What to do if you can't get security deposit refund for UAE visa

If you are not satisfied with the redressal of your grievances, you may consider approaching the Ministry of Interior.

I am an Indian resident living in the UAE for more than 13 years. In 2016, I started my own music consultancy company in the Umm Al Quwain Free Zone, wherein I was the sole owner of the company. I sponsored my wife and two children for which the Umm Al Quwain Immigration Office issued three dependent visas. I submitted Dh9,000 as a security deposit for all the dependents. In 2018, I decided to close my company. I went to the Umm Al Quwain Immigration Office and cancelled the visas of my wife and children.
However, when I requested a refund of the security deposit, the immigration officer told me that they cannot issue the refund, saying my family would have to exit the country or I should change their 'status' first. I was also told that there was no time limit for this, and that I just had to change the status. I applied for the visas of my dependents and myself in Sharjah, then I changed my family visa status. When I went back to the immigration office, the officer refused to refund the security deposit again and took the two original receipts from me on the grounds of having crossed the limit of 28 days to change the status. Please explain the correct law and how we can get our money back.  
It is understood that you had paid Dh9,000 as a security deposit to the Umm Al Quwain Immigration Office for the visa of your dependents at the time of applying for their visas. Further, when you cancelled their visas and requested for the refund of the security deposit, you were instructed to either change the status of their visas or have them exit the UAE. However, even after changing the status of their visas, the security deposit amount has not been refunded to you. Your question is regarding your entitlement to the refund of the security deposit.
You may submit a written request to the immigration officer at the Umm Al Quwain office, along with the receipts for the refund of the security deposits, and ask for an acknowledgment. If the immigration officer refuses to accept your written request to refund the deposit, you may approach the head of the Umm Al Quwain Immigration Office. Further, if you are not satisfied with the redressal of your grievances, you may consider approaching the Ministry of Interior (MoI). You may call the MoI on 800-5000, through which you may request assistance.
 
Know the law
If you are not satisfied with the redressal of your grievances at an immigration office, you may consider approaching the Ministry of Interior.
 

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.

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