Q: Hi, I am currently negotiating a divorce with my wife who is a Russian National. We got married in 2013 in Moscow ZAGs (Registry). I would like to know more about the division of assets upon divorce and what the correct procedures are, as I am in a deadlock with her negotiating. We bought a property in the UAE and both contributed equally towards the down payment. However, moving forward, all mortgage payments were made by me. I am trying to make an agreed settlement with my wife, however, she is asking more than what I feel is fair and equal. If I was to sell the property we would both end up with less. In fact, she will end up with significantly less than what I am offering her. I would like to speak to someone with regards to the divorce proceedings and what the correct procedure is.

Q: Question about property division in Dubai after divorce: My husband divorced with his ex-wife. During their marriage, he bought property office unit (he paid money to buy it and he still paying for maintaining from his pocket) and gifted it to her. Now they divorced, can he get his half? What is Dubai law rules? They are in court proceedings for the property division in Russia, in case if he can agree with her to sign this unit under his name, is it acceptable for Dubai? What documents does he need to show here in order to do property registration back to his name?

Q: I'm Tunisian woman married to a British passport holder and we're both Muslims married in Qatar and live now in UAE. I want to know what happens if I ask for divorce. We grew apart and he's been nasty with me, threatening me to have a mistress or get married again or even threaten to hit me if I reply to him during an argument. We have a joint account with full ownership (anyone of us has full authority over the account) for both of us but I actually own 90% of the money in it. Lately, after our relationship started suffering, I discovered he transferred all the money to an off-shore account and he didn't consult me or ask for my permission, until he didn't tell me about it. I don't trust him anymore and want to divorce and have my money. Would filing for divorce affect me or my assets (I have another separate current account)? Would I be able to get my money back? How will Sharia law affect this process assuming he won't cooperate? Please advise.

Q: I have a house in Dubai that is on my name, as per the title deed. There is also a mortgage. I want to sell the property but my wife who is a resident here threatens me that if I try to do it she will apply to the court for a divorce and it would block the selling process for a longer time. This is putting me, of course, in danger of not meeting a sale agreement terms so I would have to pay a huge penalty to a buyer.

Q: How to get divorced from my Indian husband? I am from the Philippines. We are both here in the UAE. Can someone help me?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, We did not have a marriage certificate at the time of our marriage. I am filing for divorce now, but my wife is demanding a marriage certificate. Do I need to get one?

Q: A question related to divorce between a Pakistani and an Indian national. I'm a Pakistani national (Male, Christian) married to an Indian national (Hindu). The only legal document we have is from the Indian Consulate in Dubai which is a marriage certificate issued by them in 2022. We have not registered our marriage with local authorities in Dubai or the UAE. Through mutual decision, we've decided to part ways. Given the above information, we need assistance in navigating the above. The Indian embassy insists on going to Dubai courts, which to me doesn't make sense since we haven't registered our marriage with local authorities here. Any help and advice would be helpful!

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.

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.