Q: I am legally divorced since 2015 in the UAE and paying sustenance to my wife for our son (15 years). Son is under the sponsorship of my ex and she is not renewing her and my son's visa. My son has no visa or medical insurance. I am willing to sponsor my son however, my ex is not cooperating. My ex-wife is not working or earning either. What can I do? I want to protect the legal status of my son and have proper health insurance for him. Which government department can I report this matter to? Your advice will be appreciated.

Q: Hello, I would love to understand the new child custody laws in-depth for non-Muslim residents. My wife was granted our child's custody in the judgment of the first instance court but I have appealed against it. Having said that, I have a family here in Dubai to support raising my son whereas my wife has only herself (she is currently employed) and has a nanny only. How can I get full custody of our son or maybe apply for joint custody as per the new law?

Q: My family is currently overstaying in the UAE for over a year now as my mother lost her job. We want to transfer it to my father’s sponsorship. Is there any possible way to get this done since we’ve been delaying it due to financial constraints? Also, since there is a financial case; we are hesitant to visit the immigration directly. Any advice? We want to solve this as soon as possible and reduce the fines as much.

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.