q I plan to bring my stepdaughter to the UAE. My wife has won a Pakistani court decision to have full custody of her. I have the option to become her guardian by applying in court in Pakistan. Can I sponsor her for a visa in the UAE if her passport says that I am her guardian? Will I be able to sponsor her if her passport contains only her mother’s name as guardian?
a Since you are not the legal guardian of the girl, you cannot sponsor her in the UAE. But if you were to take up the option of guardianship in Pakistan, with the mother’s consent, you would have a document to state you are a legal guardian. If you get the document authenticated and stamped by authorities in your home country and the UAE, you would be able to legally bring her here and sponsor her. You would still need to meet all the conditions set by the UAE for sponsoring a family member but there is no other reason to prevent you from sponsoring your stepdaughter.
I am on probation after my employer paid for my flights and visa for the UAE, but I’ve been offered a better job. My contract states that I have to pay back all the flight, visa costs, et cetera, but I’ve been told this is not true. If I resign and am asked to repay these costs, where do I stand?
Since you are the one breaking the contract within the probation period the company has the right to ask you to repay expenses incurred to bring you to the UAE. If you refuse, they also have the right to take you to a labour court. However, had the company ended your service within the probation period, or indeed after it, they would have no right to ask that you repay the costs, unless they can prove, in court, that you did not meet the job requirements.
Yousef Al Bahar is an advocate at Al Bahar and Associates Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you have a question for our lawyer, please email it to newsdesk@thenational.ae with the subject line “Know the law”.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate independent legal advice.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates