How to help expat family abroad

[Anonymous]

Has your father been filing for unemployment insurance? Can he show proof of this?

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/2021/01/20/eviction-moratoriums-and-covid-19/

Have them sign and submit this to their landlord ASAP in the meantime:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, which state are you in? THere are rental relief programs for people who lost income during COVID and there is also a CDC Eviction Moratorium that they can submit to help buy some time.

Are you in MD/VA/DC?

The family facing eviction is in the Gulf - Dubai, UAE, etc.

Oh, my apologies for misinterpreting. The programs I am speaking of are stateside. I'm sorry, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do they owe $65k?! People with mortgages get foreclosed on way before it gets to that amount.

Rent for a 3 bedroom apartment is very expensive in the Gulf. They couldn't make payments for my sister's school AND rent and it has added up.

Then your sister should have postponed school, and they should have downsized to a 1 bedroom. Your family members need to get jobs. Even if it's retail, or bartenders or waitresses or taxi driver, or nanny. They need to let go of the ego surrounding their education, and GET JOBS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are your sisters? Are they working?

You need to relocate them back to India. COL is much lower there, $10k there will go a very long way. Do they own any property there?

Really? You want them to move to Covid Central at this time?

Yes. If they are in the Gulf they can get vaccinated there.

If no one is going to work then tgey are much better off in India, where $1,000 a month from OP would be plenty to keep them going.

[Anonymous]

Can your mother start up a home daycare? Can she sew? Your sisters can nanny, get retail or restaurant jobs. Paula Deen started out by making sandwiches and selling them to office workers. They need to think of what they each can do, however small because it does add up.

How much do they need to pay off the landlord — is that $65K or is that how much they owe with other debts all together?

[Anonymous]

I think in most gulf countries, your dad will not be able to leave the country with that level of debt. They take being in debt pretty serious there and your dad is at risk of being jailed. Your family sounds like they are in denial about their situation. If it’s the UAE, check out “Detained in Dubai.” It’s a London-based non-profit to help expats navigate the UAE legal system. Are they involved with a church or temple? If so, they might have support for people in bad situations.

Can you get a 2nd job to help send them more money? Presumably you benefited by getting educated from your family’s investment. They all need to be hustling to find a job there.

[Anonymous]

You need to find out if ghere is already a note that will stop them from leaving. If not, get them a flight to Mumbai tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to find out if ghere is already a note that will stop them from leaving. If not, get them a flight to Mumbai tomorrow.

And just to be clear, eviction is the least of their worries. Your priority needs to be keeping them out of jail.

[Anonymous]

How in the world did they let it grow so high? They have to help themselves and then you join them with your $500-$1000. They are 5 adults who all can work to pay back the money and keep themselves out of jail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to find out if ghere is already a note that will stop them from leaving. If not, get them a flight to Mumbai tomorrow.

And just to be clear, eviction is the least of their worries. Your priority needs to be keeping them out of jail.

+1. I've lived in a Gulf country. The eviction is the least of your worries. Whomever from your family is in the country is not going anywhere until that debt is paid. it's likely your father has surrendered his passport to his sponsor there (a common practice), and even if he was able to get that back, getting an exit visa will be impossible with an outstanding debt like that. As an American living there, it was my company's practice to make sure every single debt like speeding tickets or accident damage was settled rapidly so no one would ever get held up trying to leave.

[Anonymous]

They need to leave before landlord files for eviction.

I don’t see what this has to do with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: They need to leave before landlord files for eviction.

I don’t see what this has to do with you.

+ 1. They should just leave the country asap and fly back to India (assuming they all have their passports). Gulf countries are pretty much dictatorships with a pretty facade. They treat all foreigners (other than westerners) like shit even if you are a Muslim.

[Anonymous]

Jesus, is it Dubai?

https://www.detainedindubai.org/post/the-truth-about-leaving-a-debt-behind-in-dubai

The apartment allowed your father and his faamily to get in such debt because they know they can jail him and force the rest of the family to pay the ransom to get him out.