Al Ain woman wins Dh8,400 after work visa scam

Al Ain: A young woman who paid a man to arrange a work visa for her brother has been awarded Dh8,400 in compensation after a court in Al Ain ruled that he failed to keep his promise and refused to return the money.

The Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Claims Court found that the man had no lawful justification for retaining the funds, concluding that the woman had paid the amount in good faith and was left without either the promised visa or a refund.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the woman agreed to pay Dh8,400 for assistance in securing a work visa for her brother. She handed over Dh1,000 in cash and transferred the remaining Dh7,400 via bank transfer. When the visa was not arranged and her requests for a refund went unanswered, she turned to the courts.

The man denied that the money was linked to the woman’s brother, claiming instead that it related to other visa and labour matters between them. While he acknowledged receiving the funds, he argued that they were part of legitimate dealings and asked the court to dismiss the case.

The woman rejected this explanation, insisting that she had no involvement in the transactions cited by the defendant and that the payment had been made solely to secure her brother’s visa.

Before issuing its judgment, the court required the woman to swear a supplementary oath. She testified that the agreement was clear, that the full amount had been paid, and that the man neither completed the visa process nor returned the money.

In its ruling, the court said the man’s admission that he had received the funds placed the burden on him to prove a lawful reason for keeping them—something he failed to do. With no evidence to support his claims, the court ruled in favour of the woman.

The man was ordered to repay the full Dh8,400 and cover all court fees and legal costs.