New Law on Personal Status of Non-Muslims in UAE

New Law on Personal Status of Non-Muslims in UAE

According to state news agency WAM, a new mandate issued by Abu Dhabi's ruler on Sunday allows non-Muslims to marry, divorce, and have shared child custody under civil law. Expats make up over 90% of the Gulf state's 10-million-strong population, and the UAE is presently working to make itself more welcoming and accessible to international visitors.

The decision to issue the first non-Muslim civil marriage contract was made in accordance with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's Law No. 14 of 2021 on the Personal Status of Non-Muslims, which aims to ensure the emirate's leadership in regulating family matters for non-Muslims in accordance with international best practices.

The Abu Dhabi non-Muslim status court issued the first civil marriage contract for spouses of Canadian citizenship. After the new court was launched on December 14, the first civil marriage contract in the Arab region was celebrated.

This was drafted in accordance with international best practices. It provides non-Muslims the freedom to be subject to globally recognized civil principles that are culturally, customarily, and linguistically similar to their own.

The civil marriage registration service is now available on the Judicial Department's official website for both residents and visitors. Contracting and registering marriages is done remotely via video conferencing, complying with the law's restrictions and controls.