Is online marriage legal for Dubai Expats moving to UK

There is no legal definition of “internet marriage” at this time. Online weddings were only conceptualized in 2019, and the UK has not modified its legal framework since then.

If the following conditions are met, the marriage will be accepted in the UK:

1. The Parties to the marriage must have fulfilled the necessary steps in the nation of marriage, and
2. The marriage must be recognized as a legal union there.

Following UK legislation, it would be permitted if:

1. It is necessary to dissolve any past marriages legally.
2. The Couple must be legally capable of being married under the laws of the nation they live in when they get married.

The UK recognizes marriage as legitimate if it was contracted outside of the country and recognized as legal under the state’s laws.

Also read about Marriage in Seychelles for UAE residents

What do you need to know about online marriage in the UAE?

Several factors are at play when assessing whether online marriages are legal. Online marriages had no legal meaning for a long time, but thanks to COVID-19, things have somewhat altered. An online wedding may be civil, meaning the paperwork is in order and the Couple is legally married. An additional option for an internet wedding is a religious service. Nowadays, several religious marriages are conducted online using Zoom or Skype.

But in many nations, religious unions without official civil papers are not recognized. It implies that an online religious marriage may be seen as an unofficial street rite. The Couple must provide their formal civil marriage paperwork for the online wedding to be valid.

Online marriage procedure in the United Arab Emirates

If both you and your spouse have all the necessary paperwork, getting married online is a relatively simple procedure. If your situation is complex, you may apply directly at the embassy or work with a wedding business specializing in online weddings.

The agency will do a thorough legal embassy inspection based on your nationality with the help of their in-house attorneys. The procedure for getting married online may be finished if there are no issues with the embassies. You will also obtain a genuine and legitimate wedding certificate; the only need is that you have a current passport. Understanding that an online wedding has nothing to do with your spirituality or religion is crucial. The majority of this is paperwork and documentation. The option of a small online religious ceremony or a later in-person religious ceremony is always available, should it be required.

You may want to know: Marriage in GCC for Saudi expats

Legal prerequisites for online marriage recognition in the UK

Being recognized as being lawfully married in the UK:

1. Following the marriage, you must get a formal, official marriage certificate, and the marriage must then be recognized by UK law.
2. Upon arriving in the UK, you want to live as a married couple.
3. When you apply, you must have personally interacted with each other and demonstrate that you are in a committed relationship. You must also have lived together for at least two years.
4. The Couple must be above the age of 18.
5. English language proficiency.
6. They must be able to maintain themselves and their dependents financially.

Who may determine the validity of online marriage in the UK?

The legitimacy of the marriage cannot be determined by an embassy or consular official without a court order. The legitimacy and legality of a marriage performed overseas may only be decided by a UK court of law. According to UK law, weddings involving at least one British citizen that takes place overseas before the appropriate authorities and are regarded as lawful in that nation are probably accepted as valid in the UK.

Is It Legal in The UK If You Get Married Overseas?

As long as the marriage was consummated following local legal requirements, it will often be recognized as valid in the UK. This assumption, however, may be disproven if there is sufficient proof that the marriage was illegal.

Read more about Is online marriage legal for Dubai expats moving to CANADA?

How to legally get married overseas?

1. Having the “capacity” to marry is crucial for both parties. A specific capacity may apply depending on where the parties’ domiciles are. Legally speaking, a person’s nationality determines their domicile, albeit this might alter if they move from the country they once considered their permanent residence to another. Generally, the parties must be deemed to have the capacity under the laws of both of their domiciles, with some restrictions that often relate to ability under UK family law. If there is any uncertainty as to whether the UK family court would find there to be capable, specialized guidance should be sought as this may be a complicated issue.
2. No matter what the legislation of either party’s place of residence may be, the UK will not recognize a marriage started without both parties’ agreement. The Marriage Act of 1949 has specific restrictions on the kind of ceremony used, and both a civil and a religious ceremony may be required.
3. The requirement of Public Policy. It is more ambiguous and challenging to identify the public policy necessity. Because of the strict criteria, anything violating morality would not be recognized. The legal counsel of marriage lawyer in Dubai should be sought before any marriage that includes more than two individuals to see if it may be recognized.

At Dubai Court Marriage, we have a team of knowledgeable and qualified marriage lawyer in Dubai who can assist you in completing your documentation and ultimately getting the marriage recognized in the UAE and overseas. In cases where there is uncertainty about Marriage requirements abroad, the opinion of a local expert marriage lawyer in Dubai should be obtained.

For more information about the validity of online marriage for Dubai expats moving to the UK, please don’t hesitate to contact our marriage lawyer at Dubai Court Marriage.