UAE civil marriage offers a legal means where couples can legalize their marriage via a court-based process, and this is not necessarily connected with their religious ceremonies. This alternative has been attracting attention by Muslims and non-Muslims (particularly expatriates) alike over the past few years as the most viable way of having a governmentally recognised marriage that is not restricted by religious dogma.
Civil marriage in the UAE needs to be made clear in terms of eligibility, religious issues, and legal process. Although the UAE law still upholds Islamic values, civil marriage is a way of alternative to some couples with references to nationality, religion, and emirate-related laws.
This article describes the UAE court marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims, legal marriage regulation in UAE, and the way civil marriage varies between Muslim and non-Muslim couples.
Is it possible to civilly marry a non-Muslim man in UAE?
According to Islamic (Sharia) laws, a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a man who does not profess to be a Muslim. The same applies to marriages carried out through religious structures and the Sharia courts in the UAE.
But this case may vary in the UAE civil marriage laws, especially in the case of the expatriates. Some emirates also have civil marriage systems in which it is not necessary to base marriage registration on Islamic law, as long as the marriage is solemnized by a civil court and meets other eligibility requirements.
In one instance, a Muslim woman might fail to be registered to get married to a non-Muslim male under the Sharia law, whereas civil marriage alternative might be an option to expatriate partners based on the emirate, nationality, and legal system at hand. This distinction shows the contrast between the marriage between Muslims and non-Muslims in the UAE where the religious and the civil laws could be disinterested in each other.
It is worth mentioning that in as far as no religious limitations are overridden by the eligibility to be civilly married, this may be evaluated individually on a case-to-case basis by the competent authority.
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Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Requirements
Abu Dhabi has also brought about a transparent civil marriage system which is mostly applicable to non-Muslim and expatriate couples. It is the civil law that rules the process and not the religious rules.
Basic eligibility criteria are:
The age of both parties should be 18 years and above.
Both people should be either single, divorced or widowed.
Mutual consent without any form of coercion.
None of the banned degrees of relationship.
Consideration of residency and nationality:
Depending on the type of application, residency in Abu Dhabi can be obligatory.
Expat couples might be required to show that they are legally present in UAE.
There might be varying requirements of documentation between the UAE nationals and expats.
An expatriate couple might need to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) at their embassy, whereas the UAE nationals can undergo some other verification procedure. The preferred type of marriage by the UAE couples that require non-religious legal marriage is the Abu Dhabi civil marriage system.
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Which Documents do we need to marry civilly in the UAE?
In order to be married in the UAE, the couples are required to present authenticated documents to the court or other authorities.
Mandatory documents normally consist of:
Copies of the Passport of both parties.
Emirates ID (if residents)
Birth certificates
Evidence of marital status (widowed, single or divorced)
Other necessities of the expats:
No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the concerned embassy or consulate (where applicable).
Special cases:
Divorce decree (in case of divorce among the applicants).
Death certificate (widowed applicants).
Depending on the country of issuance of some documents and the emirate where the marriage is registered, some documents might need to be legally translated into Arabic or attested. As an illustration, the foreign birth certificates usually require official translation and submission to court.
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UAE Civil Marriage Internationally
The civil marriage certificate issued in the UAE is usually accepted in the international context as long as it is attested and legalized accordingly. These certificates are recognized in many countries for immigration, residency, name changes, and other family-related issues.
Steps to use a UAE civil marriage certificate in a foreign state:
MOFA Attestation: Certification by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Embassy Legalization: Certification by the concerned foreign embassy or consulate within the UAE.
Legal Translation: Translating the document into the official language of the destination country, when necessary.
One should be familiar with the distinction between civil and religious marriage recognition. Most countries accept civil marriage certificates provided they are legally attested, whereas some countries specifically require or approve marriage documents obtained through religious authorities. For example, civil marriage registered in Abu Dhabi can be legalized and applied to spousal visa applications in most countries once it has been duly attested.
Cost of Civil Marriage in UAE
Civil marriage in the UAE is flexible in terms of pricing, which depends on the emirate of registration, the nationality of the pair, and the required paperwork.
Typical costs may include:
Registration fees in civil courts or registries.
Processing or application fees.
Legal translation of required documents.
Notarization or attestation fees.
Issuance of the certified marriage certificate.
The amount of fees may vary between UAE nationals and expatriates, especially regarding the administration of embassy documentation or other forms of verification. Prices also differ between emirates like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Civil Marriage in UAE Eligibility
In the UAE, eligibility to enter a civil union is determined by several legal grounds.
General eligibility requirements include:
Minimum Age: Usually 18 years and above.
Marital Status: Both parties must be legally single, divorced, or widowed.
Consent: Free and informed consent from both parties.
Relationship: No close blood relationship between the parties.
Consideration of nationality and residency:
Expatriate couples might require proper UAE residency or legal entry status.
Certain cases necessitate a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the couple’s respective embassy.
UAE citizens may follow alternative legal protocols depending on the jurisdiction.
The court or competent authority reviews the eligibility of the civil marriage application before granting approval.
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