The Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 provides non-Muslim residents the option to follow the laws of their home country or select alternative personal status laws in effect in the UAE. The Federal Decree Law covers matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance and child custody. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Personal Status Law for non-Muslims regulates personal status matters for non-Muslims in the emirate and provides a flexible and advanced judicial mechanism for the determination of personal status disputes.
‘Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status for Non-Muslims’ regulates family affairs of non-Muslim residents of the UAE. It also provides non-Muslim residents the option to follow the laws of their home country or select alternative personal status laws in effect in the UAE over the provisions of this Decree Law.
The Decree Law covers family matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance and child custody.
It sets out the requirements and procedures for getting married and registering the marriage with the competent courts. It outlines the procedures for divorce which can be initiated jointly or singly. It organises the procedures for settling the financial claims after divorce, and the arrangement of joint custody of the children. It organises the procedures for inheritance, wills and proofs of paternity. The Decree-Law took effect on 1 February 2023.
The Decree Law does not apply to Muslims, as ‘Sharia’ or Islamic laws govern family matters of Muslims.
Refer to Ministry of Justice and Dubai Courts for more information about the personal status law for non-Muslims.
Read about personal status matters for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has issued a law No. 14 of 2021 concerning personal status for non-Muslims foreigners (PDF, 1.84 MB), to regulate personal status matters for non-Muslims in the emirate and provide a flexible and advanced judicial mechanism for the determination of personal status disputes.
The law consists of 20 Articles divided into several chapters covering civil marriage, divorce, joint custody of children and inheritance. The first chapter of the law regulates the marriage procedures of foreigners before the court by introducing the concept of civil marriage based on the will of both, the man and the woman.
The second chapter defines the divorce procedures for non-Muslims, the rights of the spouses after divorce and the discretion of the judge in assessing the financial rights of the wife based on several criteria, such as the number of years since marriage, the wife's age, the economic standing of each of the spouses and other considerations that the judge takes into account in determining the wife's financial rights.
The third chapter provides for the custody post the divorce which will be done in a way that will safeguard the family's cohesion after divorce and preserve the psychological health of the children.
The fourth chapter addresses inheritance issues, the registration of wills for non-Muslims, and the right of a foreigner to draw up a will to bequeath all his/her property to whomever he/she wishes.
The fifth chapter of the law regulates the proof of paternity for non-Muslim foreigners, by either marriage or recognition of paternity.
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Related links
Dubai launched a civil marriage service for non-Muslim residents of the emirate of Dubai. This service enables couples to obtain a civil wedding licence in just 24 hours.
Conditions
To proceed with a civil marriage application in Dubai, the following conditions must be met:
Note:
The civil marriage service in Dubai complies with Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status for Non-Muslims, which regulates family affairs of non-Muslim residents of the UAE. Additionally, it aligns with Dubai’s significant progress in embracing cultural diversity.
Watch these videos about Dubai civil marriage.
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