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The issue of employers holding employee passports remains one of the most common concerns among expatriate workers in the UAE. Although some companies still claim they keep passports for “safekeeping” or administrative reasons, UAE law is clear: a passport is personal property, and an employer cannot retain it without the employee’s voluntary consent. Knowing your […]

A trademark is a distinctive sign that identifies goods and services and protects brand identity. The Abu Dhabi Intellectual Property Unit defines a trademark as: “A trademark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of a company from those of other companies. Trademarks are registered with the relevant IP office, and once […]

The UAE has introduced a significant change to its corporate legal framework through Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025, which came into force on 15 November 2025. This law amends and brings a shift in the existing UAE Commercial Companies Law (Federal Law No. 32 of 2021) in order to accelerate the country’s efforts to […]

Buying a property in UAE is more than just signing papers, whether it is your first apartment in Dubai or an investment property in Abu Dhabi. For most people, this dream is made possible through a bank mortgage. But before you take that step, it’s important to understand one thing that the property financing in […]

Under UAE labour law, maternity and paternity leave entitle employees to a paid time off to care for new-born children. However, the length of leave varies between the private and public sectors. In the private sector, employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave and 5 days of paternity leave. In the government sector, […]

UAE has taken another major step in modernising its laws by reducing the age of majority for commercial transactions from 21 to 18. This amendment has been introduced under Federal Decree‑Law No. 25 of 2025 and will come into force on 1 June 2026. Previously, the age of majority for commercial transactions in UAE was […]