Q: I am married and have a 5-year-old daughter. However, I split up from my husband a year ago (but still married). Now I am in a new relationship and pregnant. So, I am pregnant, married but not married to the father of the baby I am carrying. There is no time to divorce my husband and get remarried in time. What’s the best solution? Should I stay married to my husband so I can seek medical care here during the pregnancy? But then would that mean I have to put my husband's name on the birth certificate? Is there any way I can put the father's name on the birth certificate? I guess not, since I’m not married to him!

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.

Q: Hi. I am in India for the last 5 months and still hold a valid UAE visa. My wife is staying in Dubai and has applied for mutual divorce in Dubai Courts. We are married since 2008 and have no children. Can my wife be granted a divorce in my absentia (ex parte) under the Hindu marriage act? If so, how soon can this be done as we both need the divorce and I am unable to travel to Dubai?

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.