UAE Announces New Family Law for Non-Muslim Residents

Category : International Published on: February 06 2023

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New family rules for non-Muslims living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), known as "Federal Personal Status Laws," came into effect.
The new rules, which cover several family law topics like marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, wills, and paternity, will apply to non-Muslim expats or foreigners residing in the UAE.
The new reforms to UAE’s judicial systems originate from Abu Dhabi’s Civil Family Court System, which allows non-Muslim couples to divorce or marry without following the Sharia laws, similar to the wedding registry offices in UK and Europe or even by adhering to their home country’s laws.
Under the new laws, non-Muslim couples can now marry "based on the will of both the husband and wife", meaning they will no longer need to obtain consent from the woman's father or guardian to marry.
Spouses will also have the right to divorce without having to prove that their partner was at fault or has caused harm during the marriage, known as "no-fault" divorces.