The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an increasingly popular destination for weddings, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Following recent changes in Emirati laws enabling non-Muslims to marry in the UAE under the laws of their home country, this popularity is only expected to grow. Getting married abroad in any country can appear to be complicated, often requiring lots of paperwork, legal procedures and concerns about the validity of your marriage when you return home. In this article, we explore the processes and requirements for non-Muslim tourists and expats getting married in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, helping to make your wedding preparations as straightforward as possible.
Non-Muslim Marriage in the UAE at a Glance
In 2023, the Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 came into effect, which regulates the family affairs of non-Muslim residents of the United Arab Emirates. As a consequence of this law, non-Muslims who are residents in (but not citizens of) the UAE may follow the laws of their home country in family matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and child custody. The emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi apply this law in slightly different ways, so it is important to understand the differences if you are planning to get married in the UAE.
Below is a brief overview of the requirements in the two emirates:
| Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
| Both parties must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age for 24-hour civil marriage) | Both parties must be at least 18 years of age |
| At least one party must be a resident of Dubai | Neither party may be a UAE national (can be a resident, but not required) |
| Both parties must present original, valid ID to confirm their identity | The marriage must be heterosexual (between a man and a woman) |
| A pre-marital screening certificate is required | Do not need a pre-marital screening test |
| The wife needs to obtain permission to marry from her father or the next closest male relative if her father is deceased | Do not need the permission of the wife’s father or guardian |
| Both parties must be non-Muslims | |
| Both parties must consent to the marriage | |
| Both parties must provide evidence of being single / not being married to anyone else | |
| The parties must not be related to each other by first or second degree | |
Civil Marriage in Dubai
In 2022, the emirate of Dubai launched a civil marriage service, allowing couples to obtain a civil wedding licence in as little as 24 hours. In order to be eligible for a civil marriage in Dubai, the parties must meet several criteria:
- Both parties must be non-Muslims
- At least one of the parties must be a resident of Dubai
- Both parties must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age for 24-hour civil marriage)
- The couple or their legally authorised representatives must appear in person
- Both parties must present original, valid IDs to confirm their identity
- Both parties must provide evidence of being single
- The couple must provide a pre-marital screening certificate from the public healthcare facilities in the UAE. This is intended to prevent the spread of communicable diseases
If you meet these requirements, you will be eligible for a civil marriage in Dubai and will be permitted to follow the laws of your home country rather than Sharia/Emirati law.
Any documents that you present to Dubai authorities must either be in the Arabic language or be accompanied by a certified translation into Arabic that has been stamped by the Ministry of Justice in the UAE. Documents issued in a country other than the UAE must also be duly certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the original country, the UAE embassy in that country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE. At Business Language Services, we have been providing reliable, certified translations into Arabic for over 30 years.
Getting Married at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court
For expats and non-UAE citizens, Abu Dhabi might be a more attractive option than Dubai, as its Civil Family Court can facilitate marriages between any couple, no matter their citizenship or residency status. If you wish to get married at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, you must meet the following criteria:
- neither party may be a UAE national (can be resident in the UAE, but cannot be a citizen)
- neither party may be a Muslim
- both parties must consent to marriage
- both parties must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the marriage
- the parties must not be related to each other by first or second degree
- the parties must not be married to anybody else
- the marriage must be heterosexual
If you meet these criteria, you will also need the following documents. If any are not in Arabic, you will need a certified translation into Arabic.
- a completed and signed marriage application form
- a copy of both parties’ passports or Emirates IDs (if either party is a UAE resident)
- if either party was previously married, proof that this marriage is now dissolved (e.g. divorce Decree Absolute/Final Order or previous spouse’s death certificate)
- pre-nuptial agreement (optional)
Any documents that you present to Abu Dhabi authorities must either be in the Arabic language or be accompanied by a certified translation into Arabic that has been stamped by the Ministry of Justice in the UAE. Documents issued in a country other than the UAE must also be duly certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the original country, the UAE embassy in that country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE. At Business Language Services, we have been providing reliable, certified translations into Arabic for over 30 years.
Once you have all the necessary documentation, you will have a choice of either the Regular Service or the Express Service.
The Regular Service costs AED 300 (approx. £60) and the application usually takes around 10 working days. Once the application is approved, the couple will be allocated a date for their marriage ceremony based on the court’s availability.
The Express Service, by contrast, costs AED 2,500 (approx. £500) and the application will be processed within one working day. The couple can then select a date and time of their choosing for their marriage ceremony, within the court’s opening times.
Islamic Weddings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Civil marriages in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are intended to be secular, so are available to couples of any religion besides Islam. If either or both parties is Muslim, your marriage will be governed by Islamic (Sharia) law, so the requirements of UAE Sharia law will apply, namely:
- Either both parties must be Muslims, or the groom must be a Muslim and the bride from Ahl al-Kitāb (أهل الكتاب, ‘People of the Book’), i.e. a Jew, Christian, Sabian or Zoroastrian
- Both parties must be at least 18 Hijri years old, or have the approval of a judge in a UAE Sharia court
- Neither party may be twice as old as the other, unless you have a judge’s approval
- You must have a pre-marital screening certificate
- Both parties must attend the marriage ceremony in person
- The bride must be accompanied by her father, or his representative, and two male Muslim witnesses
- The bride needs to have the consent of her father, or the next closest male guardian if her father is deceased
- If the bride is Muslim but her father is not, she must obtain a ‘No Objection’ letter from her embassy or consulate
- If the bride is divorced or widowed, she must provide evidence such as the divorce certificate or her former spouse’s death certificate
- An advance dowry must be brought, not exceeding AED 20,000 (approx. £4,000), as well as a deferred dowry not exceeding AED 30,000 (approx. £6,000)
Please note that if either spouse is a citizen of another Islamic country besides the UAE, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Yemen, there may be additional requirements.
International Recognition of Your Marriage
Once you have got married in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, it is important to ensure that your marriage is legally recognised and registered when you return to your home country. To do this, you will need a certified translation of your Emirati marriage certificate – which will be in Arabic – into the language of your home country. This translation might also need to be legalised, depending on the country and authority to which you are submitting it.
Business Language Services has over 30 years of experience providing translations to and from Arabic and can provide all types of certification – certified, notarised, legalised/apostilled and sworn. To find out more about how we can help you with translations of your wedding documentation before or after your marriage in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, get in touch.
