Q: After living in Dubai with my husband and son for 3 years, I recently found him in our bed with another woman. I moved into a hotel and he blocked my bank accounts, took my car, cut off my phone and left me to make my own way back to the UK and sort everything out. He has also blocked my UK accounts and doesn't money back. I have a lawyer here but has cost me £5000 already and has achieved nothing. I am struggling to serve divorce papers in Dubai and I have to pay costs there too. He lives in Dubai but works in Abu Dhabi. Our 3 children are over 18 and living in the UK. I did not work in Dubai and he financially supported me. We jointly own a house in the UK which I am now living in but has a mortgage. Could you let me know what I am entitled to from his assets and if there is any legal help for me there so I know what his rights are too? I want to know also the criminal implications for him in Dubai for committing adultery. I have photos of them both in our apartment. Kind regards, Joanne

س: مرحبًا، لقد خانني زوجي وطلب الطلاق بعد أن اكتشفت خيانته. لقد وقعت على أوراق الطلاق الأولية، أما التوقيع النهائي سيكون بعد 20 يومًا، لكنني لا أستطيع التغلب على مشاعر الحزن والألم التي سببها لي زوجي وعشيقته. هل هناك أي إجراء قانوني يمكنني اتخاذه؟

Q: I am an Indian married woman staying with my husband and son in Abu Dhabi for the last 10 years. My son and I are on husband's visa. Last year in September, I discovered that my husband has been cheating on me, at least, since the past 2 years or more. I have evidence from his phone. He has accepted his wrongdoings and admitted everything in front of my father and me and has promised to change. However, I've completely lost trust in him. There were times when I suspected his actions and asked him directly but he refused and always said that I should try finding proofs. He also called my sister once to tell her that I was nagging and doubting him. Probably he was playing safe. But since his actions have surfaced up, he projects that he has changed for good. I do not believe him a bit.This has affected and traumatized me to a great extent that I had to seek medical advice from a psychiatrist and it has affected my son too. How can I file a divorce in the UAE? Please advise.

س: زوجي يخونني. أريد الطلاق. ماذا علي أن أفعل؟

Q: Good afternoon, I am reaching out for some help as I am in a very distressing situation. My husband and I (both Hindus) moved to Dubai in 2019 from the UK. In 2021, he started having an affair with his work colleague (I cannot confirm her religion as she is from Lebanon) while being married to me. We had to leave Dubai as my husband's project finished, and we moved back to London at separate times. However, the affair continued while I was alone in the UK. Now they are living together in Dubai, he is still married to me, but recently they had a baby together. To the best of my knowledge, they are unmarried. As the affair started in Dubai and is still continuing, now with a child involved, do I have enough grounds to file a complaint? I have proof of their affair and the baby. My husband has completely neglected me, disrespected the marriage, and put me through emotional abuse and distress. Your advice and suggestions would be very much appreciated.

أصدر صاحب السمو الشيخ خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان، رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة وحاكم أبوظبي، مرسومًا مدنيًا جديدًا للأحوال الشخصية في إمارة أبوظبي. يُطبَّق مرسوم الأحوال الشخصية هذا على الأجانب غير المسلمين المقيمين في أبوظبي في مسائل الزواج والطلاق والوصية والميراث وحضانة الأطفال.

تنتج عن الطلاق حقوق والتزامات تترتب على طرفي عقد الزواج وتكون في الأغلب موضع خلاف بين الزوجين. وسنوضح هنا نفقات الزوجة (المطلقة - الأرملة) والأبناء بعد وقوع الطلاق وأنواعها طبقاً لقانون الأحوال الشخصية الإماراتي، القانون الاتحادي رقم 28 لسنة 2005 ومذكرته الإيضاحية.

UAE Personal Status Law (also known as Personal Affairs Law) governs marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal affairs in the United Arab Emirates. The law equally applies to citizens of the UAE and non-citizens unless one of them asks for the application of his home country law.