check the exact status of your passport BEFORE entering the UK?


If you want to go home, I suggest you contact a lawyer in the UK, explain your situation and get correct legal advice - he may be able to make inquiries with the UK authorities on your behalf. 

And, when flying home, obviously do not fly with Emirates or Etihad - go with an Asian or European carrier that doesn't stop in the UAE (check your flight itinerary for connecting flights, but especially technical stops).


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## JunFan (May 20, 2008)

bodget said:


> i think all passports on flights in transit are logged by the airline for security purposes


All passports are recorded for all travellers, but I don't think the police would be waiting as you walk off one plane to wait for a connection. I believe that the only time the flag would be raised is at passport control.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

JunFan said:


> All passports are recorded for all travellers, but I don't think the police would be waiting as you walk off one plane to wait for a connection. I believe that the only time the flag would be raised is at passport control.


I know of one person who accumulated large amounts of debt in }Dubai and then did a runner. She then moved to Thailand and was planning on going on a holiday to Europe on what was supossed to be a direct flight, however it was detoured for a technical stop in Dubai due to technical problems. The police were waiting for her at the gate to take her into custody when the plane landed. She is still in jail here in Dubai. I know this because a very good friend of mine knows this person very well so not a second hand story/urban myth kind of story. Perhaps when flights are detoured to DXB the airlines have to send the passenger manifiestos in advance? I don't know. But she is still in jail. Fact.


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

dizzyizzy said:


> I know of one person who accumulated large amounts of debt in }Dubai and then did a runner. She then moved to Thailand and was planning on going on a holiday to Europe on what was supossed to be a direct flight, however it was detoured for a technical stop in Dubai due to technical problems. The police were waiting for her at the gate to take her into custody when the plane landed. She is still in jail here in Dubai. I know this because a very good friend of mine knows this person very well so not a second hand story/urban myth kind of story. Perhaps when flights are detoured to DXB the airlines have to send the passenger manifiestos in advance? I don't know. But she is still in jail. Fact.


OMG Dizzy that's material for a horror film. My heart is still beating at the thought


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

petrolhead said:


> OMG Dizzy that's material for a horror film. My heart is still beating at the thought


Yeah. Sad part is that unlike in some other cases where responsible people have found themselves in horrible circumstances after they lose their jobs, etc. this lady completely brought it upon herself  she took on a huge personal loan when she well knew she was leaving Dubai and maxed out her credit cards with expensive purchases with the intention of leaving the debt unpaid. She is (was?) very close to a good friend of mine and was even supossed to be her bridesmaid when she married 2 years ago, but she obviously didn't make it to the big day as she 'landed' in jail first  My friend, very kindly, used to visited her every few months in jail (although she won´t be able to do so anymore as she just moved to Australia), and last time I asked her about this lady, she said she has no idea when is she being released as she is nowhere close to paying the debt off. Her family has no money and can't help much (they are back in the Philipines) and her friends here are unable to help (on low wages) or unwilling to, as everybody knows her decisions were premeditated and she perfectly knew what she was doing. Silly woman.


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

dizzyizzy said:


> Yeah. Sad part is that unlike in some other cases where responsible people have found themselves in horrible circumstances after they lose their jobs, etc. this lady completely brought it upon herself  she took on a huge personal loan when she well knew she was leaving Dubai and maxed out her credit cards with expensive purchases with the intention of leaving the debt unpaid. She is (was?) very close to a good friend of mine and was even supossed to be her bridesmaid when she married 2 years ago, but she obviously didn't make it to the big day as she 'landed' in jail first  My friend, very kindly, used to visited her every few months in jail (although she won´t be able to do so anymore as she just moved to Australia), and last time I asked her about this lady, she said she has no idea when is she being released as she is nowhere close to paying the debt off. Her family has no money and can't help much (they are back in the Philipines) and her friends here are unable to help (on low wages) or unwilling to, as everybody knows her decisions were premeditated and she perfectly knew what she was doing. Silly woman.



Dizzy that has put the fear of God into me. I shudder to think of what she's going through. Frightening


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

petrolhead said:


> Dizzy that has put the fear of God into me. I shudder to think of what she's going through. Frightening


LOL, no need to be frightened of god, just pay pff your debts and you'll be fine


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## petrolhead (Jun 27, 2011)

dizzyizzy said:


> LOL, no need to be frightened of god, just pay pff your debts and you'll be fine


rax

You're right. Am making sure my finances are being extracted from my existing funds and NOT borrowed


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## DubaiATC (Jun 26, 2010)

dizzyizzy said:


> I know of one person who accumulated large amounts of debt in }Dubai and then did a runner. She then moved to Thailand and was planning on going on a holiday to Europe on what was supossed to be a direct flight, however it was detoured for a technical stop in Dubai due to technical problems. The police were waiting for her at the gate to take her into custody when the plane landed. She is still in jail here in Dubai. I know this because a very good friend of mine knows this person very well so not a second hand story/urban myth kind of story. Perhaps when flights are detoured to DXB the airlines have to send the passenger manifiestos in advance? I don't know. But she is still in jail. Fact.


I think I read about this a while back on here - was she the one who refused to get off the plane because she knew what was going to happen to her, but she was finally forced to deplane??


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## DubaiATC (Jun 26, 2010)

mike bkk said:


> All I want to do is to return to visit my family and particularly see my new Grandson, but need a method to check if I can enter the UK without my passport being flagged.


I hope you don't have to wait long to see your grandson, but I certainly understand your trepidation about future travels. When you see him, I'm sure you'll be keen to teach him the importance of responsible financial management.


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