Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
8 available 8 • View allApproximate maintenance for the wife and child after divorce
19
Q: (1) How much maintenance percentage is required to be paid by a husband (working) who divorces his wife (not working) and has one daughter to support?
(2) We are British citizens living in the UAE and own a home in the UK. Will the UAE law force me to rent additional accommodation for her when I can provide a home in the UK?
Many thanks

May 11, 2017
31551
Seeking the application of American law in a divorce case 

11
Q: My husband and I are both Americans. He wants to divorce in Abu Dhabi, but I don’t want to divorce in here because he is going to leave after divorce.
We have been married for 16 years and have a 14-year-old and 12-year-old boys. I want to divorce in America and he wants me to sign the divorce paper.
So, do I have the right to reject divorce in the UAE and only accept it in America?
Thank you!


Mar 20, 2018
8516
Enforcing divorce judgments from two countries in case of contradiction
1
Q: Hi.
My ex-wife and I (both Muslim Pakistani citizens) were married in Pakistan and moved to the USA for 2 years. We did not have any children together.
I then moved back to Pakistan and got a divorce under Pakistani Sharia law under which I paid her back mahr/dowry.
My wife stayed back in the USA and got a divorce under USA law and USA court awarded her spouse alimony and some assets that were under my name.
Now, would my wife be able to enforce any USA divorce claims against me in Dubai, even though I have fulfilled all of my obligations under Sharia (by paying back mahr/dowry)?

Jul 4, 2020
422
What are the precautions a wife needs to take before requesting divorce?


3
Q: I'm a Zimbabwean woman married to a Nigerian man for 5 years. We have been living in Dubai for a little over a year.
I would like to divorce my husband as there are extreme irreconcilable issues. We have a son who is 4 years old with special needs. I'm a stay at home mum and have dedicated my every being in raising him since he was born.
I would like advice as to how to proceed with a divorce in the UAE. My husband is a man with a short and sometimes violent temper. If I file for divorce and still live with him I fear for what would happen.
Is it against the law to leave with my son to a safe place (a friend's place/rent a place temporarily) as soon as I have filed?
I have no intention of denying the father access to his son, every son needs his father, despite our differences. I just want to avoid a messy situation that my son could possibly witness.
What measures can I take to ensure my son and my safety without breaching the law or damping my chances as his custodian?



Feb 6, 2021
491
The procedure of divorce between expatriates in Abu Dhabi
2
Q: Hello.
I want to ask how to get a divorce notice in the UAE of a Pakistani expatriate living in Abu Dhabi.

Jan 18, 2021
390
How to agree on the applicable law for divorce if the couple seek different laws


0
Q: Hi,
I had a question regarding starting divorce proceedings in Dubai. My wife and I are Australian citizens, Dubai residents.
We are originally from India, married in India as per Hindu customs. We have two kids (23 years & 14 years) both Australian passports also.
She wants to apply the UAE law for the divorce and I want to proceed as per Australian law. Can you advise how the court will rule and which country law should apply?



Jun 15, 2021
444
مستحقات الزوجة عند مطالباتها بالطلاق رغم رفض الزوج
1
س: السلام عليكم،
أنا متزوج منذ 17 سنة ولدي إقامة في أبوظبي وأنا وزوجتي من الجنسية اليمنية وتزوجنا في اليمن وعشنا في أبوظبي لمدة 17 سنة.
عند عودتها إلى أهلها طالبت بالطلاق. كيف يكون ذلك وماذا لي وماذا عليّ؟
علمًا بأنها وكَّلت وكيلاً لها وهو خالها الموجود في الإمارات وهو خالي في نفس الوقت.

Oct 15, 2019
253
I'm a Muslim woman from Europe. Can I file for divorce in my home country and the UAE?




1
Q: I'm a Muslim woman expat from Europe residing in the UAE married to a Muslim expat with 2 children.
Can I file for divorce in my home country and at the same time in the UAE?





+3
Jun 3, 2024
92
Legal blog
3 available 3 • View allChoosing the Jurisdiction of Expatriate Divorces in the UAE 7
An interview-format article covering the topic of divorce for expatriates in the UAE and seeking to apply the laws of their countries. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.
Feb 13, 2020
2925
نظرة على تعديلات قانون الأحوال الشخصية بموجب المرسوم بقانون (5) لعام 2020 12
ضمن إطار سلسلة التعديلات التي طرأت مؤخراً على عدد من القوانين الاتحادية لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، أصدر صاحب السمو الشيخ خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان، رئيس الدولة، في 25 أغسطس 2020، مرسوماً بقانون اتحادي رقم (5) لسنة 2020 بتعديل بعض أحكام القانون الاتحادي رقم (28) لسنة 2005 في شأن الأحوال الشخصية.
Feb 2, 2021
5236
Personal Status Law for Non-Muslim Foreigners in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi 8
A new civil personal status decree has been introduced in the emirate of Abu Dhabi by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. This personal status decree will be applicable for non-Muslim foreigners based in Abu Dhabi in matters of marriage, divorce, Will, inheritance, and custody of children.
Nov 9, 2021
2539
Laws & Regulations
1 available 1 • View allFederal Law No. (28) of 2005 On Personal Status 24
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.
Nov 19, 2005
49078

Premium
Other answers by
451 451 answers •
View allAre there any restrictions on a diplomat buying property in the UAE? 0
Hello,
Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?
Feb 20, 2025
78
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country? 0
Hi.
One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task."
He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know."
After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station.
They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go.
After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems?
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country?
Please advise!
Feb 17, 2025
149
What can I do if my employer refuses to pay me and I have no contract? 0
Hello,
What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?
Feb 18, 2025
132
I want to open an online shop. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop? 0
I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc.
Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop?
If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide?
How much would it cost me?
Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?
Feb 14, 2025
132
How can we locate a person with an ongoing legal case? 0
Hello,
I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai.
Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility?
Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case?
What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?
Feb 11, 2025
152

