Last updated: May 2026
Most immigration and labour law websites are written for people who already know the system. Visa Advice Hub was built for everyone else.
We started this site because of a pattern we kept seeing in expat communities across the UAE and the Gulf: workers who did not know they were owed gratuity. OFWs who paid AED 200 in bank fees every month when they could have paid AED 15. Employees who accepted non-payment of salary because they did not know the complaint was free and took 15 minutes to file.
The information exists — in government websites, legal decrees, and official portals. But it is buried in legal language, scattered across multiple sources, and almost never explained in plain English for the people who need it most.
That is what we do here.
What Visa Advice Hub Covers
We write guides for immigrants, expats, and migrant workers — practical information that affects daily life and financial security:
- Worker rights — UAE labour law, salary disputes, end of service gratuity, termination rights, MOHRE complaints
- Visa and residency — visa cancellation, grace periods, overstay fines, work permits, residency requirements
- Immigration finance — international money transfers, remittance comparisons, bank accounts, fees and exchange rates
- Life abroad — banking, insurance, healthcare, and practical expat resources for workers in the Gulf
Our primary focus is the UAE and GCC region. Our readers include migrant workers from the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and dozens of other countries.
Why We Write in Plain English
Most of our readers are navigating a legal and financial system in their second or third language. We do not assume background knowledge. We explain the process, not just the conclusion.
If a worker needs to act on our information today — file a complaint, pay a fine, leave the country, claim a salary — the guide needs to be clear enough to use. That is our standard.
How We Research and Write
Official sources first. Every article starts with primary sources: UAE federal legislation (via u.ae), MOHRE official communications, ICP/GDRFA portals, and government agency official pages. We cite the specific law, decree number, and article where applicable. If we cannot cite it, we do not publish it as fact.
Real numbers, not estimates. Fees, fines, processing times, and contact information are verified against official sources or service providers’ own published rates. Where numbers change frequently (exchange rates, for example), we explain how to verify the current figure rather than printing a static number that could be outdated within weeks.
Community-verified questions. The questions in our FAQ sections come from real discussions in OFW, Indian expat, and GCC migrant worker communities. We research what people are actually asking — not what we assume they want to know.
We say what we do not know. No article on this site will tell you “everything will be fine” or give a confident answer where the answer genuinely depends on individual circumstances. When something is uncertain, we say so.
Our Editorial Standards
We are not lawyers, immigration consultants, or financial advisors. We say this clearly in every article that covers legal or financial topics. Visa Advice Hub is a research and information resource — not a substitute for professional legal or financial advice.
What we commit to:
- Every legal claim is sourced to the specific law or regulation it comes from
- Contact information (hotlines, portal URLs, addresses) is verified before publication
- Every guide displays a “Last updated” date — we revise when laws or fees change
- We do not publish information we cannot verify, even if it is widely repeated elsewhere
- AI-assisted drafting tools may be used in production — all published content is reviewed against our sourcing and accuracy standards before going live
Full details of our publishing standards are available on our Editorial Policy page.
Advertising and Affiliate Links
Visa Advice Hub displays advertisements through Google AdSense. Some articles also contain affiliate links — primarily to money transfer services. If you use one of our links to sign up or make a transaction, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
This never affects which services we cover, how we present them, or what we recommend. We cover the disadvantages and limitations of every service we mention, including services we earn from.
Full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Updates and Corrections
UAE labour law changed significantly in February 2022 when Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 came into full effect. Laws, fees, and procedures continue to change. We update articles when we become aware of changes.
If you find information on this site that is outdated or incorrect, please contact us. We take corrections seriously and update articles when a report is verified.
Contact
For questions, corrections, or topic suggestions: contact page. We read every message.