Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
5 available 5 • View allExpat divorce procedures and applicable law in the UAE 


1
Q: Indian couple married under Hindu Marriage Act, living in Dubai, seek divorce in the UAE.



Dec 23, 2018
1300
Contesting a divorce case and requesting to keep marriage
2
Q: Hello,
My husband has filed a divorce case after 11 years of our marriage. The marriage took place in India as per the Hindu Marriage Law.
I appeared before the court on 20th June with my documents. I was asked to bring my documents after translating them to Arabic.
I do not want to give him a divorce and I am a financially dependent woman on him all alone in Dubai as an expat Indian wife.
I do not have enough money to hire a lawyer. What should I do? Do I need to keep a lawyer or I can get my documents translated to Arabic and submit to the judge?
Since I don't have money to give the lawyer, is my husband legally liable to provide me with the lawyer fees for the divorce case?
Or is there any lawyer who can fight my case and get his legal fees from my husband?
I need urgent help as the next hearing is after two weeks.

Jun 25, 2019
983
Divorce by mutual consent and the applicable law

3
Q: Hello,
I am an Indian Hindu expat residing in the UAE since 2009-12 & 2013 till date and married since 2009. I hold an employment visa and not dependent on my husband.
I have been living separately from him since March 2018 to date and we both mutually want to divorce due to compatibility issues. We do not have children, assets or bank accounts or any liability as a couple.
Please advise if we are to acquire a divorce in the UAE, will it be legit in our home country India?
Are we to request for Indian Hindu laws/procedures for the divorce here?


Dec 8, 2018
2033
What can non-Muslim woman do if husband won't sign divorce papers in Dubai?

1
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a non-Muslim Indian woman married to a non-Muslim Indian man, living in Dubai. We got married in 2012 in the UK, where the marriage is registered.
Unfortunately, the marriage has broken down irreparably over the past six years.
I filed for divorce in October 2022, and my husband initially cooperated with the calls and summons from courts, agreeing to a divorce by mutual consent with no alimony.
However, on the day of signing the documents and collecting the decree in January, he changed his mind, refused to sign, and pleaded for more time.
He has since refused to take calls from the court or respond to any questions related to the divorce.
1. Besides waiting, what are my options in this situation?
2. How does the court respond to a spouse who initially agrees to a divorce and then reneges on their promise?
3. If a spouse continues to evade the courts in a divorce case, how long can the case last?


Feb 26, 2023
167
How can I protect myself from false claims and maintain my rights in divorce and custody matters?




1
Q: Hello,
I am Christian and married to a Christian wife under Christian law in India (we are residents of the UAE). My wife has filed a case with the Personal Status Court for a travel ban to prevent my daughter from traveling with me.
The reasons given are:
- I have threatened to take the child to our home country and not return to the UAE, depriving the mother of her right to care for the child.
- I have forcibly taken the child’s passport from her.
Both points are false and defamatory. The judge, surprisingly, approved her request without consulting me. I have already responded legally, stating that these claims are false and requesting the case be dismissed, and I am awaiting the next step.
1. How can I file a case of libel to protect myself and my reputation?
2. Can I refuse any potential divorce proceedings in the UAE and continue such cases in India under Christian law?
3. Can I avoid any maintenance or alimony costs, as there are no valid grounds for divorce here?





+3
Dec 5, 2024
62
Legal blog
1 available 1 • 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
2905
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
49056

