Deportation Expenses in the UAE

Facing deportation from the UAE brings both legal and financial challenges that catch many people off guard. This article covers what you need to know about deportation expenses in the Emirates, from the costs involved to who's responsible for paying them. Whether you're an employer handling staff deportation, someone dealing with removal proceedings, or simply trying to understand how UAE immigration enforcement works, you'll find clear information about the financial side of things, the legal requirements, and what happens when expenses aren't paid.

What is deportation in the UAE?

Deportation in the UAE is the legal process authorities use to remove foreign nationals from the country for breaking immigration laws or other regulations. Unlike leaving voluntarily, deportation is enforced removal that typically comes with serious consequences, including bans on coming back.

The deportation system in the UAE works under Federal Law No. 6 of 1973 concerning Entry and Residence of Foreigners, along with later updates to this law. This gives immigration authorities the power to deport people who violate visa conditions, commit criminal offenses, or fail to follow UAE residency requirements.

The Ministry of Interior handles deportation proceedings and works with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to process removals. When someone gets a deportation order, they're detained until arrangements are made for leaving the country. The legal reasons for deportation are clearly laid out in UAE law, giving authorities specific guidelines on when removal is the right action and when other options might work better. 

Common reasons for deportation

Knowing why deportations happen helps residents and employers stay on the right side of UAE regulations. Here are the situations that most often lead to deportation orders:

• Visa violations and overstaying – Staying in the UAE after your visa expires is one of the most common reasons for deportation. Even overstaying by just a few days can bring fines and possible removal.
  
  
• Criminal convictions – Being convicted of crimes in the UAE often leads straight to deportation once any prison time is finished. Some offenses come with mandatory deportation built into the sentence.
  
  
• Employment violations – Working without the right authorization, changing jobs without canceling your old visa, or working for someone other than your official sponsor are all serious violations that can trigger deportation.
  
  
• Security threats – People considered threats to national security, public order, or public morals face quick deportation under UAE law.
  
  
• Fraudulent documentation – Giving false information on visa applications, forging documents, or lying about your qualifications leads to immediate deportation when caught.
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• Absconding from sponsor – When workers leave their employer without proper visa cancellation and transfer, they're labeled as absconders, which means deportation if authorities find them.

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What are the deportation expenses in the UAE?

Deportation comes with real financial costs that someone needs to cover. The expenses include several different charges:

• Flight costs – The most obvious expense is the flight ticket back to the deportee's home country. Prices change dramatically based on where you're going, with flights to faraway countries costing much more than trips to nearby regions. These airline tickets cover not just the person being deported but also any family members who are being deported along with them.
  
  
• Administrative and processing fees – Government agencies charge for processing deportation orders, canceling visas, issuing exit permits, and managing all the paperwork involved. These costs build up fast.
  
  
• Detention expenses – People waiting for deportation stay in immigration detention facilities. Every day in detention adds costs for housing, meals, and supervision.
  
  
• Outstanding fines – Many deportation cases include unpaid fines from overstaying visas, traffic violations, or other legal problems. Overstay penalties alone can become substantial depending on how long someone has remained in the country past their visa expiration. These need to be paid before leaving.
  
  
• Legal representation costs – If the deportee tries to appeal or gets legal advice during the process, lawyer fees add to the total bill.
  
  
• Document processing – Getting the travel documents you need, especially if you've lost your passport or need emergency papers from your embassy, creates another expense.
  
  

Total costs can run from a few thousand dirhams for simple cases to tens of thousands when things get complicated. 

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Who pays for deportation expenses in the UAE?

Who covers deportation expenses depends on what caused the removal order. The responsibility shifts based on the specific circumstances of each case, and the legal framework for this is set out in UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, particularly Articles 68 and 74.

Primary Responsibility: The Deportee

The obligation for deportation expenses falls first on the person being deported, on their own account. This means the individual is expected to cover their airline tickets, administrative fines, overstay penalties, and any other costs associated with their removal from the country.

If someone commits a crime that leads to deportation, they pay their own expenses. The same goes for visitors or tourists who break visa rules without having an employer involved.

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Employer or Sponsor Responsibility

However, if the person being deported can't cover those expenses, the responsibility shifts. In most work-related cases, the employer or sponsor pays. UAE labor law clearly states that sponsors must pay to send home the employees they brought into the country.

The obligation falls on the person's original guarantor or the employer listed on the last residence permit in cases where an employment agreement exists. This applies to deportation situations that come from work violations or contract problems. The reasoning makes sense: since the employer sponsored someone's entry to the UAE, they should handle their exit too.

Immigration authorities can force the sponsor to pay these costs no matter what personal disagreements or claims the employer has against the employee. The sponsor's duty exists on its own, separate from whether they think the deportation is fair or whether the employee owes them money.

There's also responsibility for whoever employs a foreigner in violation of UAE laws. This includes situations where workers are hired by one employer but actually work for someone else. If you're employing someone illegally, you become liable for their deportation expenses when caught.

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What happens if deportation expenses are not paid?

Unpaid deportation expenses create real problems that can leave people stuck in legal trouble. The UAE government doesn't just cover these costs and let the deportee go. Instead, authorities detain the person until the bills are paid.

This detention goes on indefinitely in immigration facilities, with each extra day increasing the total debt. The situation feeds itself: detention costs grow while the person can't leave, building a financial burden that gets harder to resolve.

For employers who won't pay required deportation expenses, authorities take legal action. Courts freeze company bank accounts, add fines, or use other enforcement tools to collect the money. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation keeps records of sponsors who don't comply, which hurts their chances of hiring foreign workers later.

When neither the deportee nor their sponsor can pay or refuses to, and no employer can be held responsible, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICA) will cover the deportation expenses. This is the government's last resort measure to ensure deportations can proceed even when no other party is able to pay. However, this doesn't mean the debt disappears. The person still owes the money, and this unpaid obligation creates ongoing legal complications.

When the deportee truly can't pay and has no sponsor, embassies sometimes help by arranging emergency travel documents and organizing flights home for their citizens. This takes time and depends on how much the home country's diplomatic mission can help and what resources they have.

Some people try negotiating payment plans or getting help from charity organizations in the UAE. While these sometimes work, they're not guaranteed and the legal need to settle expenses before leaving stays in place.

The immigration ban that comes with most deportations is another problem that lasts. Even after finally leaving the UAE and paying everything, deportees face limits on returning to the Emirates. These can range from one year to permanent bans, depending on how serious the violation was.

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How legal advice can help with deportation expenses in the UAE

Handling deportation proceedings and the money side of things means dealing with complex legal systems that most people face for the first time while under stress. Getting professional legal help can be what separates a solved problem from one that turns into long detention and growing debts.

Experienced immigration lawyers make clear who's legally responsible for expenses in your particular situation. They can talk to employers for employees, challenge unfair deportation orders when there's reason to, and help all parties communicate to find workable solutions. Legal experts also know how to speed up processing, cut down detention time, and make sure expenses don't go beyond what the law requires.

LYLAW's team of experienced lawyers works specifically with UAE immigration and labor law issues, including deportation cases. We help clients understand their rights and what they're responsible for, represent them with immigration authorities, and work to settle deportation expense disputes efficiently. Whether you're an employer trying to handle staff deportation correctly or someone facing removal proceedings, professional legal help protects what matters to you and helps you get through this difficult process with the best result possible.