Unified Freehold Law Being Considered by the FNC Will Kill Promised Visas
Seems like the death-knell for the property market in the UAE. Freehold without a Visa is meaningless. Given property law in the UAE, there basically are no property ownership rights for anyone purchasing in the UAE.
Draft legislation is under way that aims to protect the UAE by restricting expatriates from automatically acquiring residency visas through freehold property ownership, according to a Federal National Council (FNC) member.
The council will shortly submit a draft law on freehold property to the government which will unify the divergent laws relating to the sector in the seven emirates.
Dr Abdul Rahim Shaheen, council member, speaking to Khaleej Times, said the council was moving to enact the proposed legislation as soon as possible.
“The Council’s interim committee is studying the impacts of the Ministry of Labour’s decisions and rules on expatriate workforce in view that the seven emirates handle the freehold property under different rules, which led to chaos in the sector.”
“Therefore, it called for the government to issue a federal law unifying rules on dealing with foreigners regarding the freehold of properties, and pinpoints strict punishments against whoever exploits the ownership in jeopardising public interest,” he said.
He said the issue endangered national interest and the identity of the UAE as Emiratis were increasingly outnumbered by expatriates, and that some residents had begun demanding rights.
“The statute was badly needed and expeditiously, for some voices belonging to countries of expatriates living and working in the country had begun to talk of granting rights, which are not stipulated in the constitution.”
Expatriates are not entitled to a 25-year residency through property ownership, a senior official at the Ministry of Interior has clarified.
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Tags: Abdul Rahim, Chaos, Council Member, Death Knell, Draft Law, Draft Legislation, Emirates, Expatriates, Fnc, Foreigners, Interim Committee, Khaleej Times, Ministry Of Interior, Ministry Of Labour, National Interest, Property Ownership, Public Interest, Punishments, Shaheen, Uae Visa, Workforce
