Sharia Law makes it difficult for couples that belong to different nationalities to get married. This law allows a Muslim man to marry a non-Muslim woman, but an Islamic woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man unless proof of his conversion to Islam has been provided.

In this article; we shed lights on the challenges and difficulties of marrying under Sharia and recommend suggestions to our expat couples.

Is it Difficult to Marry under Sharia Law in Dubai with these Requirements? 

The following requirements need to be met before a Muslim and non-Muslim can be paired up under Sharia law:

• UAE Sharia courts must register marriage contracts.
• As per Sharia law, a Muslim man can marry a non-muslim woman but is not acceptable to a Muslim woman.
• Online registration of a couple is required through the Dubai court website. The issued reference number at the time of registration must be brought to the court. 
• One partner should be a resident of the UAE for the contract. The parties must have their Emirates id and passports for their identity verification.
• Both partners’ ages must not be below 18 years.
• Required premarital certifications must clearly demonstrate that they do not have serious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, thalassemia, etc. 
• The bride’s father along with two male Muslim witnesses are required.
• If the father is deceased, the next closest male guardian must be there.
• If the women are divorced or widowed, they need to submit the status of proof.
• If the bride’s father is Non-muslim and the bride is a Muslim, she must have a ‘No Objection’ letter from her embassy or consulate.
• All the documents must be endorsed by the relevant embassies before presenting to the Court.

Final thoughts on Choosing Abu Dhabi for marriage VS Marry under Sharia Law in Dubai:

Although Dubai is a city of extravagant places where many tourists, both Muslim and non-Muslim expats, love to travel there. But still, getting married there under Sharia law is a bit more complicated and lengthy. So, most expats of different ethnicities choose Abu Dhabi as a top choice due to the fact that immigrants of different faiths are permitted to marry under certain circumstances.

Or the next best option for mixed couples if to opt for destinations such as Georgia, Seychelles that offer the best paperwork and ceremonial weddings. The same can then be attested in the UAE & other GCC countries.

Let us help you organize a stress-free wedding and choose an easy-going destination place for you!

Weddings in Dubai are famous across the globe for their grandeur and extravagant celebrations. The new laws have made it rather for expat couples wanting to get married here. If couples are of the same nationality and religion; there’s isn’t much fuss about getting married in Dubai. Although that’s not always the case.

Dubai is a melting pot of people from different nationalities and hence falling in love with someone who belongs to a different background is quite normal. In this article; we share the requirements of a hassle-free civil marriage in Dubai

Legal Document requirements in Dubai for civil marriage:

According to UAE law, marriage is a binding legal agreement between a man and a woman that safeguards the rights of the couple and their offspring.

General prerequisites for marriage

• Acceptance by the bride
• In Dubai, at least one of the parties to the marriage contract—the husband, the wife, or the wife’s guardian—must possess a UAE residency visa. In some emirates, the bride and the groom both need to be UAE citizens.
• A certificate for the couple’s premarital screening that was positive, must be issued by the relevant UAE public healthcare facilities.
• In order to stop the spread of contagious diseases like AIDS, the UAE has made pre-marital screening mandatory for all couples wanting to marry.

New laws of a civil marriage in UAE

Unlike Dubai, Abu Dhabi is more welcoming of marrying people from different nationality. Moreover; the new marriage laws allows non-Muslims to marry in the non-Muslim court. Which explains why many GCC expat couples are flying down from other GCC countries to marry in Abu Dhabi.

In conclusion to having a civil marriage in Dubai

If you and your partner belong to the same nationality and religion; you can always opt for a hassle free wedding at your required embassies. However; if you belong to different nationalities you are likely to face a bit of challenges.

In such instances your best bet would be destinations such as Abu Dhabi or even Georgia & Seychelles. There is no hard and fast rule of which is the destination would be ideal unless we review your wedding situation.

Keen to know more if you eligible for a civil marriage in Dubai; feel free to speak to our team of legal wedding experts.

Dubai compares with wedding destinations like Venice, Italy, New York, and London in their degree of luxury and popularity. Little wonder then that many people want to have their 2022 wedding in Dubai.

Couples have different reasons for choosing Dubai as a wedding destination even though it might be expensive. In the course of this article, we will learn what these reasons are. We will also consider what they can do to cut down on the costs.

What does a wedding in the UAE entail?

To host a 2022 wedding in Dubai or any other emirate in the UAE, there are basic expenses that the couple has to cover. Some of them are:

• Music: Fun-loving couples often wish to have a wedding that has exciting music. Entertainment is non-negotiable.
• Transportation: Couples who live in the emirate often need to arrange transportation fares for friends and family from other parts of the world.
• Venue: Couples who want natural settings might go for sea-centered facilities, mountains, or waterfalls. All of these can be quite pricey.

