Dubai: 21 convicted and fined Dh25.2 million in one of the biggest residency visa fraud schemes
In a landmark ruling, Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Court has convicted 21 individuals of various nationalities in a massive residency visa fraud case, described as one of the largest of its kind in the emirate's history.
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The court imposed a fine of Dh25.2 million on the defendants, who were found guilty of illegally obtaining and selling 385 UAE residency visas through a complex network of fraudulent commercial establishments.
How the Scheme Operated
According to official details released by authorities, the accused set up 33 fake commercial establishments, businesses that existed only on paper, to illegally obtain 385 residence visas. These companies were used as fronts to recruit individuals under false employment pretenses.
Once the visas were issued, the businesses were quickly shut down, leaving the recruited individuals in a legally vulnerable position without any effort to regularise their residency status.
'The companies were set up solely to obtain residence visas illegally,' said Dr Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution.
The case highlights the strategic and deliberate misuse of the UAE's labour and residency systems for profit, with many of the business licences found to have been obtained using fake addresses.
This was clearly a planned effort to bypass residency and labour regulations, authorities confirmed.
Investigation and Arrests
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai initially flagged the suspicious activities, which led to the Public Prosecution launching a detailed investigation. This involved meticulous monitoring, repeated follow-ups, and on-ground inspections of the alleged offices of the fake companies, all of which were ultimately found to be non-existent.
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Once arrested, the accused were referred to the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, which carried out further investigations. According to Dr Bin Khatem, prosecutors secured solid evidence to support a watertight case that led to the convictions.
'The Public Prosecution will continue to work closely with its partners to address any violations of laws governing the entry and residence of foreigners as well as labour regulations in order to preserve the stability of society and the integrity of the labour market,' Dr Bin Khatem added.
Following the trial, the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court delivered its verdict, convicting all 21 individuals involved and slapping them with fines totalling Dh25.21 million.
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