The Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit is a declaration completed by the couple as part of the civil marriage application process. Through it, both partners confirm that they consent to the marriage, are not related within the prohibited degree, and are not currently married to another person.
It should not be confused with a separate single-status certificate, affidavit of singleness, prenuptial agreement or marriage certificate. The joint affidavit forms part of the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court’s marriage application framework and relates directly to the legal conditions the couple must satisfy before the marriage can proceed.
For couples preparing an Abu Dhabi civil marriage application, understanding what the declaration asks—and making sure it matches passports and previous-marriage documents—can help avoid unnecessary corrections during court review.
What Is the Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit?
The official Abu Dhabi Judicial Department civil marriage application contains a section titled “Joint Affidavit / إقرار الزوجين.”
Both prospective spouses use the declaration to confirm three central facts:
- they freely consent to the proposed marriage;
- they are not related to one another within the prohibited first or second degree; and
- neither person is currently married to someone else.
The couple also confirms that the information contained in the declaration is true and that relevant information has not been concealed.
This reflects Abu Dhabi’s civil-marriage law, which requires both spouses to expressly consent to the marriage and sign the prescribed declaration form.
If you are still checking whether this marriage route applies to your circumstances, it is useful to review the wider civil marriage requirements in Abu Dhabi before preparing the application.
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Why Does the Court Require the Joint Affidavit?
The affidavit allows the couple to formally confirm facts that go directly to their legal eligibility to marry.
Under Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 concerning Civil Marriage and its Effects, a civil marriage requires, among other conditions, that:
- the parties meet the applicable minimum age requirement;
- both parties consent to the marriage;
- there is no legal impediment preventing the marriage;
- the spouses sign the required declaration; and
- the marriage is not between persons within prohibited degrees of relationship.
The official marriage form must also disclose previous marital relationships and confirm that neither party currently has another existing marriage.
The Joint Affidavit therefore serves a practical legal purpose: it places those declarations directly within the marriage application rather than treating them as informal statements made by the couple.
What Information Is Included in the Joint Affidavit?
The current ADJD form contains fields for both spouses’ names and signatures, together with the date of the declaration.
Before the affidavit section, the civil marriage application also asks each applicant for personal information including:
- full name;
- address;
- age and date of birth;
- passport number;
- nationality;
- email address;
- telephone number; and
- current marital status.
The marital-status options distinguish between single, divorced and widowed applicants.
This information should match the couple’s identification and supporting records. A person who was previously married should not describe themselves inaccurately simply because the earlier marriage has ended.
How Do You Prepare the Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit?
The safest approach is to treat the affidavit as part of the official marriage application rather than drafting an unrelated declaration from scratch.
1. Check Both Passports First
Use names, passport numbers, nationality and dates exactly as they appear on the current passports.
Differences in spelling, shortened names or old passport details can create avoidable questions during document review.
2. State the Correct Marital Status
Each applicant should accurately identify whether they are single, divorced or widowed.
If either person was previously married, the current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court requirements call for supporting evidence showing that the previous marriage has ended.
A divorced applicant should therefore have the relevant divorce evidence available, while a widow or widower should provide the former spouse’s death certificate where applicable.
3. Confirm the Three Joint Declarations
Both parties should make sure they can truthfully confirm:
- their consent to marry;
- that they are not related within the prohibited degree; and
- that neither has another existing marriage.
If there is uncertainty over a previous marriage, divorce status or recognition of a foreign divorce, that issue should be resolved before making the declaration.
4. Follow the Court’s Current Signing Procedure
The official form contains signature fields for both spouses. The applicable online or court procedure should be followed when completing and signing the declaration.
Couples should not assume that they need to prepare a separate notarised affidavit outside the ADJD process unless the court specifically asks for an additional document.
Is the Joint Affidavit the Same as a Single-Status Certificate?
No. This distinction is particularly important.
The Joint Affidavit is a declaration made by the couple within the Abu Dhabi civil-marriage application. It confirms, among other matters, that neither party currently has another existing marriage.
A single-status certificate or proof-of-singleness document is normally issued or sworn separately to demonstrate a person’s marital status for a particular official purpose.
These documents should not automatically be treated as interchangeable.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s current publicly listed core documents for civil marriage are passports, Emirates IDs where applicable, and evidence of divorce or a former spouse’s death where relevant. A separate single-status certificate is not listed as a universal core requirement on the current service page.
For couples comparing different UAE marriage procedures, our guide to proof of singleness and marital-status documents explains why some marriage authorities request different forms of evidence.
What Supporting Documents Should Be Ready?
The Joint Affidavit is only one part of the application.
The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court currently lists the following core supporting documents:
- passport copies for both parties;
- Emirates ID copies if the applicants are UAE residents;
- proof of divorce where an applicant was previously divorced; and
- a former spouse’s death certificate where an applicant is widowed.
The court reviews the application and supporting documents before approving or rejecting the request and may ask for amendments or further information where necessary.
Applicants should therefore make sure that the information in the affidavit matches the documents uploaded with the application.
Can Tourists Complete the Joint Affidavit?
Yes. UAE residence is not required to apply for Abu Dhabi civil marriage.
