When I left Dubai in 2019, I did not pay off my credit card. I am now in my home country and because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I lost my job and do not have a stable income.
Since I left three years ago, I have not been able to make any payments towards my UAE credit card, which had a limit of Dh1,000 ($272).
However, the total amount owed has now reached about Dh45,000 ($12,253), which I cannot afford to pay.
I have tried emailing the bank as I am planning to return to Dubai to work, but I am worried that I will have an issue at the airport over the credit card debt. I don’t know if the bank has reported the case to police.
Can you advise me on what to do? LC, Philippines
Debt panellist 1: Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
It is scary to see how a credit card with a Dh1,000 limit can generate a debt of Dh45,000 in only a few years.
There are thousands of people in the same situation as you — so much so that one of my top recommendations is for you to read the previous Debt Panel articles on The National’s website.
You are right to worry about turning up in Dubai unannounced, as the bank may have filed a case against you. At Dh45,000 it is unlikely to be a criminal case, but a civil case may cause problems with obtaining your work visa and starting a new job.
Emailing banks seems futile — you need to call them. Tell them you are planning to return to Dubai and what your salary will be, if you know it.
Ask for a payment plan or conversion to a personal loan, so you can start making payments either before you arrive or when you start earning. Also, try to find out if the bank has filed a case against you.
The bank may not be very co-operative. You may need to call several times until you find someone helpful, or you may have to insist on talking to a manager who can make decisions.
The bank might accept only repayment in full, even if it is impossible for you to do that. Contacting the bank may lead to them filing a case against you, if they haven’t already.
Alternatively, you may turn up in Dubai and nothing happens. If you have renewed your passport, your prior history of debt may no longer be linked to you. But this is a big risk to take.
You may want to discuss your situation with the HR department of your new company, but you should try to talk to your bank first to understand what their position is.
If the bank is being difficult and insisting on full payment before they drop their case, you may need to seek work elsewhere in the region to first raise money and pay off your debt before coming back to Dubai.
Debt panellist 2: R Sivaram, executive vice president and head of retail banking products at Emirates NBD
Before leaving the UAE in 2019, you should ideally have contacted your bank and explained your circumstances.
While you have not indicated how much you spent on your card, it is concerning to note that against a limit of Dh1,000, you now have a balance of Dh45,000.
Failing to repay the amount owed to the bank is a breach of the credit card agreement and a bank is expected to take action if payments are missed for so many months and there is no communication from you.
People often don’t understand the financial impact of not paying credit card debt
Carol Glynn,
founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
I suggest you first contact the bank and explain your current situation, as well as your intention to return to the UAE.
I am not sure of your current financial situation, but since you plan to return to the UAE and if you have found a job, then check if you can work out a payment plan with your bank.
You need to demonstrate that you are willing to clear your debt and start making regular payments for the bank to be more amenable.
Since there has been no communication with the bank and no payments as well, there might be an outstanding police case and it could have been registered with immigration.
This means you may not be able to enter the UAE. But again, the bank will know if there is a police case.
A bank could be willing to enter into a discussion and it might be possible to have some of the interest and charges waived.
To do this, however, a bank will probably ask for a lump-sum payment before it agrees to reduce the interest and set up a repayment plan that you can afford to make consistently.
Either way, I would recommend that you contact your bank to ask what is possible. Ensure that everything you agree to is confirmed in writing.
Once you reach an agreement, the police case can be lifted, assuming there is one, and any immigration ban with it. But make sure you have confirmation from the bank before you travel.
Alternatively, you could tap into your savings and investments or ask family members to help you out with an interest-free loan to settle your credit card debt.
Debt panellist 3: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The increase in your outstanding balance owed is, unfortunately, a common situation with credit cards.
People often don’t understand the financial impact of not paying credit card debt. It also happens with unused cards as most have annual fees that generate charges, then interest and penalties on the unpaid annual fees.
As you are experiencing, the compounding effect of unpaid balances plus annual fees, interest, late payment fines and penalties results in the amount due growing very quickly.
Keep communicating with the bank. Keep a record of all your email correspondence to date and going forward.
It is important to also call the bank and request information regarding your debt. When you come to the UAE, visit the branch in person as this is usually the most effective way forward.
Discuss repayment options with your bank. Ensure you read and understand all terms and conditions of any repayment option the bank suggests. If you are not clear, ask an independent person you trust to help you understand the offer.
It is unlikely the bank has raised a police case against you for a balance of this size but during your discussions, ask them to confirm if they have taken this action. You can also call the police and ask if there are any open cases against you.
The Dubai Police website also offers a free service to check if you have a travel ban against your name.
If you cannot afford to repay the debt, one option would be to take out a personal loan and use the funds to pay off the credit card in full.
A loan will carry a much smaller interest rate than your credit card. I would recommend that you immediately cancel the credit card and ensure you obtain a clearance letter from the bank confirming that it is closed and your debt cleared. Keep this letter in a safe place in case you need it in the years to come.
If you are concerned about the monthly repayments on the loan, you can extend the tenure to reduce the instalments to an amount you can afford to pay.
It is also wise to manage your expenditure and budget to ensure you can allocate enough to pay your monthly instalments each month.
It is best to pay the credit card balance as soon as possible. If a personal loan is not an option, could you borrow from a family member or friend and then repay them in instalments from your salary?
The Debt Panel is a weekly column to help readers tackle their debts more effectively. If you have a question for the panel, write to pf@thenational.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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The%20specs
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait this month is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
UAE’s fixtures: Fri Apr 20, UAE v Qatar; Sat Apr 21, UAE v Saudi Arabia; Mon Apr 23, UAE v Bahrain; Tue Apr 24, UAE v Maldives; Thu Apr 26, UAE v Kuwait
World T20 2020 Qualifying process:
- Sixteen teams will play at the World T20 in two years’ time.
- Australia have already qualified as hosts
- Nine places are available to the top nine ranked sides in the ICC’s T20i standings, not including Australia, on Dec 31, 2018.
- The final six teams will be decided by a 14-team World T20 Qualifier.
World T20 standings: 1 Pakistan; 2 Australia; 3 India; 4 New Zealand; 5 England; 6 South Africa; 7 West Indies; 8 Sri Lanka; 9 Afghanistan; 10 Bangladesh; 11 Scotland; 12 Zimbabwe; 13 UAE; 14 Netherlands; 15 Hong Kong; 16 Papua New Guinea; 17 Oman; 18 Ireland
SAUDI RESULTS
Team Team Pederson (-40), Team Kyriacou (-39), Team De Roey (-39), Team Mehmet (-37), Team Pace (-36), Team Dimmock (-33)
Individual E. Pederson (-14), S. Kyriacou (-12), A van Dam (-12), L. Galmes (-12), C. Hull (-9), E. Givens (-8),
G. Hall (-8), Ursula Wikstrom (-7), Johanna Gustavsson (-7)
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
RACECARD
%3Cp%3E5pm%3A%20Al%20Shamkha%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(Turf)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E5.30pm%3A%20Khalifa%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E6pm%3A%20Masdar%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E6.30pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E7pm%3A%20Emirates%20Championship%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20Dh1%2C000%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%3A%20Shakbout%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%202%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html" charset="UTF-8" /></head><body><!--PSTYLE=* Labels%3aFH Label 18 Sport--><p>Beach soccer</p><!--PSTYLE=BY Byline--><p>Amith Passela</p><p /></body></html>
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