Premium
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1549 1549 answers •
View allWhat can I do about constant noise from my upstairs neighbors? 0
Hello,
My neighbors on the upper floor are causing noise throughout the day, almost 24/7. They keep dragging furniture, dropping heavy objects, and slamming doors.
The property manager was not very helpful, and I cannot sleep or take power naps. I sleep when they do and wake up when they wake up.
Also, there are 6 family members in a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai.
Apr 16, 2025
21
Do smart police stations in Dubai override official filing hours for legal deadlines? 0
Dear Lawyers,
The case needs to be filed during official working hours, on a subsequent working day (if the last day falls on an official holiday), in Dubai.
With Smart Police Stations operating 24/7, how are these situations considered?
Should the case be filed during working hours, say before 3 PM, etc.?
Apr 16, 2025
14
How can we recover a salary advance to a new employee if he fails to come to duty and uses alcohol? 0
As the HR manager of a company, I have issued a salary advance to the employee. Upon joining, he failed to go to duty and used alcohol daily in the camp.
I have a signed thumb-impression cash receipt. What options do I have to recover the AED 7000 advance paid to the employee?
Please help.
Regards,
B.
Apr 16, 2025
6
What countersuit can be filed against an employer for a false absconding case? 0
Hello,
What countersuit can I file against an employer who filed a false absconding case against an employee?
Apr 15, 2025
46
Is a bounced rent cheque case considered a criminal record for U.S. visa applications? 0
Hello,
My rent cheque was bounced, and my landlord filed a case against me in Sharjah Court. I received a fine of 2,000 AED, which was later reduced to 1,000 AED upon appeal.
Does this case count as a criminal conviction under UAE law, or was it handled as a civil matter?
If I apply for a U.S. visa, will I need to submit court records under the requirement for applicants with past convictions?
Apr 15, 2025
37

Other answers by
18 18 answers •
View allإلزام مُدَّعى عليه واحد فقط من مجموعة بسداد المبلغ المستحق 0
في دعوى مدني كلي، المطالبة بإلزام المُدَّعَى عليهم، عدد 12 شخصًا، بسداد مبلغ وقدره (.....) (بالتضامن والتكافل).
صدر منطوق الحكم "بإلزام المُدَّعَى عليه بسداد مبلغ وقدره (.....) والفائدة القانونية (......) وأتعاب المحاماة (......)".
السؤال هنا عن إمكانية تحديد المبلغ المترصّد على مُدّعَى عليه واحد فقط؟ وكيف؟
Apr 8, 2021
850
Landlord's right to ask the tenant for overstay if he terminates tenancy without notice 0
Dear Mr Malalla,
I would like to get your opinion on an incident that I am going through at the moment with my previous landlord.
After staying in the same apartment for 4 yrs as a tenant, on 8/2/21, only a week before the renewal term (15/2/21) and after having a written agreement on a mutually agreed condition as well as sending us the contract, our landlord declared to us that he changed his mind and would apply the old contractual terms.
After having back and forth emails with our landlord's agency, on 23/2/21 we received the final email about his decision from the agency. As I did not want to stay in his place, we moved out on 6/3/21.
On 14/3/21, we received a quotation from the agency in regards to maintenance, which we mutually accepted on 15/03/21.
2 days ago, when I was waiting for my security deposit, I received a final calculation from the agency charging me the period between 15/2 to 5/3 as overstay. We reminded him many times of the rules and regulations but he does not care.
Apr 7, 2021
831
عمل الموظف أثناء إجازته من تلقاء نفسه ومطالبة صاحب العمل بالأجر 0
ما الإجراء القانوني مع موظف تقدَّم باستقالته عن طريق البريد الإلكتروني ووضع جميع الموظفين وأصحاب العمل بالبريد الإلكتروني، وبعد يومين، تقدم بشكوى عمالية ضد المنشأة يطالب براتب شهر عن عمله من المنزل أثناء إجازته السنوية المدفوعة بالكامل بالفعل؟
لم يطلب منه مديره المباشر أو أصحاب العمل أن يعمل أثناء إجازته لا شفهيًا ولا كتابيًا مع العلم أن عقده غير مُحدد المدة ويعمل منذ ٣ سنوات ونصف.
هل يجوز أن يُكمل شهر الإنذار بعد تقدمه بشكوى عمالية؟
Aug 9, 2020
259
Steps to get the settlement amount from developer after cancelling a property 0
Dear Sir
I have cancelled the purchase of a property in Dubai and the developer has agreed with my decision. The developer committed in writing to refund the agreed settlement amount “within 90 days “.
I have kept consistent follow-up records and everything in writing between the developer and me. However, 1 week before the 90 days expiry period (due to my constant and persistent follow up in writing) the developer has stated it will take another 90 days for them to refund me the monies, sighting COVID-19 as “ the “ reason.
Am I able to enforce the email agreement between the developer and me to recover the agreed settlement within the 90 days and latest at the 90-day deadline?
I look forward to hearing from you, I would also be pleased to engage on the tel with you if you feel this would be more useful. I currently reside in Kenya.
Thanks.
Regards,
S.
Aug 9, 2020
435
اختصاص المحكمة في حالة وجود المدعي خارج البلاد 0
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!
Aug 10, 2020
1685
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