It is well known that the UAE is a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. In recognition of this, the country has established a family court for non-Muslim expatriates. A remarkable feature of this legal development is that civil marriage licenses for non-Muslims can be obtained within 24 hours, marking the shortest period ever recorded for such proceedings. This facilitates the legal union of couples within the UAE.
Eligibility Criteria for Civil Marriage in Dubai
Before you apply for a marriage license, it is important to understand the conditions that must be met to qualify for a civil marriage contract in Dubai. These are the main things you need to meet:
- Religious Affiliation: The applicants must not be Muslims.
- Residency Requirement: One of the applicants should at least be residing in the Emirate of Dubai.
- Age Limit: Both applicants should have attained 21 years of age.
- Marital Status Proof: Applicants must present an authenticated certificate from their country of origin’s embassy showing that they are single.
- Personal Presence: The applicants themselves or their legal representative with power of attorney must personally appear before them.
- Documentation Format: All original identification and other electronic documentation should be in PDF format only.
- Identification Documents: Applicants’ Emirates ID, original passport and copy of Dubai residency visa will also be required during application.
- Legal Translation: Every document has to undergo official translation into Arabic by approved agency compliant with UAE Ministry of Justice and completely certified by UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The 24-Hour Process to Register Marriage in Dubai
After the fulfillment of all requirements and conditions, the applicant can further undergo the following steps to obtain a civil marriage contract within no more than twenty-four hours.
- Visit to the Dubai Courts Service Centre: The first step is to visit Dubai Courts Service Center where an application will be submitted.
- Digital Form Completion: A digital form asking for essential personal information as well as legal and current details till the mentioned date will have to be filled in by the applicant.
- Procedures for Verifying Consent: In order to ascertain that it was given freely and honestly by them, i.e. out of their volition and independently, officials representing Dubai Courts usually contact them personally during which they verify declarations made by both sides entering into marriage.
- Electronic Signature: To conclude, when approved, candidates should sign electronically on this paper about their marriage agreement.
- Judicial Review – After being reviewed by a judge who scans it for all laws while signing the document in between, this document is considered valid.
- Approval by Judge: Once all conditions are met, upon satisfaction of all requirements and conditions, his/her electronic signature shall be affixed thereto concluding approval.
- Official Documentation: The Dubai Courts are required to prepare official documentation of the marriage contract in an electronic way.
- Delivery: Once the document has been positioned, delivery shall be by SMS and email within twenty-four hours.
Marriage Conditions and Guidelines
Conditions and requirements on validity of the marriage contract itself as a civil marriage have been imposed by the authorities in UAE with a view to rationalizing its practice and maintaining some degree of economy and transparency:
- Age Requirement: It is a legal proof that both man and woman who want to marry each other should not be under 21 years old.
- Consent and Legal Impediment: Both sides agreed in front of a judge who will also check if there are any obstacles that can prevent them from getting married legally.
- Declaration Form: Before entering into a marital relationship, spouses must sign a declaration form showing consent and intention to marry.
- Prohibited Relationships: Relationship between brother and sister; relationship between children; relationship between children of brothers and sisters; relationship between uncle and niece/uncle’s nephew.
- Additional Conditions: Subject to any additional conditions prescribed by decision of chairman of Dubai Courts if any.
Fees and Charges
Obtaining a civil wedding license in Dubai involves a total fee of AED482, which is broken down as follows:
- Service Fees: AED220
- Court Fees: AED262
This shall keep varying and change without prior notice. Applicants are requested to seek the advice of a marriage lawyer.
Expert Legal Assistance for Your Civil Marriage in Dubai
To get married in Dubai as an expatriate couple who are not Muslims can be an interesting and complicated process. The twenty-four-hour civil marriage contract is convenient but the legal requirements and documentation might be tricky especially if you are not familiar with local legislations.
This is where an attorney at Dubai Courts Marriage who specializes in marriage comes into play. Our group of experienced family lawyers will help you through the process of getting a civil marriage making it easy and stress-free.
Here’s how our marriage lawyers can assist you:
- Eligibility Check: We’ll analyze your case to determine if you meet all the requirements such as residency, age and marital status.
- Document Preparation: Our attorneys will help you gather and prepare all necessary papers ensuring they are properly translated, attested and formatted according to Dubai courts guidelines.
- Consent Verification: We will lead you through consent verification thus ensuring both partners are fully aware of their rights and obligations under UAE laws.
- Legal Representation: Our team of attorneys will ensure you are adequately represented when making an application, as we have had a long-standing relationship with all the essential Dubai court officials and will support you at every stage to protect your rights.
- Counseling after Marriage: Besides the civil marriage contract, our lawyers offer useful advice on context-specific issues such as prenuptial agreements, proprietary rights among other legal points which can be helpful to non-Muslim couples in the UAE.
Contact Dubai Court Marriage today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a successful civil marriage in Dubai. Our team is ready to assist you every step of the way.
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