Q: We separated with my wife almost a year ago and my 4-year-old daughter stays with me and her nanny in my apartment full-time. I am taking care of all the expenses and supporting her with all needed. And I want everything to be the same after divorcing. Would it be possible for me to get custody in this situation? What are the fees of the family lawyer in Dubai? 

Q: Until the 5th February 2016, I was in the UAE. Now, I am in Pakistan and my 18-year-old son is living with his mother in the UAE. Can I apply for the custody of my son from my home country?

Q: Dear, I have been recently divorced in Abu Dhabi. My ex-wife converted to Islam in order to get a sharia divorce, though during our marriage she's always been a Christian. She has gained custody of the children, I had guardianship. As I had no employment in the UAE, end of March, I had to return to Belgium. Since then she has blocked any contact with my 2 boys. This weekend, I found out she is pregnant and is living with her boyfriend and my children in our flat (we own it) in Abu Dhabi. On top of that, she has stolen most of my belongings (family souvenirs, all my photography equipment). I want to know what I could be doing, being in Belgium right now. I want to get my kids, I don't want her to get away with being pregnant, unmarried (she made me suffer and accused me of many lies). Her law firm is Al Rowaad!

Q: I am the father of a young child and his sponsor. Recently, I lost my employment in the UAE. I will soon need to leave the country back to my home country. My ex-wife has full custody and resides on her own visa in the UAE. I have been paying monthly child maintenance and annual housing to my ex-wife despite the restriction she has been placing on my ability to see my child since the divorce several years ago and has neither seen him nor heard him for the past 6 months. - How can I enforce my right to see my child once I leave the UAE? - What are my obligations in regards to alimony payment once I leave the country (considering the current economic situation, I don't know how long I'll be unemployed for)? - What are my obligations in regard to my child's visa sponsorship considering that I will soon be forced to cancel his visa? - Is there any legal possibility for me to reclaim custody of my child?

Q: Hello, I am an Indian living in Abu Dhabi since 2007 and my wife who is now on her company's employment visa moved out to a separate house beginning of 2021 along with my 6-year-old child (who's also on her sponsorship visa). Now she's not letting me meet with my son whereas my son has clearly expressed that he wants to stay with me permanently and doesn't want to stay with my wife. What are my legal rights in terms of: a) Visitation rights b) Custody of my child Best regards

Q: My wife and I got divorced 3 months ago, she has custody of our 6-month old daughter. She wants to remarry but I disagree with the person she wants to remarry as he has a history of violence and abuse. Can I have the custody agreement revoked?

س: السلام عليكم، طليقتي حاضنة لأطفالي (أعمارهما ١٠ و٨ سنوات). أدفع نفقة شهرية وإيجار مسكن. اتفقت معها على نقل حضانة الأطفال لي بعد انتهاء العام الدراسي. حسب ما فهمت، لا توجد وثيقة قانونية/شرعية لتنازل الأم عن حضانة أطفالها. هل يكون الاتفاق معها وديًا بدون أي وثائق تضمن حقوقي؟ في حال اتفقنا وديًا وانتقلت الحضانة لي: - كيف أوثق قانونيًا أن الحضانة انتقلت لي وأن أضمن حقي بأنها لن تطالبني بالنفقة ولا بالمسكن عند انتقال الأولاد إلى حضانتي؟ - كيف أضمن حقي بأنها لن تأخذ الأولاد ثانية إلى حضانتها في حال غيرت رأيها في المستقبل؟ ولكم جزيل الشكر!

س: السلام عليكم، تنازلت طليقتي عن حضانة الأولاد والنفقة لأنها قررت الزواج. وثقنا اتفاق نقل الحضانة والتنازل عن النفقة في المحكمة الأسرية. بعد فترة، قررت طليقتي أنها لن تتزوج وتريد استعادة حضانة الأطفال واستعادة النفقة كاملة مع مسكن. هل تستطيع إجباري قانونيًا على إعادة حضانة الأولاد لها ودفع نفقة ومسكن بالرغم من وجود ورقة التنازل الموثَّقة في محكمة الأسرة؟ شكرًا جزيلاً!

Q: How to raise a request in the MOJ e-filing system (Smart justice portal) requesting the judge to obtain reports from the police and social support center? I'm a plaintiff (husband). On the 7th of Mar 2024, the first instance divorce judgment was provided based on Article 7 of Federal Law 41 of 2022 and Article 133 of the Code of Civil Procedures. The defendant (wife) was requested to pay expenses and fees. A verbal request was made to the judge during the trial by the plaintiff, but the court doesn't have these records as per the court front desk. This report can prove a physical assault, infidelity, and written agreements made with social support and the defendant did abide by it, as the plaintiff was forced to initiate divorce. Is possible to raise it now after the judgment since it is an important record for future child custody? Or same request can be made again during the child custody case? And is it recommended to only proceed with moral damages and financial damages claims as of now?

Q: A police complaint was filed for physical assault and alcohol abuse. The wife left home without the child and later was interviewed by social support. The wife was guilty after admitting the truth and gave a written statement to visit a psychiatrist and take therapy. She didn't adhere to the agreement. Followed by a court case, divorce was granted to the husband based on infidelity, neglect, alcohol abuse, failure in maternal duties, verbal abuse, and misuse of social media under article 7 of federal law 41 of 2022, and the wife was obligated to pay expenses and fees under Article 133 of the Civil Procedures Code. The child has been physically with the husband since October 2023 and the entire expenses and well-being are taken care of by the husband. The ex-wife irregularly visits the child, doesn't provide personal or financial support, forces the husband to give the child a passport and doesn't want to raise it with the court, and continues to distress claiming that she has not given custody of the child. Should I raise a case for proof of custody or child custody?

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.

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.

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.

Joint Custody in UAE Law Article 10 of the Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status for Non-Muslims shines a spotlight on the significance of Shared custody following divorce. This article recognizes joint and equal custody as a right for both the father and mother post-separation or divorce.

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.