Detained in Dubai urges governments to intervene so foreign nationals can leave the region with their families
UAE legal group Detained in Dubai has written to governments including the United States, Australia, Britain and Ireland advising them to make urgent diplomatic representations to the UAE calling for the temporary lifting of travel bans linked to civil disputes and administrative restrictions, allowing foreign nationals who wish to leave the country to do so.
The organisation says it has seen a sharp increase in calls and messages from foreign nationals across the world who are concerned about being trapped in the region amid escalating geopolitical tensions and disruption to travel routes.
While many expatriates intend to remain in the UAE, others say they simply want the choice to leave with their families but are finding themselves legally unable to do so because of travel bans tied to civil disputes, employment complaints or unresolved administrative records.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said the organisation has received a surge of messages from residents frightened by the situation and desperate for the option to return home.
“People are calling us in tears,” Stirling said. “One British resident contacted us saying they simply want the choice to leave a country where missiles are falling nearby. They don’t know if the situation is going to get worse and they want to be able to take their family somewhere safe.
Another Australian contacted us saying he cannot leave because of a travel ban, while his family back home are terrified watching the news and worrying about what might happen next.”
A British woman told Ms Stirling that after she reported being sexually assaulted by a senior executive at her company, she was suddenly hit with a series of labour complaints filed against her by the company. Stirling says “Most of the cases have since been resolved, but one claim worth just a few thousand pounds remains pending and has left her under a travel ban until the matter is heard in court. She denies the claim and believes it will ultimately be proven false, but in the meantime she remains unable to leave the country.”
Stirling said many of the restrictions preventing people from leaving are tied to disputes that are purely civil in nature, including rental disagreements, financial claims or employment complaints.
“In many countries these would be straightforward civil matters handled through the courts without restricting someone’s freedom to leave,” she said. “But in the UAE these disputes can result in travel bans that effectively trap people in the country until the matter is resolved.”
“Nobody should feel trapped in a potential war zone. While some residents may feel comfortable remaining in Dubai, others may not. People must have the right to decide for themselves how they protect their families and where they feel safest.”
Detained in Dubai says it is currently advising on multiple cases involving expatriates who remain unable to leave the UAE because of travel bans linked to financial or civil disputes.
In some cases families have been prevented from departing the country because of rental disagreements or claims filed by landlords. These travel bans can remain in place until the dispute is resolved through court proceedings, a process that can take months.
Advocates say these restrictions can leave families effectively stranded even when they are willing to resolve the dispute.
“We are hearing from people who are stuck moving between temporary accommodation while trying to deal with financial disputes,” Stirling said. “Some have young children and simply want to go home so they can stabilise their situation and address the matter from abroad.”
Other expatriates are unable to leave because of administrative issues linked to the UAE’s sponsorship-based immigration system.
Under this system a person’s residency visa is typically tied to their employer, and if the employer has not completed visa cancellation procedures or lifted an employment complaint, immigration systems may prevent the individual from exiting the country.
“In some cases people are stopped at the airport because an employer has not cancelled their visa or lifted an administrative complaint,” Stirling said. “It means a bureaucratic delay or an unresponsive employer can effectively prevent someone from leaving the country.”
Advocates say the situation is also forcing some residents to make distressing decisions as they attempt to leave the region quickly.
Some expatriates who have secured flights have reportedly been forced to leave pets behind because they cannot make the arrangements to move animals on short notice. Raphaella Stirling, a Crisis Manager at Detained in Dubai confirmed she has been liaising with distraught expats desperately seeking help for their pets as they fled.
“People are being placed in the heartbreaking position of having to leave pets behind because they are trying to get their families to safety,” Miss Stirling said.
Detained in Dubai is also raising concerns about detainees who have already been scheduled for deportation or release from prison but remain in custody because flights out of the region have been disrupted.
“Once someone has been scheduled for deportation, continued imprisonment raises serious legal concerns,” Stirling said. “After all, there is no specific end date on the crisis.
“If detainees remain incarcerated beyond the point at which they should have been deported, their detention risks becoming arbitrary. Those individuals should be prioritised for removal on any government evacuation or repatriation flights.”
Detained in Dubai is advising governments to request that UAE authorities temporarily:
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Lift travel bans linked to civil disputes and administrative matters;
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Allow foreign nationals to leave the country voluntarily even where civil claims remain unresolved;
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Ensure detainees scheduled for deportation are prioritised for removal.
Stirling said governments have a responsibility to ensure their citizens are not trapped by legal or bureaucratic barriers during periods of instability.
“People are not asking for special treatment,” she said. “They are simply asking for the choice to leave.
When uncertainty grows and families feel frightened, governments should be working to ensure their citizens are able to return home safely if they decide that is what they want. Evacuation must be a choice. Google has evacuated over 1000 employees and it’s understandable why people feel their lives are less valuable when they are treated this way.”