Premium
Other answers by
337 337 answers •
View allCan a debt agency access AECB reports without consent for a 15-year-old closed case? 0
Dear Respected Lawyers,
Subject: Request for Legal Advice Regarding Unlawful Practices by a Debt Collection Agency
I would greatly appreciate your advice and guidance regarding a troubling issue my colleague is facing with a collection agency.
The company has been contacting the employer, urging them to ask my colleague to get in touch with them regarding a supposed liability.
This claim is related to a 15-year-old closed dispute with a bank credit card, and the issue seems to stem from outdated and inaccurate information on the AECB report.
Our main concerns are as follows:
Unauthorized Access: The company is accessing her AECB report without her consent. She has never given permission for them to retrieve or view her personal financial information.
How is it possible for a third-party agency to openly access and track AECB reports, especially for a dispute that was resolved 15 years ago?
Apr 8, 2025
74
I was evicted from my apartment to be sold but it was gifted and rented at a higher price. What can I do? 0
I was evicted from my apartment after living there for five years. My landlord informed me a year in advance that the lease would not be renewed because he intended to sell the property.
Prior to this, he attempted to impose a rent increase that was not compliant with RERA regulations, which I refused to accept. He then served me with an official Dubai Court eviction notice, citing the need to take back the property for sale.
Five months after I moved out, I discovered the property was rented out at a much higher price. Upon further investigation, I found that the ownership was transferred as a "Gift" rather than a sale.
This makes it seem like the eviction was only to raise the rent rather than a genuine need to sell.
Do I have a valid case for wrongful eviction against my landlord?
Also, under Dubai law, does transferring ownership as a "Gift" hold the same legal grounds as selling in justifying eviction?
Dec 18, 2024
89
Can I file a case for cyberbullying or defamation after my ex-wife's abusive messages? 0
Hello,
My ex-wife has abused me in chat and called me the following: illiterate, beggar, and said that I don’t have [------].
She called me a bad parent and a bad son.
Can I file a cyberbullying, defamation, or abuse case against her? What are my options?
Jan 3, 2025
112
I invested money in a business but my partner is removing me out from partnership. Can I pursue legal action? 0
Hi
I'm an Irish citizen and a resident of the United Kingdom. I got investment fraud in Dubai. I invested money into a business with a Pakistani national guy in March 2024 via bank transfer into his business account.
Now he's giving back the money which I invested in business after 9 months. He's preparing a letter from a local lawyer to kick me out of the business. I do not have any other option than to take out at least my money.
But it's unfair to me that he used my money in business and took all the advantage.
Some people say to me that if you claim money or take legal action against him, it will take too much time and I need to travel to Dubai to appear in court because it is a civil matter. But I'm not a resident.
How can I follow the civil case there?
That's why my partner knows that I can not do anything and this case keeps running long time and in the end nothing happens. But I'm thinking that I will submit a complaint through my embassy and I also have a solicitor in the United Kingdom.
Dec 24, 2024
50
Seeking justice and compensation for wife's loss due to medical negligence during childbirth 0
Dear Lawyers,
My relative lost his wife during childbirth due to clear medical negligence, as stated in the report from the DHA medical committee.
He had to relocate to India due to the situation and is currently working there.
Please guide us on the steps to take for justice and compensation.
Dec 19, 2024
76

Other answers by
226 226 answers •
View allDisputing tenant's refusal to accept old landlord's rent increase notice 0
Hi,
We recently bought a villa in Dubai. We are looking for an advocate for legal advice.
Even though the old owner gave the tenant a 90-day notice about the new rent, the tenant is not agreeing to the notice because it didn't come from us.
Since the renewal is in October and we bought the property in September, we don't have 90 days to notify the tenant of the new rent.
The tenant agreed to the new rent in an email with the old owner 90 days ago. Can we dispute this?
Sep 25, 2023
144
We had an accident. Can I claim the treatment costs paid to hospital from the insurance? 0
My family and I had an accident. The incident occurred the very next day of their arrival in the UAE on a residence entry permit and their visa//health insurance was still in process.
With gods grace, everyone was discharged from the hospital on the 3rd day after many tests and keeping us under observation. We were slapped with a hefty bill as my family was not holding any health insurance.
What are the chances that I could claim the medical expenses through the vehicle insurance, as it covers co-passengers as well?
May 29, 2023
225
My brother's wife got pregnant with another guy. What happens if he files a case against them? 0
My brother's wife got pregnant with another guy. He wants to file a case against them.
What will happen to them if ever?
May 4, 2023
294
What can I do if a company hired me then changed their mind? 0
I am working in a company and their management is the worst. They made an interview in India and called me.
After calling me here, they again made interviews and made me work for 1 month. And now, they're telling me I am not capable of work and they are mentally torturing me.
I have given them 1.5 lack in office in India and here they are not paying me any salary. I am going into depression as I am not getting any solutions.
The only solution coming to my mind is a suicide, I don’t have any other options left. I have taken money in interest and people are daily coming to my house for money.
Please guide me in a proper way on what I can do.
Apr 18, 2023
190
What happens to the company and its operations if one of the partners is deceased? 0
X Real Estate LLC is a newly formed LLC company in the mainland (DED) with 10 partners, 9 of them Indians and one Pakistani.
As per the new provisions, the company is owned 100 % by expatriate residents. The company’s business is buying and selling real estate in the UAE.
Query:
What happens to the company and other partners, when one partner dies with or without a will?
Can the remaining partners continue to operate the bank account or it will be frozen?
Are the operations of the company frozen? Can the remaining partners carry on the business as usual, buy, rent, and sell the properties?
Can the partners pay the share of the deceased partner to his legal heirs and distribute his share among the remaining partners?
Will this affect the other businesses of the remaining 9 partners in any way?
Feb 27, 2023
198

