Crafty expats with expired residence and work visas in the Middle East are faking debts so they face a travel ban until the matter goes before a court.
Financial rules in some countries mean expats cannot leave if they owe money.
In Bahrain, the government claims expats are duping the authorities by claiming they owe friends rent or cash.
In some cases, they are passing dud cheques, which is an offence.
The person allegedly owed the money then makes a complaint about the bad debt to the authorities.
Travel ban
The authorities than impose a travel ban, allowing the expat to stay on without a visa.
The ban is only lifted if the case is withdrawn or the debt repaid.
“We have seen dozens of cases of expats falsely claiming they are in debt when their visas have expired so they can stay on in the country,” said a spokesman for the justice ministry.
The spokesman explained the government could not deport the expat while a valid claim was pending because the law says without a judgement, they cannot leave the country.
More than 4,500 expats and Bahrainis are currently subject of travel bans.
The government is debating whether a law change is needed to allow the deportation of expats with debts.
Curb on expat numbers
“We believe if a Bahraini can’t pay, then a travel ban serves little purpose as they have no funds anyway,” said the spokesman.
“As for expats, it makes more sense to pursue them in their home country where they may have property or cash in the bank that can be seized to repay a debt.”
The government in Bahrain is also considering a curb on expat numbers – suggesting that the level should not exceed 50% of the country’s population.
According to the last census in 2010, expats made up 54% of the population.
A crackdown on illegal immigrants has seen around 100,000 expats deported in the past year.
Bahrain has a population of around 1.33 million, so a cap on expats would see a maximum of 665,000 allowed inside the borders, while the current number of expats living in the country is nearer 720,000.
