'Can I sponsor my mother to live in Dubai?'

Question: I am a Dubai resident and have been here for a long time. I would now like to bring my mother to live with me . When I looked at doing this a few years ago, it was complicated and made harder by the fact that she has a pension in Australia , so I am not her only means of support. With all the changes to visas in the UAE , is there now an easier way to secure a visa for a parent? GG, Dubai Answer: There have been a number of changes regarding visas and sponsorship . Assuming GG’s mother is a widow or divorced, he can bring her to the UAE as her sponsor even if she has some income of her own. If both parents are alive and together, both must be sponsored. The rules are less onerous than in the past and a person requires a minimum salary of Dh10,000 ($2,722) a month and to live in a property with at least two bedrooms. It is no longer a requirement that the parent to be sponsored is wholly dependent on their son or daughter, but the sponsor must demonstrate that they still have the means to support them. There is a fee of Dh1,750 plus a deposit of Dh5,000. Applications can be made via the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs. Q: I have found out that my husband has quite a lot of debt. He has two loans and a very large amount on a credit card. He does not have a high income and it is going to take him years to pay this off, if he ever does, so I am worried that I could be responsible for it. If he leaves the country, or dies, will I be asked to pay his debts? I am really worried as our relationship isn’t good and I can’t trust him to support me or his son. CJ, Sharjah A: Under UAE law, only the person whose name is on the debt is accountable for it and that applies whether it is a mortgage, a personal loan or a credit card. A spouse is only liable if a debt is in joint names, they have provided a security cheque or they are a guarantor. In this situation, CJ will not be responsible for her husband’s debts if he leaves the country. If a person dies with debts in the UAE, the surviving spouse is not directly responsible and should not be asked for repayment. The debt must still be repaid and that means it should be settled from the estate of the deceased before money can be passed to any beneficiary. That means that any assets that were owned by the deceased can be sold to repay debts. This is one of the many reasons why proper life assurance is advisable where there are debts and/or dependents. The life policy should also be written in trust so that it can only be paid to the named beneficiary and cannot be claimed by any other party if it is paid out, as otherwise it will form part of the deceased’s estate. Q: I have a question about my employment. I am sponsored by my husband and started a job three weeks ago. My visa says “housewife not allowed to work” but the manager of the company said that I had to obtain a letter from my husband saying I could and that was all I needed. I don’t have a contract and haven’t been asked for any other paperwork. The job is not what I thought it would be, the manager isn’t nice and I want to leave. Am I allowed to leave without notice or paying a penalty? DE, Dubai A: Even if someone does not require a visa from an employer, there is still a requirement for a work permit to be provided. This is mandatory and so DE has been working illegally. The employer should be fully aware of this. A contract of employment should be provided in all cases, so that the terms and conditions are clear for all parties. The contract must also be lodged with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to obtain a work permit. A no-objection certificate (letter of permission from her husband) is not sufficient on its own. As DE has not been working legally, she must stop immediately as both she and the employer can be fined heavily for breaking the law. If she is not paid for the three weeks of work, she will not be able to make a claim against the company as there is no contract or work permit. Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 30 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com . Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE. The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only