This page provides information about how marriage is the basis of the family system in the UAE and marriage laws that apply to UAE nationals and expatriate residents.
Under the UAE's law, marriage is the only legal bond for a man and a woman to establish a relationship and form a family. The law identifies marriage as a legal contract between a man and a woman, aimed at protecting the rights of the couple and their children. Live-in relationships are prohibited for all citizens and residents regardless of their nationality or religion.
Pre-marital general requirements
The following are the general requirements for a marriage to take place:
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The UAE Government aims to build and maintain a stable and consolidated Emirati family and to fortify the Emirati social and demographic structure, by encouraging Emirati men to marry Emirati women.
In this regard, the UAE established Marriage Fund under Federal Law No. 47 of 1992, complementing and integrating with the social policy set up by late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding President of the UAE.
Marriage Fund has humane objectives towards strengthening the pillars of social structure and cementing its texture, as well as developing and activating it on all aspects. It offers marriage grants to deserving Emiratis. Since its inception, 61,844 recipients have received grants amounting to AED 4.3 billion as of 2014.
Marriage Fund also organises mass weddings and offers marriage counselling to to-be-wed couples.
Provisions for obtaining a marriage grant
Marriage grant is governed by the Cabinet Resolution No. 5 of 2017 regarding terms, legalisation and procedures for the settlement of marriage funds (The resolution is available only in Arabic). According to the resolution, an Emirati couple who meets certain criteria are eligible to receive AED 70,000 from the government, paid in one instalment. Marriage grant applies to lower-income Emiratis and those on social welfare.
For the applicant to be eligible for the fund, there are certain requirements, which include:
Where to apply for a marriage grant?
Emiratis may apply for marriage grant through the website of the Ministry of Community Development.
Besides the Marriage Fund, there are entities in each emirate that provide services such as:
Read more about marriage and family-related services on the websites of:
All nationals and expatriate residents can conclude their marriages in the UAE. In the UAE, Islamic marriages are conducted according to the Sharia provisions, which apply in the following cases, regardless of nationality:
While the law permits a Muslim man to marry a non-Muslim woman, it does not allow a Muslim woman to marry a non-Muslim man without proof of his conversion to Islam.
Polygamy is allowed as per the UAE's law. A Muslim male may have four wives, provided he offers equal sustenance and equal treatment to all.
Key legal requirements for Muslim marriages
Here are the key legal requirements for Muslim marriages:
Marital screening test must be done through one of the medical centres of the:
Denial of marriage
Based on the medical screening certificate, application for marriage may be denied if one of the parties suffers from a:
Entities responsible for concluding Islamic marriages
Islamic marriages are conducted by UAE Judicial departments and Sharia courts or through the services of authorised marriage officers (Mazoons) in each emirate.
Ministry of Justice has launched eMarriage service that lets couples wishing to get married to book an appointment with a marriage officer through an online updated database linked to the ID card system.
Both, the Judicial Department in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Courts facilitate online marriage applications and the services of marriage officers.
For all UAE nationals
For Emirati women marrying expatriate men
When an Emirati woman wishes to marry an expatriate man, she should obtain:
Note that the nationality of the Emirati woman should not have been obtained by dependency.
In addition, the prospective groom
For GCC nationals and citizens of other Islamic countries
Non-Muslims can conclude marriage formalities at:
Some countries require their citizens to file an application of intention to marry at their embassy or consulate in the UAE. You are advised to check with your embassy and proceed accordingly. The marriage must also be registered in the embassies of both partners in the UAE.
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