FAMILY LAW

Polygamy is allowed as per the UAE’s law. A Muslim male may have four wives, provided he offers equal sustenance and equal treatment to all.

In the Emirates, most Emirati men have just one wife, but roughly a quarter will be known for having a second wife. Highly rare is a third or fourth wife, even amongst the wealthy men who could afford four households or a very large family in the U.A.E.

The UAE follows the same by emphasizing the rights of children and their need for strong protection. It was one of the first countries in the Middle East to sign the United Nations Convention on Child Protection and has addressed the rights of children in different existing laws ensuring that they are carried out effectively

UAE issued a new law, namely the Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 concerning the rights of children. The law contains around 75 articles setting out general and specific legal provisions protecting the rights of any child.

Getting divorced in the UAE is relatively easy. The Personal Status Court deals with both Emiratis and expats and can issue a divorce certificate in as little as a month. The process is usually straightforward and involves counselling, settlements, and court appearances.

The process of getting a divorce in the UAE can differ between Muslims and non-Muslims. For the sake of expedience, this guide looks at how to get divorced in the UAE court system, which will be most applicable to expats.

Under the law, anyone who suspects abuse or neglect should report the to the authorities. Hitting a Child: The law forbids parents or guardians from unreasonably disciplining a child. For example, hitting a child in the face is prohibited.

Yes, foreign ex-pats can get married in Dubai and they do tie the knot in the emirate. … The marriage must be legally registered with the courts or relevant embassies. Non-Muslim ex-pats can tie the knot in Dubai as per the rules of their respective countries.

The couple must have a legal and valid residency visa. Although, if the woman is entering Dubai on a visit visa along with her father or a legal guardian, then the residence visa of a male who wants to marry the girl with a visit visa will be enough.

If there is no custody order, both parents have an equal right to custody, and either can lawfully take physical possession of the child at any time. However, taking the child away without the other parent’s consent can be held against you in court if that action was not reasonable.

What exactly is an unfit parent? The legal definition of an unfit parent is when the parent through their conduct fails to provide proper guidance, care, or support. Also, if there are abuse, neglect, or substance abuse issues, that parent will be deemed unfit.

Custody is usually granted to the mother without interfering with the rights of the father as Guardian for the child. The custody laws provide that a parent should have the same religion as the child. The religion of the child is determined by the father so if the father is Muslim, the child is also Muslim.

The court will determine what is in the child’s best interests by giving weight to two primary considerations: the benefit to the child of having a meaningful relationship with both of the child’s parents.

In divorce cases, spouses typically fight over the custody of the child, and generally, it is the mother who wins out in the U.A.E. Again, since the courts of law are only concerned with the child’s best interests, mothers are not awarded custody when they are deemed unfit.

UAE as a whole — has updated its laws on this matter and, consequently, unmarried couples in UAE can now and henceforth live together and/or have consensual sex in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the rest of the UAE without penalties, queries or fear of getting jailed.