Non-Muslims and foreign residents have several legal routes for getting married in the UAE. The right procedure depends on where the couple lives, whether both parties are non-Muslim, their nationality and whether they choose a civil, religious or other legally available marriage route.
For foreigners living in Dubai, one important option is civil marriage through Dubai Courts. Abu Dhabi also operates a separate civil marriage system with different eligibility and residency rules.
This guide explains the current legal framework and the main steps for getting married in the UAE as a non-Muslim.
Civil Marriage Law for Non-Muslims in the UAE
Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status provides a federal civil personal-status framework for non-Muslims.
Under Article 1, the law applies to non-Muslim UAE citizens and non-Muslim foreigners residing in the UAE, unless the applicable choice-of-law provisions are used. Persons covered by the law may also agree to apply other family or personal-status legislation in force in the UAE where legally permitted.
The UAE also has a newer general Personal Status Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024, which replaced the previous Federal Law No. 28 of 2005. The applicable legal route therefore needs to be identified according to the couple’s religion, nationality and circumstances.
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Can Foreigners Get Married in Dubai?
Yes. Foreigners can legally get married in Dubai provided they satisfy the requirements of the marriage route they use.
For non-Muslim foreigners, Dubai Courts provides a civil marriage procedure. The current main conditions include:
- both parties must be non-Muslims;
- both parties must be at least 21 years old;
- at least one party must have residence in Dubai;
- the couple must establish their marital status; and
- the required identity and supporting documents must be provided.
Foreign documents may need official attestation and legal Arabic translation before they can be accepted by Dubai Courts.
Couples can also review our civil marriage options in the UAE before choosing the appropriate procedure.
Requirements for Civil Marriage Under the Federal Law
Article 5 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 sets out the principal requirements for a civil marriage contract under the federal framework.
- Both parties must be at least 21 Gregorian years.
- The marriage must not be between persons within the prohibited degrees of relationship specified by law.
- Both parties must expressly consent to the marriage before the Authentication Judge.
- The couple must sign the required disclosure form.
- Any additional requirements in the Executive Regulations must also be satisfied.
The Executive Regulations also provide for review of the application, verification of the documents, payment of the applicable fees and authentication of the marriage contract by the competent court.
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage for Foreigners
Foreign couples should not assume that Dubai and Abu Dhabi have identical civil-marriage requirements.
| Requirement | Dubai Civil Marriage | Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 | 18 |
| Residency | At least one party must reside in Dubai | UAE residence is not required; tourists may apply |
| Religion | Dubai Courts civil route is for non-Muslims | Available regardless of religion or nationality, except for Muslim UAE nationals |
| Existing marriage | Marital status must be established | Neither party may already be married |
| Witnesses | Follow the Dubai Courts procedure applicable to the application | No witness is required |
Abu Dhabi’s Civil Family Court also accepts applications from tourists. Its current regular service may take up to 10 working days, while an urgent service is available within one working day.
For that route specifically, see our guide to civil marriage in Abu Dhabi.
How to Get Married in Dubai as a Non-Muslim Foreigner
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
First confirm that the Dubai civil-marriage route applies to you. Both parties must be non-Muslim and 21 or older, and at least one party must have Dubai residence.
If one party is Muslim, different marriage rules may apply and the couple should not assume that the standard Dubai non-Muslim civil procedure is available.
Step 2: Prepare Your Documents
The documents depend on the couple’s circumstances, but Dubai Courts requires evidence of identity and marital status.
Documents may include:
- passport and identification documents;
- proof of Dubai residence where applicable;
- proof of current marital status;
- a divorce judgment if previously divorced;
- a death certificate if a previous spouse has died; and
- any additional documents requested for the application.
Documents issued outside the UAE may need to be attested through the applicable official channels and legally translated into Arabic.
Step 3: Submit the Marriage Application
The application is submitted through the applicable Dubai Courts service channel together with the required supporting documents.
The documents are reviewed to confirm that the couple satisfies the eligibility requirements before the marriage procedure proceeds.
