Residency visa scammers busted in Dubai: 21 convicted and Dh25m fine issued
Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Court has issued a Dh25.2 million fine against 21 people convicted in one of the emirate's largest residency visa fraud cases.
The suspects, from several nationalities, were found guilty of operating fraudulent companies to unlawfully obtain residency visas, which they later sold to 385 recipients.
The network exploited legal loopholes by setting up dummy businesses that existed only on paper and never functioned as legitimate employers.
Counsellor Ali Humaid bin Khatem, senior advocate general and director of Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, said it is one of the largest cases of misusing residency visas to exploit people.
He said the investigation included 33 commercial establishments, which served as decoys for obtaining and misusing the visas.
'Most of the business licences under which the illegal establishments operated had been secured by furnishing fictitious addresses. The aim was to undermine and exploit residency and labour regulations for unlawful gain,' Mr bin Khatem said in a statement on Tuesday.
Officials from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai discovered the companies and reported them to the Dubai Public Prosecution.
'The arrests followed extensive monitoring, follow-ups and inspections of the companies' purported offices,' Mr bin Khatem added.
Following their arrest, the suspects were referred to the prosecutors for investigation and evidence was gathered and submitted.
'The prosecutors 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,' Mr bin Khatem said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
42 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Third Annual AIMCS EXPO 2025 explores latest trends and challenges
The highly anticipated Middle East Asset Integrity Management Expo (AIMCS EXPO 2025) which runs from June 23–25, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, united global experts, innovators, and decision-makers across the oil, gas, utilities, and energy sectors. Organized under the leadership of Mosleh Al Harbi, Vice President – Asset Integrity & Process Safety, ADNOC Distribution, and serving as Conference Executive Chairman, AIMCS EXPO 2025 delivered a powerful platform to tackle the evolving challenges of asset integrity and accelerate sustainable, technology-driven solutions. With the majority of oil and gas infrastructure nearing or exceeding its operational life expectancy, the industry faces a critical need for efficient and cost-effective asset integrity management. AIMCS EXPO 2025 directly addressed this urgency by spotlighting the latest advancements and best practices in Asset Integrity, Pipeline Integrity, and Well Integrity, through three dedicated, high-impact conference tracks. The event also explored emerging technologies, strategic frameworks, and engineering excellence that enhance operational reliability, safety, and sustainability across upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. Positioned as one of the region's most influential technical gatherings, AIMCS EXPO 2025 hosted over 800+ attendees, 90+ technical speakers, 250+ leading companies, 30+ sponsors and exhibitors, and representatives from more than 25 countries. Some of the key Sponsors were Sigma Enterprises, TGT Diagnostics, IP Pipeline Technology, IK Group, Arise Global, DIMATE GmbH, Argus, APEX-FI, Quest Global. Participants gained invaluable insights from industry leaders, accessed the latest innovations in asset performance optimization, and connected with a high-level audience of plant managers, chief engineers, integrity managers, QA/QC professionals, technology heads, and service providers. The event also served as a key networking platform to build strategic partnerships and drive cross-sector collaboration. 'We are proud to bring together some of the most influential voices and technical minds in the global energy sector at AIMCS EXPO 2025,' said Romin Mathew, Director of Aldrich International, organizers of the event. 'This year's edition stands as a testament to the growing urgency and strategic importance of asset integrity in ensuring safe, efficient, and sustainable energy operations. By curating a world-class platform for knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaboration, our goal is to empower industry stakeholders with actionable insights and cutting-edge solutions that will define the future of integrity management. Abu Dhabi provides the ideal backdrop for these vital conversations, and we are honoured to facilitate this exchange at a time when it matters most.' In an era where operational excellence and risk mitigation are paramount, AIMCS EXPO 2025 offered a timely opportunity to shape the future of asset integrity in the energy sector. The event served in define new benchmarks for safety, innovation, and integrity in asset management.
