Dubai Public Prosecution used its weekly “Crime & Lesson” campaign on 23 December to spotlight the case of a young resident fined Dh 50,000 for running an unlicensed visa-processing service on social media . Investigators said the woman completed 39 fraudulent residency transactions, charging Dh 500 each, before inspectors from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) traced irregular sponsor data in the ICP system.
The case is the first to be publicised since the UAE broadened Federal Decree-Law 29 of 2021, which now allows penalties to be multiplied by the number of illegal applications filed. In theory, the defendant faces further civil claims from victims who may have lost employment status or incurred overstay fines. Authorities reiterated that only licensed typing centres, authorised law firms and Amer service outlets may broker work-permit or family-visa applications.
For employers, the reminder is timely: under the Labour Relations Law, companies that knowingly submit documents through unlicensed agents risk fines of up to Dh 200,000 and a freeze on new work permits. Mobility managers should therefore audit any third-party PRO arrangements and insist on Emirates ID badges that show the agent’s ICP accreditation number.
![Dubai prosecutes illegal visa intermediary, issues stark warning on residency fraud]()
Amid these risks, companies and individuals can turn to reputable facilitators like VisaHQ, which offers fully compliant, end-to-end assistance for UAE tourist, employment and family visas through its secure online platform. By working exclusively with government-authorised channels and providing real-time application updates, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) helps applicants steer clear of unlicensed intermediaries while easing the administrative burden on HR teams.
The prosecution also unveiled a new whistle-blower portal—accessible via UAE Pass—allowing residents to upload evidence of forged labour contracts or “visa-for-sale” adverts anonymously. Data will feed an AI engine that cross-references commercial-licence numbers with abnormal spikes in visa sponsorship.
Bottom line: while the UAE continues to liberalise long-term visas, enforcement against illegal intermediaries is intensifying. Corporates must tighten vendor-due-diligence and educate relocating staff to avoid freelance agents who promise “express” paperwork.
The case is the first to be publicised since the UAE broadened Federal Decree-Law 29 of 2021, which now allows penalties to be multiplied by the number of illegal applications filed. In theory, the defendant faces further civil claims from victims who may have lost employment status or incurred overstay fines. Authorities reiterated that only licensed typing centres, authorised law firms and Amer service outlets may broker work-permit or family-visa applications.
For employers, the reminder is timely: under the Labour Relations Law, companies that knowingly submit documents through unlicensed agents risk fines of up to Dh 200,000 and a freeze on new work permits. Mobility managers should therefore audit any third-party PRO arrangements and insist on Emirates ID badges that show the agent’s ICP accreditation number.
Amid these risks, companies and individuals can turn to reputable facilitators like VisaHQ, which offers fully compliant, end-to-end assistance for UAE tourist, employment and family visas through its secure online platform. By working exclusively with government-authorised channels and providing real-time application updates, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) helps applicants steer clear of unlicensed intermediaries while easing the administrative burden on HR teams.
The prosecution also unveiled a new whistle-blower portal—accessible via UAE Pass—allowing residents to upload evidence of forged labour contracts or “visa-for-sale” adverts anonymously. Data will feed an AI engine that cross-references commercial-licence numbers with abnormal spikes in visa sponsorship.
Bottom line: while the UAE continues to liberalise long-term visas, enforcement against illegal intermediaries is intensifying. Corporates must tighten vendor-due-diligence and educate relocating staff to avoid freelance agents who promise “express” paperwork.
