Question: My husband and I do not have wills but as we don’t have any investments, do we really need to get one? We have two children and I was told that if I just write a letter saying who should look after them here, that will be enough. They said that if I keep a copy with me, that will be sufficient until a family member gets here. I am British. CE, Dubai
Answer: A letter regarding temporary custody is just that. It is not a substitute for a legal will specifying guardians and stating who should be the beneficiary of any assets you have.
Guardianship, where no will has been arranged, is in the hands of the courts, either in the UAE or the UK, and you have no way of knowing whether their ruling would be what you want.
While a letter of wishes for an interim guardian (the formal legal term) is important, it should be arranged as an addition to a proper legal will. Without a will, parents have no say in who would bring up their children. A will is not just about assets, it's also about the legal protection of your children.
Even if you don’t have much in the way of assets, or perhaps more importantly if you have none, parents should have life cover and that can be included in the will, so there are funds left for the benefit of the children or to cover the cost of their upbringing.
If a person doesn’t have assets now, I would hope that most people are saving for their future, so that situation will change. It is also likely that CE has more assets than she thinks, such as a pension plan and bank accounts. She maybe even has a jointly owned property in the UK.
If someone dies without a will, it makes matters even more complex for those left behind, so it is also the kind thing to arrange.
Wills should only be written by lawyers with a proper understanding of the legalities in relevant jurisdictions. While I appreciate that arranging a will is not cheap, proper advice matters when it comes to protecting the most valuable thing in your life – your children.
Q: I am planning to move to the UAE in January and am interviewing for a few roles. My fiancee plans to quit her job and move with me. Will it be possible for me to sponsor her if we are not yet married? Someone said that I could sponsor her as a maid. NG, Canada
A: The law in the UAE changed in 2020 so that co-habitation is now permitted. However, that does not mean a person can sponsor anyone other than their legal spouse or children, or parents in certain cases. It is not possible to sponsor a fiancee.
It is also not possible for him to sponsor her as a maid. A major reason is that single men are not permitted to sponsor domestic workers.
While there are fewer restrictions regarding nationalities than in the past, the worker must be from a country approved by the UAE for domestic work. Canada will not be on this list.
The other general restriction is if the sponsor and domestic worker have the same nationality, the sponsor must provide a document from their consulate or embassy verifying there is no family relationship.
NG’s fiancee will need to find employment or set up a business to obtain a visa to live in the UAE. Or if they decide to get married, he can then sponsor her as his wife.
Q: I have resigned from my job as I plan to return to my home country, but my boss said there will be a delay in paying my gratuity. I can’t leave until I get it as I need to repay money I owe to a friend. How long can they make me wait? RV, Abu Dhabi
A: The UAE labour law specifies a time limit as to when the end-of-service gratuity should be paid.
Article 53 of the law says: “The employer shall pay to the worker, within 14 days from the end date of the contract term, his wages and all his other entitlements stipulated herein and resolutions issued for its implementation, the contract or the establishment’s by-laws.”
This makes it clear that the employer should not delay making the payments due and, if they fail to pay RV by the deadline, he can register a case again them with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
A complaint can be made as soon as the 14-day deadline is missed, although I recommend chasing the employer first and reminding them of the law rather than having to go down the route of a formal complaint.
Contact Keren Bobker at keren@holbornassets.com or at www.financialuae.com. The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
Honeymoonish
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'Nope'
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Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
More from Armen Sarkissian
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Results:
Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
