Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of wathim.com ("the site") and the GCC government services desk operated by Wathim ("we," "us," or "our"). By using the site or engaging the desk, you ("the Client" where engaged, or "the reader" otherwise) agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully.

2. Scope of the Site and the Desk

Wathim publishes plain-English guides to GCC government services and operates a paid services desk for clients who want the paperwork handled for them. The offering includes:

• Country pages for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait
• Service pages covering visas, residency, ID, driving licences, attestation, fines, and family sponsorship
• Government portal explainers and step-by-step walkthroughs (free DIY)
• Fee references based on published amounts at the time of writing
• FAQs and blog guides written for expats living in or moving to the Gulf
• An email contact form and free guidance call
• A paid services desk that runs applications, filings, document chains, and follow-ups on the client's behalf, with fixed desk fees quoted per case

The free guides on the site are informational and do not create a paid engagement. Where a client engages the desk to handle a case, scope and pricing are confirmed in writing per case before work starts.

3. Reader and Client Responsibilities

By using the site or engaging the desk, you agree to:

• Treat the public content as general guidance, not legal advice
• Verify current rules, fees, and documents on the official portal before paying or applying yourself
• Use the contact form in good faith and not for spam, abuse, or scraping
• Provide accurate, complete, and truthful documents when engaging the desk on a paid case
• Respond to desk requests for documents or signatures in a timely manner when a case is in progress
• Comply with the terms of any government portal you visit through our links
• Take responsibility for your own application decisions and outcomes

4. Fees and Engagement

4.1 The Public Library Is Free to Read

Wathim does not charge readers for access to the public guides on this site. Reading a page does not create a contract for paid services.

4.2 Paid Desk Services

When a client engages the desk to handle a case, the scope, deliverables, and a fixed desk fee are confirmed in writing per case. Desk fees are quoted on request and are payable before work commences unless a different arrangement is agreed in writing.

4.3 Government and Third-Party Fees

Desk fees do not include government fees, typing centre charges, attestation fees, courier costs, or any other third-party charges, unless explicitly stated in the case scope. These charges are payable by the Client and are subject to change by the respective authorities without notice.

4.4 Donations and Tips

Any tip, donation, or supporter contribution is voluntary and is not consideration for any specific service or outcome.

5. Accuracy and Updates

We aim to keep guides current, but timelines, fees, and rules change at the discretion of each authority. We cannot guarantee that any page reflects the rule in force on the day you read it, and timelines you see may not match your real experience because of factors outside our control, including:

• Government portal processing times
• Typing centre and courier queues
• Exam availability and biometric appointments
• Reader responsiveness in collecting documents
• Sudden rule or fee changes by any authority

Always confirm the latest position on the official portal before relying on a guide for a real decision.

6. Limitations of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• We do not guarantee any government decision, processing time, or fee.
• We are not liable for delays, refusals, or fines that result from inaccurate or out of date information on this site.
• We are not liable for changes to portals, fees, or document lists made by any authority.
• Our total liability for any claim arising from your use of the site is limited to AED 100 or its equivalent.
• We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of income or travel costs.

7. Confidentiality and Communications

We treat reader messages and email enquiries as confidential and do not share them with third parties except as needed to operate the site and respond to you, or as required by law. Please do not send us copies of passports, IDs, or other sensitive documents unless we have specifically asked for them.

8. Intellectual Property

All content on the site, including guides, fee tables, illustrations, and the Wathim name and logo, is the property of Wathim or its licensors and is protected by intellectual property law. You may quote short extracts with attribution and a link back, but you may not republish, mirror, or repackage the guides in bulk without prior written permission.

9. Termination of Access

We may suspend or terminate your access to the site, the contact form, or any future paid feature if:

• You misuse the site, attempt to scrape it, or send abusive messages
• You violate these Terms or any applicable law
• We are required to do so by court order or regulator

Sections covering disclaimers, liability, and intellectual property survive termination of access.

10. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the site:

• The parties shall first attempt to resolve the dispute through direct communication in good faith.
• If that fails, the dispute shall be referred to mediation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

11. Amendments

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised date. Continued use of the site after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us: