Question 1

How can I recover an unpaid invoice from a UAE company?

Accepted Answer

Under UAE law, a creditor first serves a formal legal notice fixing the default and starting statutory interest. Where the debt is documented, the fast-track payment order under Articles 143 to 149 of Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022 produces an enforceable order in weeks. Where it is not, an ordinary civil action follows, with precautionary attachment and travel bans available to secure the position before judgment.

Question 2

What can I do about a bounced cheque in the UAE after the 2020 decriminalisation?

Accepted Answer

Following Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2020, a dishonoured cheque is enforced civilly before the Execution Judge without the need for a substantive judgment. The creditor files the original cheque and the bank return slip, and the Execution Court proceeds directly to attachment and recovery against the drawer.

Question 3

Can I impose a travel ban on a debtor in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A creditor can apply ex parte to the competent court for a travel ban against an individual debtor where there is evidence of a subsisting commercial debt and a genuine risk the debtor will leave the jurisdiction. The application is supported by contractual and payment documentation and is granted pending or in support of civil proceedings.

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