I have finished serving my 30-day notice period with my employer, but the company is asking me to wait a further 18 days to cancel my visa.
However, I have another job offer and my new employer is not willing to wait longer for me to start work and apply for my employment visa. What can I do? IG, Abu Dhabi
When an employee has resigned and completed their notice period, it is the responsibility of the employer to cancel the work permit and residency visa.
Unless there is a prior agreement for this to be extended, this should happen on the final day of the notice period and all money due to the worker should also be paid in full. This is standard procedure.
The cancellation of a work visa should only take one or two working days. If an employer fails to cancel a visa, the employee should register a case with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This can be by telephone on 800 60 or through its website, which has a helpful chat function.
The ministry will contact the employer to tell them to take immediate action. In most cases, this will be sufficient to resolve the problem.
The employer is acting contrary to government guidance, as well as inconveniencing IG, which is unprofessional and unfair.
I left the UAE and now live in the UK, where I have set up a small business. I have clients in the UAE and will be invoicing them for my services, but am confused about how this works for value-added tax.
I plan to register for VAT in the UK but how should I invoice my UAE clients when it comes to VAT? Should I do this at UK rates or UAE rates? SB, UK
The cancellation of a work visa should only take one or two working days
Keren Bobker,
senior partner at Holborn Assets
VAT is a specialist subject, particularly when different countries are concerned, so I sought advice from Gemma Nye, manager of Dubai-based Go Figure Accountancy.
Ms Nye said: “Non-residents who make taxable supplies [a term for supplying goods and services on which VAT can be charged] in the UAE will be required to register for VAT unless there is any other UAE resident person who is responsible for accounting for VAT on their behalf. This exclusion may apply where the UAE client is VAT-registered and, therefore, required to account for VAT under a reverse-charge mechanism in respect of a purchase from a non-resident.”
A reverse-charge mechanism is one where the end-customer pays the tax directly to the government. The supplier does not have to pay VAT on import items or services, so the obligation of reporting a VAT transaction is shifted from the seller to the recipient.
“If a person is not registered for VAT in the UAE, they must not charge UAE VAT at 5 per cent when invoicing clients. To charge VAT, a person or entity must have a tax registration number from the Federal Tax Authority,” Ms Nye said.
“In relation to charging UK VAT, the application of UK VAT is determined on the ‘place of supply’. If the supply is in the UK, it is subject to UK VAT. If the supply is in another country, it is said to be ‘outside the scope’ of UK VAT.”
The situation can be different depending on whether the business is supplying a consumer, meaning a person or another business.
“The UK VAT Notice 741A section 6.3 says that the place of supply for a business-to-business supply is where the customer belongs. Section 6.2 states the general rule for business-to-consumer supplies of services is that the place of supply is where the supplier belongs, irrespective of the location of their customer,” Ms Nye said.
“It is important to read the full UK VAT notice outlining how you determine ‘place of supply’ as there are some exemptions dependent on your business activity.”
Cross-border taxation can be complex, so it is always best to obtain professional advice based on a specific situation.
I recently started a new job and my employer has applied for my visa and work permit. Before I started, it was agreed that I would be able to take unpaid leave after a few weeks for something that was booked some time ago.
However, I am concerned whether I will receive my passport back in time. How long does it usually take for a visa application to be completed? CC, Abu Dhabi
Once the application has been submitted to the ministry and the candidate takes the medical test, the process of issuing the visa should not take long.
In most cases, the time frame is seven to 10 working days, although a good public relations officer can usually fast-track an urgent application in a few days.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 25 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Sour%20Grapes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EZakaria%20Tamer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESyracuse%20University%20Press%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E176%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
