Q: Salam. Would like to know, how one can initiate divorce in the UAE, both husband and wife are willing to separate. How long will the process be, if one goes to court on own? And if one takes assistance from a Lawyer, how fast it can be done and what could be total approx. cost? Thanks

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

Q: My husband and I are South African & have been married for 6 years. We live in Dubai. He also has a Canadian passport. We were married with an Anti-Nuptial Contract (prenup) but the ANC was not registered, so we are married in community of property. We have nothing between us, no money/kids/assets. My husband did receive inheritance money 2 years ago. I supported us financially for our marriage because my husband worked on commission only job. He refused to find a job that paid a monthly salary. He contributed financially but I carried the bulk of our expenses. I used my own personal savings from before us being married to support us. He promised that when he receives his inheritance he would return my savings, would buy us a house and more. He received this money about 2 years ago and has given me nothing. He is an alcoholic, he has admitted that he has cheated on me by calling a sex line & has been arrested twice due to alcohol. We have been for counselling in the past. I moved out on 5/11/16.

Q: Hi, I’ve been married for 7 years with two beautiful children and we are expats living in Dubai (British). We decided to get divorced and I wanted to understand my rights in regards to the family name as she’s in media and uses my children as pawns on social media sites. She also puts up pictures that I don’t want to be associated with my family for legal reasons (alcohol-related as she doesn’t have a license and hosts paid media events illegally). Can I force her to change her surname? Do I have any rights over what pictures of my children are put up on media platforms? Do I have any rights over my family name relating to social media? Thank you

س: لو سمحت، أنا مقيمة في الإمارات من الجنسية السورية على كفالة زوجي ولكنني أرغب بالطلاق. هل تستمر إقامتي أو يمكنه أن يلغيها بمجرد طلاقي منه، مع العلم أنني أرغب بالاحتفاظ فيها؟

Q: What are my rights in case of emotional abuse and being held in the UAE against my will and not allowing me to go back to my home country, so that I am unable to file for divorce (khula')? How can I prove emotional abuse? I have been asking for a divorce for almost a year and a half now, but my husband is not giving me because my parents are not supporting me, what should I do???

Q: Hi. I am in India for the last 5 months and still hold a valid UAE visa. My wife is staying in Dubai and has applied for mutual divorce in Dubai Courts. We are married since 2008 and have no children. Can my wife be granted a divorce in my absentia (ex parte) under the Hindu marriage act? If so, how soon can this be done as we both need the divorce and I am unable to travel to Dubai?

س: السلام عليكم أنا سوري الجنسية وزوجتي سورية. تم الزواج بعقد رسمي في محكمة في سورية. كيف يمكن أن أطلقها وأنا في الإمارات؟ لا يمكن أن أسافر إلى سوريا.

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)?

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?

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- 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 it apply?

Q: Can Dubai Court reject the wife's divorce petition if the husband has already filed a divorce in India? Both are UAE residents married in India and Hindu by religion.

Q: A marriage between Greek National and Indian origin was solemnized in India at Delhi marriage courts. Living in Dubai since 2015 as she was based in Dubai and then in Nov of the year 2016, a child was born and she moved back to Greece. Since then, she has disappeared and On 11 Oct 2018, she was granted ex-parte divorce in her home country in Cyprus on many grounds, and the document was shared by her. As the marriage was solemnized and registered in Delhi under the Christian marriage act in India and this document was invalid to grant me a divorce. Hence, in 2019, I filed a case in Delhi seeking divorce against the ex-parte decision received also contesting the grounds of divorce granted. Since then, the lawyer in Delhi has sent three notices through registered post on WhatsApp asking the respondent to be present, however, no response was received. I fought the case in the UAE and got a divorce on the above grounds. Is it valid for submission to the Indian consulate in the UAE? How long will the UAE courts take?

Q: Salam Aleykum. About the receipts and invoices of money that my husband owes me, how should I present them in the case and upload them to the system in the Dubai Courts? Should the screenshot of each original invoice in English be translated into Arabic and photo format? Is it like this for each one or how should it be, please? Should I upload everything after the first hearing when I explain my case and upload a memorandum explaining everything in detail or after the second? Shukran.

Q: Hi I try to stay happy in my marriage. I failed. I have mental issues and I want a divorce.

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.

An interview-format article covering the topic of the legal & psychological effects of COVID-19 on marriage. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

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.

With the introduction of the new procedures for obtaining a power of attorney (POA) remotely in the UAE, after it was mandatory to appear in person in front of the notary public as a global rule to ensure the identity and intention of the person requesting a POA, we put between your hands this brief guide for how you get it done.

الأسرة هي عماد المجتمع، ويدور صلاحه مع صلاحها وجوداً وعدماً، فأن فسدت الاسرة فسد المجتمع؛ ولذلك اعتنت الشريعة الإسلامية بتنظيم العلاقات الاسرية أيما عناية. فالزوج والزوجة هما الأصول التي يتفرع منها الأبناء، فإن لم تستقِم العلاقة بينهما انعكس ذلك على بقية أفراد الاسرة من الأبناء وبالتالي فسد مجتمع الأسرة. وفي دولة الامارات العربية المتحدة يولي المشرع اهتماماً بشؤون الأسرة من خلال قانون الأحوال الشخصية الإماراتي وتقنينه من وقت لآخر بإجراء عدد من التعديلات عليه لكي يتماشى مع أوضاع الأسرة المختلفة.

إن الاستشارات القانونية هي أحد أهم أعمال المحاماة، وقد يعتقد البعض أنه ليس من الضروري تعيين محامي متخصص لأعمالهم أو شركاتهم إلا في حال التعرض لمشاكل قانونية، إلا أن حقيق الأمر تتطلب الحذر دائمًا، فبدلًا من أن تواجه ردود أفعال غير مرغوب فيها قد تكلفك الكثير من الوقت والجهد والمال، يمكنك الحصول على استشارة قانونية أياً كانت قيمتها فلا تقارن بقيمة الخسائر المادية والمشاكل القانونية التي قد تنتج عن التصرف بدونها، ولعل كثرة القضايا والمنازعات سببها عدم أخذ الرأي القانوني من أهل الخبرة.

Joint Custody in UAE Law Article 10 of the Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status for Non-Muslims shines a spotlight on the significance of Shared custody following divorce. This article recognizes joint and equal custody as a right for both the father and mother post-separation or divorce.

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.