Marriage in UAE

Under the Sharia Law applicable in the UAE, marriage is the only legal bond for a man and a woman to establish a relationship and have children. It is prohibited for an unmarried man and woman to live together or share a closed space. As per Article 365 of the UAE Penal Code, the punishment can include a jail term followed by deportation.

Marriage in Islam is a legal contract between a man and a woman, aimed at safeguarding the rights of the couple and their children. The marriage contract should be registered in a Sharia court in the UAE, which ensures that the marriage meets legal requirements. For non-Islamic marriages, couples should contact their church or embassy and follow the marriage laws applicable there.

To get married at Dubai Courts through an Islamic (Sharia) marriage, the following conditions should be fulfilled:

1. Before you visit Dubai Courts, you need to register electronically through the Court’s website. Once you fill up the electronic form and submit, you will receive a reference number in your email which you should carry along with you on your visit to Dubai Courts.

1. Before you visit Dubai Courts, you need to register electronicallythrough the Court’s website. Once you fill up the electronic form and submit, you will receive a reference number in your email which you should carry along with you on your visit to Dubai Courts.
2. At least one party to the marriage contract (husband, wife or wife’s guardian) should have employment or residence visa in Dubai. Spouses should bring their national ID and passports for proof of their identity and visa status.
3.  A spouse’s age should not exceed double of their partner. If either spouse is less than 18 years of age, approval of the Chief Justice of Personal Status Court should be obtained.
4. The couple should furnish a pre-marital medical certificate issued from a Dubai government hospital/government clinic to rule out diseases such as thalassemia or HIV/AIDS.
5. Both spouses should present themselves, along with the bride’s father and two Muslim male witnesses. In case, the bride’s father is no longer alive, relevant death certificate to be shown and presence of closest male guardian is required (example adult son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew). If bride’s father is alive but unable to come in person, he can delegate a proxy guardian, who must be of the same religion as that of the bride’s father, to complete marriage procedures through an officially certified power of attorney.  
6. The fee for the marriage contract at Dubai Courts varies from AED 60 to AED 500 depending on the procedures. The authorized marriage officers at Dubai Courts will advise you on this.  

In addition to the conditions given above, there are other special conditions for newly converted Muslims, divorcees, widows, widowers and for marriage of UAE female with expatriates.

Newly converted female Muslims should submit ‘certificate of embracing Islam’ and certificates from any Islamic centre approved by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf). Divorcees should submit official certificate / divorce judgement. Widows and Widowers should submit death certificate of their late spouse. All certificates not issued in the UAE should be legally translated into Arabic. Power of attorney and other certificates issued from a country outside the UAE should be legally translated and ratified by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that country, UAE Embassy of that country, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UAE Ministry of Justice.

Dubai Courts has more than 20 authorized marriage officers (Mazoons) to perform marriage ceremonies, draw up the marriage contract and check all documentation. At the end of the marriage procedure, you can use the decorated wedding room at Dubai Courts to take a few photographs to document your special day before you proceed to your wedding party.

Marriage in Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Judiciary Departmen (ADJD) overseas marriages in the emirate of Abu Dhabi (which includes the city of Al Ain).