Arabian Business
an hour ago
- Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia posts $16.8bn trade surplus in Q1 2025, up 52% from previous quarter
Saudi Arabia's trade balance posted a SR63bn ($16.8bn) surplus in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 52 per cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2024, when the surplus was SR41bn ($10.9bn). The figures were published in the latest International Trade Bulletin issued by the General Authority for Statistics. The total value of the Kingdom's international trade during Q1 2025 exceeded SR508bn ($135.3bn), with exports reaching SR285bn ($75.9bn) and imports amounting to SR222bn ($59bn). Saudi trade statistics Oil exports remained the driving force of Saudi trade, accounting for more than SR205bn ($54.6bn) — or 71.8 per cent of total exports. Non-oil national exports contributed over SR54bn ($14.4bn), representing 19 per cent, while re-exports totalled more than SR26bn ($6.9bn), or 9.3 per cent of total exports. Asian countries were the Kingdom's largest trade partners, importing 74.6 per cent of Saudi exports valued at over SR213bn ($56.7bn). European countries accounted for 12.1 per cent (SR34bn/$9.1bn), while African countries made up 8.1 per cent (SR23bn/$6.1bn). At the individual country level: China led with 15.7 per cent of exports, valued at SR44bn ($11.7bn) India followed with 9.8 per cent (SR28bn/$7.5b) Japan ranked third with 9.3 per cent (SR26bn/$6.9bn) Saudi Arabia's non-oil exports, including re-exports, were processed through 34 customs ports — by land, sea, and air — with a total value exceeding SR80bn ($21.3bn). Key ports included: King Fahd Industrial Port in Jubail: SR9.9bn ($2.64bn), or 12.3 per cent of the total Jeddah Islamic Port: SR9.7bn ($2.59bn), or 12.1 per cent The robust Q1 trade data reflects the Kingdom's continued momentum in both oil and non-oil sectors, supporting its economic diversification and global trade expansion.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Al Mal Capital REIT announces follow-on public offering
Al Mal Capital REIT, the first REIT listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), on Tuesday announced a follow-on public offering (FPO) on its closed ended Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). The FPO, approved by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), will issue up to 220 million units at a price of Dh1.1, increasing the issued capital of the Fund from Dh513,889,872 up to Dh733,889,872. The FPO is open to existing unitholders, as well as UAE and GCC individual and institutional investors. The funds raised will be used to expand the REIT's portfolio of income generating real estate assets carefully selected from secure growth sectors, including healthcare, education and mission-critical industrial assets. The subscription will run from July 7 to 25, with trading of the new units expected to commence on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) around August 8, subject to regulatory and market approvals. Al Mal Capital REIT, managed by Al Mal Capital PSC, a subsidiary of Dubai Investments PJSC, has a proven and stable track record having delivered a 7 per cent return since 2023. It continues to target ongoing returns of c.+7 per centi for investors. In line with this performance, the REIT is also announcing a cash dividend of Dh0.0375 per unit for the interim period ending 30 June 2025, representing an annualized yield of 7.5 per cent. To receive this dividend, investors must purchase units no later than 24 June 2025, as only unitholders on record as of 26 June 2025 will be eligible. Commenting on the FPO, Naser Al Nabulsi, Vice Chairman and CEO at Al Mal Capital said: 'There is a growing investor appetite for Regional REITs as shown by recent offerings on the DFM that saw record-breaking retail participation, especially in the UAE. We are therefore pleased that we can offer more investors a chance to access Al Mal Capital REIT, the first REIT listed on the DFM, which continues to deliver strong and consistent dividends. Our focus on resilient real estate sectors which offer sustainable and recurring income based on secure cashflow and long-term demand, will be very attractive for both institutional and retail buyers.' A priority allocation will be available to subscribers who already hold units in AMC REIT, and whose names appear in the register of unitholders as of June 26 (the 'Record Date'). These investors will be allocated units equal to approximately +39 per cent of their current holdings, ensuring their ownership remains undiluted following the capital increase. A secondary allocation of unsubscribed units, after completion of the priority allocation, will have a Minimum Guaranteed Allocation (MGA) of up to 2,000 units per eligible new subscriber, subject to request and availability. Al Mal Capital REIT is a closed ended real estate investment trust (REIT) that is currently invested in a diversified portfolio of income generating real estate assets in the UAE, based on secure long-term lease agreements with a strong credit profile. The Fund gives UAE and GCC investors access to an asset class with long-term fundamentals, based on a strategy focused on investing in strong-performing UAE sectors, including healthcare, education and industrial assets.
