Q: I'm Jordanian and my wife as well. We have a daughter who's 1 year and 6 months old. My visa got cancelled as well my daughter's and I asked my wife to come back to Jordan but she refused and kept my daughter and hid her passport. I'm now in Jordan. Can she file a divorce case against me even if I'm not in the UAE anymore?

Q: Hello, I would like to ask if I can file a divorce even when my ex-husband is not present here in the UAE.

Q: Please, can you let me know if the UAE courts would have jurisdiction in a divorce case for a British non-Muslim UAE resident with a UAE residency visa? The other party is a not a UAE resident nor a Muslim and has never had a UAE residency visa, but has visited the UAE on a visit visa 12 months ago and has issued (but not yet served) a divorce petition in the UK? And does it matter when the divorce petition issued in the UK is served to the UAE resident? Will it make any difference if it is served before or after they file for divorce in the UAE?

Q: I am a US citizen (father of a 9-year-old). I recently got divorced and have sole legal and primary physical custody of my child. My wife is allowed only 1 visit with my child (for 2 hours each week, under the supervision of a 3rd person). My wife has unaddressed mental health issues. This is documented in the Parenting Plan and Divorce Decree. If I move to outside the UAE, can my wife again file for revision of custody? Will my US divorce and parenting plan be considered by the courts in the UAE?

س: أنا مغربي الجنسية مسلم ومتزوج بفلبينية مسيحية، وتم عقد الزواج في الفلبين (زواج مدني). نعيش في إمارة أبوظبي، ولدي منها بنت عمرها سنتين. كيف يُطبَّق القانون الإماراتي عند الطلاق؟ وماذا يتم بخصوص الوصاية على الطفلة؟

Q: I am from Nepal. My wife and I are here in Dubai working for different companies. Now I know my wife is going to travel from the UAE to another country but I want to go to home country Nepal. We both have a joint bank account and we send all money to that account so I don't have any money with me. I requested her to go to Nepal together divide the money equal but she doesn't want to go. I really want to make for her travel ban from the UAE to other countries but not the home country. Can I do it or not? Her passport under my name is showing I am her husband. Please advise me.

س: هل يجوز لمحاكم الإمارات الحكم بنفقة أطفال انتهت إقامتهم في الدولة قبل تاريخ رفع دعوى النفقات وبناء على إقامتهم مع الأم خارج الدولة؟ ألا يعتبر ذلك تعديًا على الاختصاص المكاني للمحكمة والأصل رفض الدعوى وإرجاعها إلى المحاكم المختصة في دولة إقامة الأطفال؟ شكرًا مسبقًا للرد!

Q: I have filed a divorce case and the judge has rejected it. I am not in Dubai because my husband has cancelled my visa and I was forced to leave the UAE. I want to appeal the court’s judgment. How can I hire a lawyer to represent me in Dubai court? How can I do a power of attorney from abroad? What's the time limit to appeal a judgement?

Q: I got my divorce executed last year from Dubai & my ex hasn't come back to Dubai yet. Now he is pleading to remove the execution case but I don't trust him a bit because he doesn't want to pay a penny. He says he will come to Dubai & settle whatever. I don't trust him. What should I do?

Q: A wife filed a case for divorce 1 year ago. The court judgment rejected her divorce and alimony and to obey her husband. Not to leave home without permission. The same day she left home, her kids, and the country without permission. She canceled her visa. Soon I also left UAE. None is a resident of the UAE now and they have no visas. Now She filed an execution case for her alimony and again for divorce of harm also. We didn't meet after 1st case. As she is not in the country. Never came back. How can I harm then? What should I do? I am also not living in the UAE. Children are with me. My question is, how can she open a case when both have not been living in the UAE for the last 1 year? How come I should pay her alimony when she never came back home and also left the UAE the same night after the court judgment? I don't know where she is living. How and why do I pay her alimony when she left her home, kids, and country without info and permission? All again I need to prove that divorce for harm case. Like retrial of the same case and jurisdiction also

Q: Good day. My husband left me and my kids. He is British. I’m Asian. He is still in Dubai. I asked him to put in writing the financial support that we would get without divorce as the solution. What document should I process? Also, my kids are British. Is it possible to get my UK visa through them? I only have a tourist visa but not residency as I understand we have to live there for 5 years. I don’t have any means to support myself when we get there. I’m unemployed at the moment and even if I work here it wouldn’t be enough for the 3 of us. Thank you!

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.

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.