• [Check, inconsistent information given] However they say that any two residents of the UAE can get married at one of their offices, irrespective of nationality and religion. Presumably if two Jewish Israelis somehow ended up there, that statement might not apply, but since the document requirements include a UAE residence visa, that situation is not going to happen under normal circumstances. It would be advisable not to state "Atheist", "Agnostic", or "Jewish" as a religion (but again, if you already have a UAE residence visa, then you'll have figured that out by now). Two versions of ADJD statement seen but not found on ADJD website:
  1. [Source unknown, says under Sharia Law] Residents of the UAE, regardless of their religions, nationalities or backgrounds, may get married under Sharia Law at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) ...
  2. [Source Abu Dhabi egovernment portal, Sharia Law omitted] Residents of the UAE, regardless of their religions, nationalities or backgrounds, may get married at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) ...
• Documents required include (allow several weeks at least - some embassies or consulates especially have long waiting periods before you can check in to get relevant documents attested):
  • Status certificate (marriage status certificate, no impediment certificate, or similar names) for each party stating if they are single, married (males can have up to 4 wives if they are Muslim), divorced, widowed. Must be certified and attested by embassy or consulate of applicant nationality, and UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Or if done outside the UAE, must be attested by relevant ministry for marriages (not church) in that country and then nearest UAE embassy or consulate.
  • Passport
  • UAE residence visa
  • Emirates ID
  • Medical fitness test for marriage
  • No Objection Certificate (NOC) from sponsor for females on servant visa (maids, nannies, etc). Not clear if same applies to males (gardeners, drivers, etc) - was not mentioned by ADJD.
• Two witnesses are required. Assume witnesses must be Muslim if one of the parties is Muslim. For other religions check if witnesses must be Muslim (ADJD information given to us didn't say).
• For the bride, permission from the father or closest male relative or guardian. In some cases the ADJD will provide that permissions, presumably when no male relative or guardian is available.
• The bride must be older than 18 years, and the groom must not be more than twice the bride's age.

[Below sections check for updates]

Mandatory pre-marital medical tests (update 05 Jun 2012)

• KT report quoted Dr Farida Al Hosani, manager of Communicable Disease at the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) as saying pre-marital medical screening and counselling is "mandatory for all residents and nationals planning to get married" (in the UAE, but it wasn't clear from the report if Dr Farida meant Abu Dhabi only, or all emirates in the UAE).
• The medical test screens for common infectious diseases and genetic disorders, but a complete list was not supplied. Tests include obesity, diabetes, beta thalassemia carriers, sickle cell? The medical certificate is valid for 3 months and obtained at a government medical center in Abu Dhabi or other emirate.
• The HAAD pre-marital screening program started in April 2011.

Pre-marriage certificates from government hospitals only (29 Dec 2007)

From 19 November 2005, anyone getting married in the UAE (expats and nationals) needed a medical fitness certificate to prove they were free of infectious diseases, which could be issued at private and government hospitals and medical clinics. From the end of January 2008, you'll have to do this test at Ministry of Health affiliated government hospitals and medical clinics (ref: Khaleej Times 29 Dec 2007.

Compulsory blood tests (25 Sep 2007)

Emirates Today newspaper reported that both Emiratis and expats must have a blood test before getting married in Dubai as of 09 September 2007. The Dubai Health Authority says screenings will be introduced in other emirates also. The blood test costs AED 260 for expats, nothing for UAE nationals with a health card. Results take a week and are apparently kept confidential and not included in the certificate issued by the Dubai Health Authority for use in court (where a marriage has to be registered). The blood test screens for Aids, sexually-transmitted diseases, and hereditary diseases such as thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia (common genetic disorders in the UAE). Only an HIV-positive result can be used to stop a marriage, but health officials will outline the risks of the other conditions.

[Old, needs update] Documents required for getting married in the UAE

There might be some variation depending on emirate.

• Pre-marital medical clearance certificate - see list of government medical centers in Dubai or medical centers in UAE (for other emirates).
• Passport copies for both people
• Emirates ID card
• Resident visa for expariates (not clear if one or both partners need a residence visa, but as far as we know, at least one does)
• Thiqa insurance card for UAE nationals
• Passport photos
• Various other documents depending on nationality - check with your embassy or consulate in the UAE.

Christian Weddings

Do something like this (it will vary depending on nationality).

