Q: Both my husband and I are Indian - Keralite Roman Catholic staying in Dubai. I have been a victim of emotional and financial domestic abuse from my husband and my in-laws over dowry. Where do I stand legally in this matter? A year ago, my husband abandoned me and my child in my parents' place and went to Australia. He does not want to communicate with me despite my efforts of trying to contact him and remains hostile towards me. Where do I stand legally? Mine and my child’s maintenance has always been provided for by my parents and self-finance (I am working too) because of my husband’s bank loans and job loss in Dubai. Now he found employment in Australia but he does not want to provide maintenance for me and my child. Additionally, he demands that I pay for his business class tickets if I want him to come to Dubai to keep my UAE visa. Can I claim for maintenance from my husband without a divorce In this regard?

Q: Assalam Alaikum, I am French and have 4 children, and I am 3 months pregnant. I reside in the UAE and my husband clearly stated that he is leaving for Turkey because life is less expensive than the UAE and that I will have to pay all the bills here by myself and take care of the kids as I am working here. What can I do? What about when the baby will be born? All my children are under my residency (iqama) Alhamdulillah but will I be able to add my baby under my iqama knowing that the father abandoned us and we are not legally divorced? Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your answer.

Q: Hello, I'm an Arab ex-pat living in the UAE my entire life. I have been married for 15 years. I have two boys and a good job, and I've been a good wife and mother. Unfortunately, my husband has left me for the past year and is staying with another woman. He sends me limited expenses and visits his children monthly. I've tried to reconcile with him but to no use. I have two questions: I prefer not to get a divorce as I yet have hope, but is there a way I can claim maintenance from him and how is this maintenance calculated? If I get a divorce, what happens to the custody of my children? Noting that they are both boys and the eldest is 14? My eldest is an autistic child who needs special support which his father can't provide, and I'm deeply concerned if he requests custody of this child. Thank you!

Q: Is the wife obliged to live with parents in law? The wife is European and the husband is a UAE national.

Q: I got married on 1 February to a man who works in Dubai for the last 13 years. I came to Dubai with my husband on 17 February and stayed together for 5 months. On 21 July, I came to India to my in-laws' house. My in-laws told me that I should ask for dowry money from my maternal family, otherwise, I will get divorced. When I refused, they started beating and abusing me. They harassed me a lot and got thrown out of the house. My husband is in Dubai but he is not in contact with me for the last 14 months. Now I want to know that if I come to Dubai, and if I want to do a safety case against my husband, will the Dubai Police get me justice?

Q: I am a non-Muslim and got married in the UAE 2 years back. I have a residence visa under my husband's sponsorship. My husband and his family have kicked me out of the house been almost 2 months and I do not have access to my things which are at my in-laws' house. Once he made me leave the house, he answered my calls for the first few days but has completely stopped answering my calls, texts. And if I ask him to meet or let me come home he does not allow that anymore and says his parents do not want me to come home or to continue with the marriage. I am currently unemployed and, do not have a place to stay. What are my rights as a wife and how can I file for financial support and maintenance without divorce? And, do I need a lawyer to file this case against him? Thank you, H

Q: Hello, I am living with my mother-in-law and she has destroyed my marriage with my husband. We have been married for 3 years and she always abuses me emotionally and calls me bad words. My husband refuses to provide for me a separate home. What can I do in this situation?

Q: Hi Is it possible to request a restraining order for my husband when I give birth at the hospital? He is giving me so much emotional stress and I don’t want him to be there when I give birth. Is this allowed?

Q: How long does the appeal in the case of disobedience of the wife go? One more question, the definition of marital home does not even accommodate mom if my father has passed away and I am the only support for my mom?

There are rights and obligations for both parties of the marriage contract arise as a result of divorce, which often disputed by the spouses. Here we will explain the due alimony and its types for the wife (divorced - widow) and children after divorce in accordance with the UAE Personal Status Law, Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 and its explanatory memorandum.

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.