Tourists and other non-residents can submit an application through the route provided by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
A tourist will generally provide a passport rather than an Emirates ID.
After the application is approved and the applicable court fee is paid, non-residents must travel to Abu Dhabi to attend the marriage ceremony in person.
Remote civil marriage by videoconference is currently available only where all relevant parties are UAE residents.
Do You Need Witnesses to Sign the Joint Affidavit?
No personal witnesses are required for the Abu Dhabi civil marriage ceremony under the current ADJD procedure.
The official Joint Affidavit itself is signed by the spouses. It should not be confused with witness requirements that may apply to other marriage systems, including certain religious marriage procedures.
Family members and friends may attend the Abu Dhabi civil ceremony, but they are not required to act as legal marriage witnesses.
Does the Joint Affidavit Need Separate Attestation?
The Joint Affidavit is part of the Abu Dhabi civil marriage application and should be completed according to the court’s procedure.
Couples should not automatically send the affidavit through a separate embassy, MOFA or notarisation chain unless specifically instructed to do so.
This is different from foreign supporting documents. A divorce judgment, death certificate or another document issued outside the UAE may require additional authentication, legalisation, attestation or translation depending on the circumstances and the court’s requirements.
Those processes serve different purposes from completing the couple’s joint declaration.
What Happens After the Affidavit and Application Are Submitted?
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s current process is:
- submit the civil marriage application and supporting documents;
- allow the competent section to review the application;
- complete any amendment or additional-document request raised during review;
- pay the applicable court fee after approval;
- receive the marriage ceremony appointment; and
- attend the ceremony and receive the digitally authenticated marriage certificate.
The standard civil marriage service currently costs AED 300 and is listed as taking up to 10 working days for application processing.
The urgent service costs AED 2,500 and is listed as being processed within one working day. Ceremony scheduling remains subject to the court’s procedure and availability.
What Happens to the Marriage Certificate Afterwards?
Once the ceremony is completed, the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court issues the official marriage certificate.
The Joint Affidavit is therefore part of the application stage; it is not the final marriage certificate itself.
If the certificate will later be used for immigration, spouse sponsorship, embassy registration or another overseas purpose, additional authentication may be required.
ADJD advises couples that the civil marriage certificate should be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs when it is required for use abroad. The receiving country or embassy may impose additional requirements.
Couples planning to use the certificate internationally can review the separate marriage certificate attestation requirements after the ceremony rather than confusing those formalities with the Joint Affidavit itself.
Common Mistakes When Completing the Joint Affidavit
Most issues arise when the declaration does not match the supporting documents.
Common mistakes include:
- misspelling names compared with the passport;
- using outdated passport information;
- incorrectly describing marital status;
- failing to disclose a previous marriage;
- not providing divorce evidence where required;
- missing the death certificate where the applicant is widowed;
- assuming the Joint Affidavit replaces supporting marital-status documents; and
- preparing an unrelated affidavit instead of completing the court’s required declaration.
The declarations should be reviewed before submission because the couple is confirming that the information provided is true and correct.
What Should You Check Before Submitting?
Before filing the application, check that:
- both passports are valid and clearly scanned;
- names and personal information match throughout the application;
- both partners meet the civil-marriage eligibility requirements;
- the correct marital status has been stated;
- previous-marriage evidence is ready where applicable;
- both spouses can truthfully make the declarations in the Joint Affidavit; and
- the correct resident or non-resident application route has been selected.
Completing these checks before submission is more useful than preparing extra documents that the court has not requested.
FAQs
What is the Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit?
It is the joint declaration contained within the Abu Dhabi civil marriage application in which both partners confirm their consent, that they are not related within the prohibited degree, and that neither is currently married to another person.
Do both partners have to sign the Joint Affidavit?
Yes. Abu Dhabi’s civil marriage law requires both spouses to sign the prescribed declaration form, and the official application provides signature fields for both parties.
Is the Joint Affidavit the same as a single-status certificate?
No. The Joint Affidavit forms part of the Abu Dhabi marriage application, while a single-status certificate or similar document is separate evidence of marital status that may be required under other marriage procedures.
Does the Joint Affidavit need to be separately notarised?
The official declaration is completed as part of the Abu Dhabi civil marriage process. Couples should not assume that a separate notarised affidavit is required unless the court specifically requests one.
Can tourists sign the Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit?
Yes. Tourists can apply for Abu Dhabi civil marriage without UAE residence, provided they meet the eligibility conditions and complete the required application and declaration.
What if one partner was previously married?
The previous marriage must be disclosed accurately. A divorced applicant should provide the required evidence of divorce, while a widow or widower should provide the former spouse’s death certificate where applicable.
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Conclusion
The Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Joint Affidavit is a focused declaration within the marriage application rather than a separate marriage certificate or generic affidavit of singleness.
Its purpose is to confirm the couple’s consent, absence of a prohibited close relationship, and that neither partner currently has another marriage. Those declarations must also remain consistent with the passports and any divorce or death records submitted with the application.
If you need help checking the application, marital-status documents or supporting records before filing, Dubai Court Marriage can assist with document preparation and procedural guidance. Dubai Court Marriage is a private service provider and is not the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department or another UAE government authority.
