Dubai: Can my family face legal issues if I fail to pay my children's school fees?

Question: I am an expat who has run into financial difficulties. I plan to send my family back home. I have cleared almost all my liabilities except my children's school fees. Will this affect my plans to send them back? What legal complications am I likely to face?

Answer: Pursuant to your query, it is assumed that you and your family are residents of Dubai. It is further assumed that you have sponsored the UAE residency of your wife and children.

As you are planning to send your family to your home country due to financial difficulties which you are facing in the UAE, your family may not face any problems travelling to your home country.

However, in the event of non-payment of school fees, you may not receive transfer certificates and the examination results report cards from the school(s) where your children were studying in Dubai. The school may file a civil case against you as you are the legal guardian of the children in the UAE. Therefore, you may consider approaching the school and settling the matter related to the school fees amicably.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.