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The law that is followed in UAE is shariah law and as per shariah law, the marriage is considered to be the bond that is between a man and a woman for a legal relationship. As we all know that the economic boom has been the flash news in Dubai because everyone has been into visiting UAE and setting up businesses here, the number of foreigners has increased to a huge extent. Professionals from all over the world have begun to settle down in UAE for running their businesses and raising their families.
According to Islam, marriage is considered to be a legal contract between two people (a man and a woman) aiming to safeguard the rights of both the couple and the children. For two people to get married in UAE, they first of all need to register the marriage in a Sharia court for ensuring all the legal requirements of getting married in UAE. Contact top Law firms in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Can Expatriates / foreigners get Married in Dubai UAE?
Yes, expatriates are allowed to get married in UAE and they do get married in UAE. However, there are certain rules and regulation for the expatriates to get married in UAE which depends upon their nationality or religion. Get a free consultation from family lawyers UAE.
If a man and a woman are from the same religion, it is quite easier for them to get married as compared to the ones which are from different religions. For example, if a man who is Christian and wants to get married to a woman who is Muslim, the Christian man will have to convert to Islam for getting married to a Muslim woman.
For the Non-Muslims to get married in UAE, the laws of their home country will be applicable. For this purpose, the spouse would be required to have a valid Visa of residence in Dubai. If any of the spouses possess a visit visa, then he or she will have to undergo a proper medical examination before getting married in UAE.
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Online Services for Court Marriage in Dubai
Dubai offers online services for the people who want to get married through the court procedures. The online portal facilitates the people for registering their marriage by going through all the legal procedures just by accessing the portal and get Dubai court marriage certificate.
Getting married in Dubai may not be as easy as it may appear to you because there are a lot of legalities that are to be completed beforehand. No matter whether you live in Dubai or not, you will have to go through all the required procedures.
Find more Info about: Procedures for Inter-religious Marriage
Here are some of the legalities that should be fulfilled in order to get married in Dubai:
Legal Requirements for Foreigners/ Expatriates to Get Married in Dubai
First of all, you need to know that the residency requirements are not a must for getting married in Dubai, UAE. For people to get married in Dubai, the paperwork almost takes 4 weeks. The age of both the men and the women should be above 18 whereas the bride and groom should not be related as well. There should be 2 witnesses with their ID proofs. Note that the legalities may differ from nationality to nationality. That is why make sure you check out on your home country’s embassy for all the legal requirements of getting married.
Obtain A Marriage License in Dubai (For Foreigners/ Expatriates)
If you are a Non-Muslim living in UAE, you may organize your wedding at a church or an embassy in UAE. Bring along all the required documents and papers for Dubai marriage registration including your birth certificates, passports, photocopies, witnesses etc. take help from advocates in Dubai.
If you want to get your marriage certificate in the English language, you can do so but the Arabic translation would still be required. After you receive both the versions of your marriage certificate (English and Arabic), you can take the certificates to the Notary public Dubai.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will do further authentication of the certificates. Furthermore, the certificates will be authenticated from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). After that, you would need to visit your embassy for obtaining the authenticated certificates. For different nationalities, visit both the embassies. Or you can take help from court marriage lawyers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE.
Find out more info: How to get married in Dubai – Complete Guide for Expats and Nationals
For Islamic Marriages (expatriates)
UAE residence visa would be required from both the bride and the groom if they both are non-UAE nationals.
Father of the bride or his marriage lawyer in Dubai would have to accompany the couple for the marriage.
Documents required would be:
- Two male witnesses. Both should be Muslims.
- Passports and their copies along with identification papers for the custodian and witnesses.
- divorce or death proof certificate of a former spouse, in case applicable.
Marriage lawyers in Dubai
Family law seems like a broad term with a lot of complexities. This is why our firm’s HHS lawyers and legal consultants expert family lawyers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE help the people through thick and thin in proper legal manners.
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FAQ’s
Is it legal to marry foreigners in Dubai?
Should foreigners be UAE residents to marry in Dubai?
Civil Marriage (Non-Muslims): In Dubai, generally at least one party must hold a valid UAE residency visa. However, tourists can easily marry in the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, which allows 100% non-resident (tourist) marriages.
Sharia Marriage (Muslims): At least one party (usually the groom or the bride’s guardian) must have a residency visa.
What are the documents that foreigners need to get married in Dubai?
Valid passports for both parties.
Evidence of marital status (Single status certificate, Divorce Decree, or Death Certificate of a former spouse).
Birth certificates (often required for registration).
Emirates ID (for residents).
Passport-sized photographs.
Note: All foreign documents must be legalized and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and translated into Arabic by a certified legal translator.
In Dubai, do you need to attest documents in order to marry a foreigner?
Authentication by the issuing country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Attestation by the UAE Embassy in that country.
Final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) inside the UAE.
Are there any non-Muslim foreign daughters who can be married in Dubai?
Do Muslim foreigners marry in Dubai?
Does Dubai require a guardian (wali) for foreign marriage?
Sharia Marriage: A male guardian (Wali) is mandatory for the bride.
Civil Marriage (Non-Muslims): No guardian is required. The marriage is based on the mutual consent of both parties (who must be at least 18 years old under the new federal law).
Do foreigners need to have witnesses in order to marry in Dubai?
Sharia Marriage: Requires two male Muslim witnesses.
Civil Marriage: The 2026 secular process typically requires two witnesses (of any gender or religion) to sign the contract before the judge.
Is it possible to marry in Dubai as a foreigner of other nationalities?
Will foreigners be allowed to marry in Dubai provided that they observe other religions?
Interfaith: A Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim woman (Christian or Jewish) under Sharia law.
Civil: Non-Muslims of any faith (or no faith) can marry under the Civil Personal Status Law, which is a purely secular contract.
Do foreigners need to be tested medically in order to marry in Dubai?
Sharia/Muslim Marriage: A premarital medical screening is mandatory to check for infectious and genetic diseases.
Civil Marriage: While once optional for some, many Dubai-based civil applications in 2026 may still request a screening to ensure public health compliance. It is best to check the specific court requirements during your application.
How many days are required to complete the marriage process of foreigners in Dubai?
Civil Marriage: Often completed within 24 to 48 hours after an online application is approved.
Sharia Marriage: Usually takes a few days to schedule a Ma’zoon or a court slot.