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Other answers by
177 177 answers •
View allHow to liquidate a free zone company after the death of one partner 0
I am a company owner In Shams free zone of 50 per cent share and have a partner visa. My partner was a Russian who went to Russia and died.
When I went to the free zone to cancel my visa and close the company, they have asked me to get his attested death certificate and NOC from his heirs.
The problem I am facing is his family doesn’t want to give the death certificate nor they want to give NOC. Now my resident visa validity is over and I am on fine every day.
Neither the free zone is cooperating nor the partner's family. What is the other way I can cancel my visa and close the company?
Can someone guide me, please?
Apr 19, 2021
686
How the objection of a client be dealt with after being notified for termination by DLD? 0
I have been notified by DLD that I am in breach of an off-plan sales agreement, and the developer wishes to terminate the agreement.
The date on the notice is March 9, 2021, and I received it from the developer on March 11, 2021. The notice says I have 30 days "from the date of being notified" to make the outstanding payment.
On the termination notice from DLD, a list of objections is present. One of the objections states that the developer must hand over the final SPA to me.
In this case, I have not received the final SPA from the developer. I made an objection in writing to the DLD pointing this fact out and sent it via email, and received a confirmation of the same from DLD by return e-mail on April 6, 2021.
30 days from March 9th is April 8th, or from March 11th is April 10th. Does the developer have to respond to my objection before the DLD will allow them to terminate the agreement?
In this case, will the time I have to make the payment be extended by any period?
Apr 19, 2021
1402
Opening a trustee with wife and signing a postnuptial agreement 0
I would like to open a trustee with my wife and sign a postnuptial agreement.
Apr 19, 2021
448
Closing a business while the local service agent is not reachable 0
Hi,
We have a professional services license (2 partners) + 1 local service agent registered with DED, Dubai.
The partners wish to close the business because of unavoidable circumstances. We wish to proceed with all the necessary paperwork for cancellation.
Unfortunately, the local service agent is not available. We have been trying to connect to him multiple times but have not been able to reach him.
The due date for the renewal of the company is coming up and we want to proceed with all the paperwork for cancellation prior to that.
Kindly advise us about the options if the local service agent is unavailable.
Apr 19, 2021
798
Returning to the UAE to run business after being convicted with a crime 0
Hi,
I want some information regarding my uncle. He was arrested in November 2015 and was in prison until 13 June 2016 when he was deported to Pakistan.
The reason for the arrest was that my uncle had his own business in Sharjah and he was involved in a case where his employee accused him of attacking him and other allegations. He was arrested and convicted.
He needs to reenter the country as he has his business in Sharjah but I believe he is blacklisted/banned. How can I find out if he is blacklisted/banned and how can it be removed to allow my uncle to reenter the country and take over his business?
Is there any way of helping to resolve this issue?
I know that if he enters on a visa, he could be arrested at the airport, and don’t want that to happen.
Thank you!
Apr 5, 2021
498
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