The recent announcement of changes in the UAE Penal Law got me thinking. So many people are not really aware of the law in many domains that it is surely worth sharing the helpful guides on living in the UAE published by Gulf News.

In line with knowing one’s rights and responsibilities, I’ve compiled a listing of the Gulf News Guides about the UAE labor law, visa regulations, Emirates ID process, rental laws, school enrollment, mandatory health insurance scheme, parking system, establishing a bank account, the bus routes, emergency numbers and more! It’s all available in just one click: Useful UAE Resources.

If you find some important resources are missing from the compilation, drop me a line and I’ll gladly update the list.

It also seems useful to reiterate here on the JVT website the newly announced penalties for breaking the law. Failing to pay your bills as well as the use of abusive language against another person can earn you jail time as can many much more serious crimes. The news article also highlights an important positive move by the UAE justice system. Those who commit a minor office can now be sentenced to community service upon implementation of the law next month. This is good news if you happen to get on the wrong side of the law due to a small infraction. However, it’s good to be clear on what is is classified as a misdemeanor so if you haven’t done so already, do read the Gulf News article for the full story.