Is there a personal insolvency or bankruptcy law for individuals in the UAE?

Yes. The UAE has a dedicated legal framework for the insolvency of individuals (natural persons who are not traders), separate from the bankruptcy regime that applies to companies and businesses. It is designed to give a debtor who can no longer meet their obligations a structured, court-supervised path — either to reorganise and repay debts over time under an approved plan, or, where reorganisation is not viable, to manage liquidation of available assets in an orderly way. The aim is to protect both the debtor from disorderly enforcement and creditors from loss, and to provide a lawful alternative to ad-hoc collection. The process is overseen by the courts, and a debtor typically applies when they have stopped paying due debts. Because eligibility, the documents required, and the consequences are significant, this is not a step to take without advice. A lawyer can assess whether you qualify and what plan is realistic. You can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI. See the UAE Government portal on insolvency for the framework.