Pigeon Beach in Saint Lucia as seen from Fort Rodney. AFP

Mohammed Yaseen, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Commercial Court obligated a company working in the field of issuing visas to return Dhs115,630 to an Arab woman, due to not completing the procedures for obtaining the citizenship of the State of Saint Lucia.

In detail, an Arab woman filed a lawsuit before the Commercial Court in Dubai, in which she demanded that a Dubai company working in the field of issuing visas and finalizing transactions related to obtaining the citizenship of some countries return Dhs115,630, noting that she had signed an agreement with the company under which she paid the aforementioned amount in August 2023 as a first installment of The total amount to obtain Saint Lucia citizenship, estimated at Dhs268,000.

The plaintiff said that the second installment was to be paid to the company after receiving the new passport, which was agreed to be handed over in December 2023. She explained that she paid the first payment in two batches, the first was Dhs19,280 in August 2023, and the second was Dhs96,350 in October 2023, but the company did not apply to get her the citizenship as agreed upon. She added that she repeatedly contacted the company to obtain the passport or refund the amount, but the latter stalked.

The complainant submitted documents including a copy of the Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Application Guidelines form, receipts for the amounts paid, a refund application form dated December 5, 2023, and emails exchanged between her and the appellee.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Dr Alaa Nasr, said that the court said the plaintiff provided sufficient evidence to prove the appellee’s debt in the amount claimed, and confirmed that the appellee pledged to return the amount in the event that the passport was not issued. Nasr added that the appellee did not present any defences against the lawsuit, which made the plaintiff’s claim true.

Then the court obligated the appellee to return the amount she received, in addition to 5% interest from the date of each receipt until full payment.