Q: I married in Poland, my wife is Polish and I am English. For the past 3 years, she has refused to live here and now has no residency visa. We have a 13-year-old son, and she is pregnant. She organized this by IVF treatment which was from a spermicide sample of mine without consultation. I am considering whether I can divorce in the UAE where I am a resident, and what would be the financial implications of doing so.

Q: My husband and I married in Dubai and we separated 4 years ago. He is a British citizen who left the UAE for good, and I am from Uzbekistan also left to my home country for good. Now, I want to divorce and wanted to know if I can file the case in my home country or it must be in Dubai (I can’t just travel to Dubai for divorce). We have one kid and he is not really a caring or responsible person. He doesn’t talk to me or his son, with no support from him. I will appreciate any helpful advice.

Q: Salam. Would like to know, how one can initiate divorce in the UAE, both husband and wife are willing to separate. How long will the process be, if one goes to court on own? And if one takes assistance from a Lawyer, how fast it can be done and what could be total approx. cost? Thanks

Q: I'm Jordanian and my wife as well. We have a daughter who's 1 year and 6 months old. My visa got cancelled as well my daughter's and I asked my wife to come back to Jordan but she refused and kept my daughter and hid her passport. I'm now in Jordan. Can she file a divorce case against me even if I'm not in the UAE anymore?

Q: Please, can you let me know if the UAE courts would have jurisdiction in a divorce case for a British non-Muslim UAE resident with a UAE residency visa? The other party is a not a UAE resident nor a Muslim and has never had a UAE residency visa, but has visited the UAE on a visit visa 12 months ago and has issued (but not yet served) a divorce petition in the UK? And does it matter when the divorce petition issued in the UK is served to the UAE resident? Will it make any difference if it is served before or after they file for divorce in the UAE?

Q: I'm an Indian Muslim expat living and working in the UAE. My marriage was solemnized in India. We also have a two-year-old son. Due to irreconcilable differences, I have informed my wife and our families that I wish to file for divorce. My wife has a residence visa valid till May 2019 but she (and my son) have not been in the UAE since December 2018. As I live and work in the UAE, I want to file for divorce here. While my in-laws are ok with a mutual consent divorce in India, my wife will not be returning to the UAE. I would prefer to file for divorce in the UAE as I'm not familiar with the law in India. I also don't want to deal with any potential false charges that could hamper my ability to come back to the UAE. While my in-laws have not indicated any such actions, I want to prepare for the worst-case scenario. I also would want to have legal visitation rights to him, even if he lives in India post-divorce. Can any lawyer help me understand my legal options in this case? Thanks.

Q: I'm a Zimbabwean woman married to a Nigerian man for 5 years. We have been living in Dubai for a little over a year. I would like to divorce my husband as there are extreme irreconcilable issues. We have a son who is 4 years old with special needs. I'm a stay at home mum and have dedicated my every being in raising him since he was born. I would like advice as to how to proceed with a divorce in the UAE. My husband is a man with a short and sometimes violent temper. If I file for divorce and still live with him I fear for what would happen. Is it against the law to leave with my son to a safe place (a friend's place/rent a place temporarily) as soon as I have filed? I have no intention of denying the father access to his son, every son needs his father, despite our differences. I just want to avoid a messy situation that my son could possibly witness. What measures can I take to ensure my son and my safety without breaching the law or damping my chances as his custodian?

Q: Is it possible for an Indian couple to file a mutual divorce from marriage under the Special Marriage Act of the Indian Law in the UAE?

س: السلام عليكم، ما أنواع الطلاق؟ وإذا كان الطلاق بطلب الرجل أو بطلب المرأة، فما الحقوق والواجبات في كل حالة حسب النظم المتبعة في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة؟

Q: I would like to inquire about getting married in the UAE (regardless of which Emirate). There is one couple planning to get married this March 2023. The groom is a Pakistani Muslim (divorcee) and the bride is Philipina Christian (legally married in the Philippines). The bride is saying that she has not filed the annulment yet in the Philippines, which means that she is still legally married. The bride is saying that there will be no Marriage Contract and the required documents are not yet needed. If they get married in Islamic law, is it legal? Is there any legal consequence if they still continue getting married? What actions are to be done if they still do so?

As the bilateral relations between India and the United Arab Emirates have witnessed a rapid growth in the recent past, and to further augment their strategic partnership, the Central Government of India has on January 17, 2020, declared the UAE to be a reciprocating territory for the purposes of Section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC).

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.

الأسرة هي عماد المجتمع، ويدور صلاحه مع صلاحها وجوداً وعدماً، فأن فسدت الاسرة فسد المجتمع؛ ولذلك اعتنت الشريعة الإسلامية بتنظيم العلاقات الاسرية أيما عناية. فالزوج والزوجة هما الأصول التي يتفرع منها الأبناء، فإن لم تستقِم العلاقة بينهما انعكس ذلك على بقية أفراد الاسرة من الأبناء وبالتالي فسد مجتمع الأسرة. وفي دولة الامارات العربية المتحدة يولي المشرع اهتماماً بشؤون الأسرة من خلال قانون الأحوال الشخصية الإماراتي وتقنينه من وقت لآخر بإجراء عدد من التعديلات عليه لكي يتماشى مع أوضاع الأسرة المختلفة.

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.