In contrast to other Middle Eastern countries, the United Arab Emirates citizens and inhabitants have the opportunity to perform legal religious or court marriage. The Sharia court accepts interfaith marriage. The UAE nationals also have the right to marry the foreign nationals or expatriates who receive the UAE residency.
Conditions of Marriage between UAE National and a Foreigner
- The UAE national must first send in an application to the local court for permission to wedding someone with a different nationality. As soon as the application is approved, other formalities can then be taken care of.
- Religious practices, particularly the conversion of the non-Muslim man or woman to Islam, must be agreed upon and completed prior to marriage.
- Both contracting parties to the court marriage have to be in full agreement to the marriage
- A foreign woman has to have the written permission of her current sponsor to marry a UAE national
- An Emirati woman who is married to a foreign national will become the permanent sponsor of her husband. The Emirati woman who will marry a foreign national must have written consent of being the permanent sponsor of the husband and any children they will have. Take note: children who are born of non-Emirati fathers but have Emirati mothers will automatically be Emirati citizens through descent regardless of their place of birth. The children can apply to receive Emirati citizenship when they reach 18-years old.
- The parties contracting to marry in UAE by the court should never be twice the age of the other party.
- Foreign man or woman must not have been former member of the military of a foreign state, and must not be on a list against foreign states to enter UAE.
- The expatriate man or woman has to have a proper family residence and a valid UAE residence permit.
- The foreign man or woman will have to submit a certificate that will demonstrate that he or she had no prior criminal record in any country, inclusive of the United Arab Emirates.
- Parties that enter into a marriage are supposed to undergo drug tests and drug tests as a way of ensuring that they are free of AIDS and any other disease.
- In case, the UAE national is the UAE Armed Forces or had been employed under the UAE Ministry/Dept. of Foreign Affairs, the employer must grant special permission before being married.
- The certification regarding marital status must be introduced and authorized by UAE Ministry/Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Ministry/Dept. of Foreign Affairs of the home country of the foreign national, and the foreign country consulate that represents the home country of the foreign national in the UAE.
- The birth certificate of the foreign national must go through the required attestation processes with various other relevant authorities in his/her home country and the UAE.
- The future husband of an Emirati girl is not supposed to be stateless.
- A Bahraini or Saudi citizen who wants to marry Emirati woman must obtain a consent of his country.
- An Ajman nationals must seek permit of Ajman Sharia Court in the event that he is marrying a foreigner who is not a GCC country.
- In case the father of the foreign national is non-Muslim, the letter of no objection should be provided by the embassy or the consulate of the bride.
- Widows or divorced women should be in a position to present their marital status e.g. death certificate of a deceased spouse or final divorce decree.
Note: the UAE government proposes that an Emirati woman should be married to an Emirati man so that the nation would not only establish but also stabilize consolidated Emirati families. The need to encourage Emiratis to marry their own Emiratis also provides the opportunity to bolster the Emirati demographic and social system.
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Are there grounds for denial of marriage between an Emirati and foreigner in the UAE?
In the case that any of the above-mentioned conditions are not satisfied, chances are that the local- authorities will refuse to grant a marriage application of a foreigner and Emirati. Further, according to medical screening certificates provided by the couple, the marriage will not be approved in case one of the performing side of a marriage has a medically transferrable disease or a blood disease, which is hereditary and can be transmitted to the children.
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Should I consult with a marriage lawyer in UAE prior to undergoing court marriage?
Many individuals will question whether it is absolutely required that one consults with a marriage attorney in UAE even before marrying one that is a foreign national or Emirati. We would advise to meet a group of Marriage lawyers in Dubai, UAE. Besides all the emotional factors of the marriage relationship, there are two grave economic effects of getting married. Family laws in the UAE may also not be similar to the family code in the home country of a foreign nation. With that said, it is in the best interest of a couple to discuss the matters with a legal team prior to putting together the requirements to marry.
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