Q: Expatriates living in the UAE, a Hindu husband and a Christian wife and a 4-year-old son. The wife is doing domestic violence on husband and has abused him and his family for years, and not agreeing to give divorce also because she doesn’t want him to be happy in his life. What ways can he take to get the help of the law? Please help.

Q: Dear Sir, My sister's husband hits her, uses abusive language and accuses her of unfaithfulness, in front of kids who are 10, 6 and 3 years old. He also regularly misguides the children about their mother. Can she file a divorce? If yes, then how long will it take? Also, the kids are on her visa. She wants to keep the kids; how will the court support her as she is highly indebted in the process of relieving the husband's loans? Both spouses are Pakistanis and married in the UAE in Dubai Courts, 10 years ago.

Q: In case of KHUL demand by wife, do I as a husband have the right to ask for compensation for all the expenses incurred during marriage and return of our gold given during marriage including mahr and money spent during marital life? Is it mandatory for the husband to accept Khul when demanded by the wife for such marital discords? In case of domestic violence by husband, what are the legal consequences here in the UAE? And also what is the law for verbal abusive nature of the husband? There are phone recording and voice recording proof for this. Is it legal? Can the husband claim custody of children? If the marriage happened in Dubai Sharia Court, can divorce procedure be done in India? Can home country law be applied for the divorce proceeding in Dubai? Both of us are Indian. How to issue a travel ban for kids? How a father can take custody of children after 11 years of age? What are the requirements?

Q: Hello/Salam I am a British citizen with a UK passport and married a UAE resident with a Pakistani passport in March 2020. Due to Covid restrictions, I could not see my wife until travel re-opened. At this time, I tried to apply for a UK spouse visa for my wife, but it was not approved on Jan 21. I then waited for things to re-open and visited my wife on Nov 21 and decided to move ahead with our Rukhsati and Walima in Jan 2022. I then applied for her UK visit visa, but again it was not approved. I then traveled to Dubai in Mar 2022 to live in Dubai with my wife, but she did not see me, has not responded to my messages or calls, and blocked me on social media. I was able to see her family but they were very disrespectful to me and threw me out of their house. I have returned to the UK now. What can I do to approach the UAE authorities that my wife's family has defrauded me, taken all the gifts and gold, and are now ignoring us? Please advise what can I do to save my marriage? Thanks/Jzk

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.

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.

في واحدة من القضايا التي نادراً ما يسلّط عليها الضوء، تمكّنا من نقض حكم استئنافي ألزم الزوج بنفقة متعة، رغم أن المحكمة سبق أن قضت بطلاقه للضرر الواقع عليه من زوجته. موكلي لم يطلق بإرادته المنفردة، بل طلق بأمر قضائي بعدما ثبت اعتداء الزوجة عليه بالضرب. فكيف تستحق نفقة المتعة؟ وأين المنطق في تحميل المظلوم تبعات مالية لموقف لم يختره؟ القانون لا يُفرّق بين رجل وامرأة، بل يُنصف من ظُلِم.

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.