Q: Please be informed that the first instance court provided the sole custody of the child to the father. Currently, there is an ongoing Personal Status and inheritance appeal, and the case is reserved for judgment, and only a few days are left. We are non-Muslim expats. However, the mother is proposing mutual agreements. 1. Sole custody provided to the mother with limited visitation rights to the father upon mutual agreement. 2. Joint custody - where in mother will sponsor the visa and shared expenses. Such an agreement is possible at this stage through a digital identity channel. Will it be allowed to be submitted to the court and acknowledged in front of the Judge? Is it recommended, considering the best interest of the child? What are the rights of the father in case of an agreement, if a sole custody or a joint custody agreement is made between both parties? Kindly advise.

Q: Good day, lawyers! My husband is cheating on me. He also flirts a lot with other girls on his other social media account. Then I found out that I was pregnant. We already have one daughter, and I just want a peaceful home for me and my children. Can I ask for a separate house and maintenance for us? I don't have work because I was focused on our daughter and our house. Also, what if he finds out that I am planning to get maintenance from him and he cancels our visa? Can I still get maintenance while in our country? I also learned that he is planning to send me and my children back to our country before I give birth so that he can live like a single man. I don't have money to pay for a lawyer because he's not giving me an allowance. What should I do? Thank you so much, and I hope someone can help me!

Q: I got a residence visa followed by an Emirates ID after getting married to my husband who was already living in Abu Dhabi. Afterward, the marriage didn't work out, unfortunately. I filed a khula case in Pakistan and got divorced. Now, I wanted to know what would be my UAE residence visa status. Will I get a visa extension? Or how can I substitute the sponsor on my Emirates ID? Can I obtain a visa independently if I want to continue living in UAE?

An interview-format article covering the topic of custody and guardianship in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

In a landmark move, the UAE has enacted Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024, ushering in major reforms to personal status law for Muslim residents. These changes reflect a modernized approach to family matters, civil marriage, and women's rights, while staying rooted in Islamic principles.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law No. (41) of 2024 On the Issuance of the Personal Status Law, known as the "New Personal Status Law", governs the laws of personal status in the United Arab Emirates. The New Law of Personal Status repeals the previous UAE Law of Personal Status (Federal Law No. (28) of 2005 on Personal Status).