Q: Hello I need to ask that if a non-Emirati wife seeks a divorce from an Emirati husband, what would be her rights? The husband always threatens her with divorce and wants to be treated as a God. He is always bragging about what he pays for the electricity, house maintenance, water...etc, which is her basic right, and they have a daughter who is 3 years old. So she’s sick of all these threats and unhealthy relationship. He tells her if he divorces her, she will be in a very bad situation. So kindly tell me and guide me what is the law here and what are her rights if she filed for divorce. She’s not working, she’s a housewife and non-local. Married for 5 years only.

Q: My ex-wife and I have a daughter. We are both non-Muslims. She has custody of the child. What does the law say about the custody of the baby if she decides to get married? And will it change the situation if she will marry and get pregnant? Or it doesn’t matter?

Q: Hello, I have a question. My brother turned fourteen and he is with my mother and he does not need anything and he is getting 100% in his school. So now my father wants him back, will he get asked with whom he wanna stay or he will be forced to transfer to my father's house?

Q: I filed for the custody of my 8-year-old child and the judge ruled in my favor. However, my ex appealed. His reason is I don't speak Arabic but the Court did not ask me to attend hearings and only my lawyer was heard. He claims I don't speak Arabic because I am Spanish. Basically by nationality because in reality I do speak some Arabic and he lied to the Appeal Court I don't know at all. Is the Arabic Language a reason to transfer custody to the father if the mother is Muslim and qualifies as a custodian?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, In 2019, I got divorced and moved to Abu Dhabi with my son. I worked at a school for four years. Recently, I moved to Dubai and have been working in healthcare for the past two years. My child is now 13 years old. In March 2022, I remarried after my divorce. My ex-husband has been blackmailing and tormenting me, saying that he wants custody of my child because I remarried. The Indian court had already granted me full custody during our divorce, but my ex is threatening to take my son away. I don't trust him because he is violent and abusive. My current husband is aware of my situation, but he is often upset about my ex's messages to my child and he is also abusing me and doing domestic violence. I feel unsafe. I am currently nine months pregnant and I have a 13-year-old son. I want to be protected, along with my two children. How can I escape this situation and live peacefully?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I finally got divorced from my husband due to abuse and lack of financial support since marriage. We have a son together, but he is not paying for his son even though I have a court order that he must pay child support monthly. My question is: I want to get remarried, I know that he can take my son away from me. Is there any way I can get remarried in the UAE or outside without him taking my son? He has not asked to see or spend time with his son in over a year and a half, and my son is only 2 years old.

Q: Hello, My husband and I are married and have a 6-year-old child. Due to ongoing disputes, he is demanding that I get a separate device and SIM card for our child so that he and his family can contact the child without using my number. He has also instructed his family to block me and communicate only through a separate number, claiming that I do not facilitate enough communication with them. I have never prevented anyone from contacting our child, and I will still be the one managing the device and calls. Does he have the right to impose this unreasonable demand on me? If I comply, could this set a legal precedent that might impact my parental rights in the future?

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.