All you need to know…

As of February 1, 2023, there have been some big changes in the UAE law pertaining to marriage, divorce and child custody. For non-Muslims, the law now allows couples to get married in a civil ceremony and in a recent update, Dubai residents can now get a marriage licence between 24 to 48 hours.

Previously, non-Muslim couples could get married in a religious ceremony or at their embassy or consulate but now, the new law will allow the couple to get married as a civil contract without a religious ceremony.

Here are the requirements. 

Both individuals must be non-Muslim, must be above the age of 21 and have a place of residence in Dubai (a valid Dubai residency permit required). They must be able to prove they are single (an attested marital status certificate from the embassy of their country of origin must be obtained) and be personally present or have someone acting on their behalf.

The couples will also need to have all their electronic documents in place which need to be translated to Arabic by an approved entity by the UAE Ministry of Justice. These documents will also need to be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the United Arab Emirates. They will also require their original IDs (original passport and Emirates ID).

Once all the documents are in place, the couple will need to visit one of the Dubai Courts Customer Service Centres to submit their application. A service fee will need to be paid before the application goes in for approval.

A notary public or judge approves the marriage application and issues a digital certificate which could take between 24 to 48 hours. Once the approval is received, the couple can then sign the marriage contract at the court to complete the procedure.

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