• Go to your embassy and find out what the procedure is. You'll need to bring passports and sign an affidavit to say you're not already married and there is no hindrance to getting married or something similar, you may need to bring witnesses. It may be possible to get married at your embassy, otherwise you'll have to go to a church.
• If you're both of different nationalities, you'll need to contact both your respective embassies to find out what the best or correct procedure is.
• UK citizens need to post wedding banns. This will cost several hundred dhs and you'll have to wait 3 weeks or so before you can collect the banns and go to a church to get married.
• US citizens need to get married by a pastor (phone one of the churches to make this arrangement).
• Indian citizens can apparently get married at their embassy in Abu Dhabi.
• If you make a date with one of the Christian churches to get married, expect to pay fees of about 1000 dhs plus additional costs for flowers, photography, dress, suit, cake, air fares for friends and families, and all the usual accoutrements.
• If you were married in an English speaking church, you will receive a marriage certificate in English. This needs to be translated into Arabic by a court approved translator for your marriage to be valid in the UAE. Fees should be less than 100 dhs.
• You then need to submit both documents to the Notary Public Office at the Dubai Courts for certification (another 100 dhs fee). You may need to have UAE residence visas to be able to do this.
• Then you need to go to the Ministry of Justice to get the certification authenticated.
• Then you need to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get the MoJ authentication authenticated.
• Then you need to go back to your embassy to get the MoFA authentication authenticated so that your marriage certificate is authenticated for validity in your home country. If you are of different nationalities, you'll have to go to both your respective embassies.

St Mary's Church in Bur Dubai has priests available to talk to from 8am-12pm and 4-6pm every day except Fridays and Sundays about procedures. But phone to double check on holidays or during Lent.

Islamic Marriages

• You both need valid UAE residence visas (if you're not UAE citizens).
• Go to the Marriage Section of the Dubai Court with
  • The bride's father or guardian or his attorney.
  • Two male Muslim witnesses.
  • Passports and copies and identification papers for the guardian and witnesses.
  • Proof of divorce or death of husband for the bride if applicable.
  • If the bride is Muslim and her father is not, she needs a no objection letter from her embassy (or consulate) in Arabic (or translated into Arabic and attested by the Ministry of Justice) and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • 100 dhs for fees (take some more just in case).
• You'll receive a UAE marriage license.
• To authenticate it for validity in your home country, take it to the Ministry of Justice, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then your embassy (or consulate) for authentication at each stop. Bring a few hundred dhs for processing fees.

Mixed religion weddings

• If the bridegroom is Muslim and bride is not, contact the Marriage Section of the Dubai court. You may be able to get married there. See the procedure for Islamic marriages above.
• If the bride is Muslim and the bridegroom is not, you cannot get married in Dubai until the bridegroom becomes Muslim. Then see the above section about Islamic marriages.
• For religions other than Islam or Christian, contact your respective embassies to find out what the best procedure is.
• Christian churches will usually only marry a couple if both are Christian.

Contact details

• Al-Diwan (Legal Translation Division), Office 209, Modern Pharmacy Building, Nassar Square, Al Maktoum Street, Deira. Tel +971-4-2232189.
• Arabian Translation Center, PO Box 6549, Sharjah. Tel +971-6-5615552.
• British Embassy, Dubai. Tel +971-4-3094444.
• Christ Church (Anglican), Jebel Ali. Tel +971-4-8845436.
• Consulate General of India, Dubai. Tel +971-4-3971222 or +971-4-3971333.
• Dana Translation, PO Box 7992, Dubai. Tel +971-4-3935702.
• Diamond Legal Translation, Office 07, Block C, Golden Fork Restaurant Building, Rigga Road, Dubai. Tel +971-4-2273133.
• Dubai Courts Marriage Section. Tel +971-4-3347777.
• Eman Translation Services, Modern Pharmacy Building, Office 104, Nasser Square, Al Maktoum Street, Deira. Tel +971-4-2247066.
• Embassy Of India, Abu Dhabi. Tel +971-2-4492700.
• Emirates Baptist Church International (Southern Baptist). Tel +971-4-3491596.
• Holy Trinity Church, Oud Metha Road, Dubai. Tel +971-4-3370247.
• Ministry of Justice, near Garhood Bridge. Tel +971-4-2825999.
• St Mary's Church (Catholic), Oud Metha Road, Dubai. Tel +971-4-3370087.
• St Francis of Assisi Church (Catholic), Jebel Ali. Tel +971-4-8845251.
• United Christian Church of Dubai (Interdenominational). Tel +971-4-8846623, email info@uccdubai.com, website www.uccdubai.com.