Any couple that wants to marry in Dubai must build their financial strength because expenses can be quite high. However, many people still love this destination.

Why couples choose a 2022 wedding in Dubai

Many couples have varied reasons for choosing Dubai as a preferred wedding destination. For some of them, the central location of the country is a good reason. This feature makes it easy for friends and relatives from different parts of the world to easily reach the country. Note what a bride has to say:

 “We have family scattered all over the world. Dubai was the one place where everyone could come together with minimal paperwork and issues. Also, I moved to Dubai 5 years ago. This is the place we call home, so the city is special to us as well.”

Sadaf Mayet Khaleej Times

For some others, the fact that they have lived in Dubai all their lives is enough reason to marry there. Their work colleagues, friends, and family also live in the emirate so it is easier to bring loved ones together. The sentiments of a bride’s father are expressed below:

“Both the groom’s family and my family have been long-term residents here,” he said. “My children grew up in Dubai and this is home for them. Moreover, the bride and groom both work here. A local wedding meant they didn’t have to take extended time off work. Some of our relatives flew in from Kuwait and India. From the boy’s side, a lot of family members flew in from Bahrain. It was a very convenient location for everyone.”

Noushad Ahmed Khaleej Times

What can couples do if they have a limited budget?

For some couples who have a limited budget, it is not totally impossible to marry in Dubai. Such couples can save on expenses by opting for weekday weddings which are not as expensive as weekend weddings.

Couples can also make a little research to find out the low and high seasons for their weddings. The low seasons do not have a lot of rush, so the pressure on them will not be so much.

If you are interested in the idea of a Dubai wedding, book a consultation with our team of wedding experts. They will help you to plan an excellent wedding.

If you are pregnant in the UAE and keen to get married fast; given the circumstances. This article will help you with the alternatives.

It wasn’t long ago that if you wanted to start a family or have a child in the UAE, you had to get married first. However, many expats have found themselves in precarious situations as a result of their failure to follow the law, and have been imprisoned on several instances.

Although the laws have now become comparatively a lot more easier; a lot of couples do opt for the much traditional route of getting married and avoiding any legal complications of giving birth in a foreign country. If might find yourself in that position while living in the UAE, then you must be looking to knowing how to get married if I’m pregnant? Let’s find out.

PREVIOUS UNEXPECTED PREGNANCY RELATED LAWS IN THE UAE

As per the UAE laws, it is essential that every couple has to undergo a medical screening test before getting married. This is to ensures that none of the partners have any STDs or any other genetic disease that can transfer. So, if you’re pregnant that you might end up getting it revealed in your medical tests as your hormones will be off the chart. But you can also get away with it without being noticed as they don’t specifically take any pregnancy test.

THERE WAS STILL TROUBLE EVEN IF YOU GET AWAY WITH YOUR PREMARITAL TEST!

Yes, you heard it right. You’re still not in the safe zone even if your pregnancy is not revealed in your premarital test. That’s because that wedding procedure in the UAE does that considerably longer and can cost you several months.

With the recent pandemic and hoe countries shutting their borders on and off; it might take you even longer to send some document to your home country for legalization. So, with that much time, your pregnancy is often something that cannot be kept a secret for a long time.

WHAT DOES THE NEW LAW STATE ABOUT BEING PREGNANT BEFORE MARRIAGE

The new law clearly states; that unmarried couples are now legally allowed to live together which has put a lot of expats couples at ease. This was done to accommodate the sentiments and cultural differences of the rising number of expats that come to establish a living in the UAE.

According to a Dubai based Ludmila Yamalova-Davis, who is a U.S qualified attorney, clarified the amended laws on pregnancy outside a wedlock stating;

Pregnancy outside marriage is no longer a crime as per the amended law and according to Federal Decree 15 of 2020

UAE Moments, 2021

The legal order is now states that all unmarried couples that are expecting a child need not leave the UAE but can apply for the birth certificate of their babies.

A marital certificate will no longer be needed for that either. The new laws also allows kids to have education and healthcare services like any other child being born in the UAE.

Unmarried women no longer have to flee UAE if pregnant

the times.co.uk, 2021

IN CONCLUSION TO HOW TO GET MARRIED FAST

We do, however, advise you not to take any chances, especially with your future child’s health, and to choose for a destination wedding that is a little laxer on the regulations of pregnancy before marriage. Also, the paper work is far less time consuming.

Another alternative for you is to get married online, which eliminates the burden of travelling from one location to another.

If you are pregnant in the UAE and are struggling to get married fast; we’d love to advice you on this matter! Book a consultation and we might be able to guide you on your situation 🙂