Major visa fraud racket busted in Dubai, 21 convicted

The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured convictions and fines totalling over AED 25 million against 21 individuals involved in a major visa fraud case.

The defendants, of various nationalities, were found guilty of illegally exploiting residence visas by operating fake companies, which they closed abruptly without regularizing the status of recruited workers.

Dr. Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, said the case began after the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai flagged suspicious companies.

Investigations revealed these companies had no real offices and were set up solely to obtain residency visas unlawfully.

The prosecution’s investigation covered 33 commercial establishments, uncovering misuse of 385 residency visas. Most of the fake companies secured licences using fictitious addresses, deliberately bypassing residency and labour laws for illegal profit.

Dr. Bin Khatem emphasized the prosecution’s commitment to working with authorities to uphold residency and labour regulations.

The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured from the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court a conviction and a fine totalling AED25.210 million against 21 defendants of various nationalities involved in visa fraud. The individuals were found guilty in one of the… pic.twitter.com/9eR35o3Wx7

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 24, 2025