How to check if you have a travel ban in the UAE

Dubai: If you are unsure whether you have a travel ban in the UAE, especially due to an unsettled financial dispute or a civil case, there are official online services that allow you to check your status before travelling.

These checks are essential for residents dealing with issues such as unpaid debt, bounced cheques, rental disputes, or ongoing police investigations.

A travel ban in the UAE can be issued for both civil and criminal cases.

In civil matters, such as unpaid debt, a creditor may request a travel ban after obtaining a court judgment. Once a judgment is issued, the creditor must open an execution case. If the debtor does not comply with the execution notice, the creditor can request a travel ban to reduce the risk of the debtor leaving the country.

Travel bans generally fall into two categories. Civil cases - unsettled rental disputes, bounced cheques, or unpaid loans and criminal cases - pending police investigations, reckless driving, or other serious offences.

Abu Dhabi residents can use Estafser, an online service from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD). It allows users to check for:

The service is available 24/7 on the ADJD website and mobile app.
Website: adjd.gov.ae - eServices - Estafser

Estafser provides instant access to legal status information without visiting a government office.

Dubai residents can use the enhanced 'Circulars and Travel Bans' service available on both the Dubai Police smart app and official website.

To use the service:

The updated service provides:

This tool helps residents avoid unexpected issues during travel or when completing official transactions.

If you prefer to verify your status directly with government entities, checks can be done using your passport number or Emirates ID through:

In addition, you may seek help from a lawyer or law firm specialising in immigration services. A lawyer can confirm if you have a travel ban, explain the reasons behind it, and assist in the process of lifting it, if possible.

In civil cases, once the debtor pays the amount specified in the court’s execution file, they may apply to have execution measures, including the travel ban, lifted. Once a decision is issued on the removal of the travel ban and communicated by the court to the competent authority, the ban is considered effectively lifted. This process is usually fast and may take a few days or more.

In 2024, the UAE’s Ministry of Justice confirmed that travel bans are now lifted automatically as soon as related legal matters are resolved, with no additional paperwork or applications required. This update eliminated the previous nine-step process and sped up removals to within minutes.