Step 4: Complete the Marriage Procedure
The couple must expressly consent to the marriage and complete the signing and authentication requirements prescribed by the court.
Dubai Courts also allows an authorised representative in applicable circumstances where the required specific Power of Attorney has been provided.
Step 5: Receive the Marriage Contract
Once the required conditions and formalities have been completed, the marriage is officially recorded and the couple receives the court-issued marriage document.
If the certificate will later be used abroad, additional UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation or destination-country formalities may be required.
What Does the Federal Civil Marriage Process Involve?
For couples using the federal civil-marriage framework, Articles 5 and 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 and its Executive Regulations provide the main process.
Submission of the Marriage Application
The couple submits the prescribed application and supporting documents to the competent court.
Marriage Agreement
The spouses may agree on terms governing their rights during marriage and after divorce, within the framework permitted by the civil personal-status legislation.
Disclosure of Marital Status
The required disclosure process addresses the parties’ marital status and previous marriages. The application must establish that there is no legal impediment to concluding the marriage.
Authentication of the Marriage Contract
After the conditions and documentation have been verified, the Authentication Judge completes the applicable authentication procedure and the competent court issues the civil marriage document.
The Executive Regulations provide for civil marriage documents to be issued in Arabic and English where necessary, taking the parties’ nationalities into account.
Do Non-Muslims Have to Use Civil Marriage?
No. Civil marriage is an important option, but it is not necessarily the only route available to every non-Muslim couple.
Depending on nationality, religion and the institutions involved, some couples may be able to marry through:
- a recognised church or other authorised religious institution;
- an embassy or consulate that is legally authorised to conduct marriages; or
- another UAE marriage procedure applicable to their circumstances.
Not every embassy or religious institution provides marriage services, and its requirements may differ significantly. Couples should check directly with the institution before relying on that route.
Do You Need to Register an Embassy or Church Marriage Again?
There is no single rule requiring every non-Muslim couple to register a marriage with both partners’ embassies.
What needs to happen after an embassy, consular or religious marriage depends on how the marriage was concluded, the couple’s nationalities and where the marriage certificate will be used.
A certificate may require registration, attestation, authentication or legalisation before it can be used for UAE government procedures or in another country.
What If One Partner Is Muslim and the Other Is Non-Muslim?
A Muslim and non-Muslim couple should not automatically follow the same procedure described for two non-Muslim applicants.
The available marriage route depends on which partner is Muslim, the religion of the other partner, their nationalities and the court or emirate involved. The couple should confirm eligibility before preparing documents or booking a civil-marriage procedure.
How Dubai Court Marriage Can Help
Choosing the correct marriage route can be particularly important for foreign couples because Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the federal civil-marriage framework do not have identical requirements.
Our team can review your nationality, religion, residency and marital status, identify the applicable marriage route and assist with preparing the documents required for the relevant procedure.
Check your civil marriage options in the UAE.
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FAQs
Can foreigners get married in Dubai?
Yes. Foreigners can marry in Dubai if they meet the requirements of the applicable marriage route. Dubai Courts offers civil marriage for eligible non-Muslim foreigners.
Can non-Muslims have a civil marriage in Dubai?
Yes. Both parties must be non-Muslim and at least 21, and at least one party must have Dubai residence.
Can tourists get a civil marriage in Dubai?
Dubai civil marriage requires at least one party to have Dubai residence. Tourists may instead qualify for Abu Dhabi’s civil-marriage route.
What documents are needed for civil marriage in Dubai?
Couples generally need identification, proof of Dubai residence where applicable, and evidence of marital status. Foreign documents may require attestation and Arabic translation.
How old must you be for civil marriage in Dubai?
Both parties must be at least 21 years old for the Dubai Courts civil-marriage route.
Can non-Muslim tourists marry in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court accepts eligible tourist couples and does not require UAE residency.
How long does civil marriage take in Abu Dhabi?
ADJD currently lists up to 10 working days for its regular service and one working day for its urgent service.
Do foreign marriage documents need to be translated into Arabic?
They may. Dubai Courts requires applicable foreign documents to complete the required attestation process and be legally translated into Arabic where required.
