How to get married to foreigners in Dubai
Dubai is the largest city of the United Arab Emirates, one of the business and technological centers of the kingdom, which attracts thousands of people every year. Many Europeans, Americans, and representatives of Asian regions choose this city to live and work.
The majority of the local population of Dubai, as well as the rest of the emirates, are Muslim, and all areas of life are subject to Sharia law. This is the biggest challenge for all non-Muslims living in the UAE.
It can be quite difficult for foreigners to put up with and follow strict Islamic laws, especially with regard to the status of women in society and family law. For example, a man and a woman can’t live together without a registered marriage, and the birth of a child out of wedlock can lead to serious problems and deportation.
If in the capital of the Emirates, Abu Dhabi, in 2021 a new law came into force, which simplifies the procedure for marrying foreigners who do not practice Islam, in the rest of the kingdom, including Dubai, the situation remains quite complicated.
How to get married in Dubai to foreigners
Foreigners can be divided into two groups: Muslims and non-Muslims.
Muslim foreigners in Dubai can get married:
- By Sharia law – by religious marriage in the family court.
- By undergoing a medical examination.
- By obtaining consent to the marriage from the bride's guardian.
- If the woman is not getting married for the first time, she is required to provide documentation of death or divorce from her first husband.
- By gathering the necessary package of documents.
- Enlisting the support of two witnesses of the same religion.
- Going to court on the appointed day with the witnesses, and signing the necessary documents.
Marriage of a Muslim and a non-Muslim
Under the current laws in Dubai, a Muslim woman can only marry a Muslim man. This means that the man must change his religion to Islam in order to get married.
A Muslim man can marry a woman who practices one of the book religions: Christianity or Judaism.
Marriage of non-Muslims in Dubai
Non-Muslims cannot marry in a traditional Emirati religious marriage because they do not practice Islam. But they can formalize their relationship at their country's embassy.
- Make sure the embassy provides this service.
- Find out the full list of documents you need.
- The bride and groom must be over 18 years old.
- They must not be relatives.
- The man and woman must not have a current marriage with another partner.
The paperwork and marriage license can take about a month to complete.
At the moment, the best, easiest and fastest wedding option for non-Muslims in the UAE is to get married in Abu Dhabi, where a non-Muslim court operates, and there, within 5 days you can legalize your relationship.
Getting married in Dubai remains a difficult task for most expats and tourists, so many couples choose other countries to get married. One such country is Georgia, where foreigners of any religion can get married in 24 hours.
You can learn more about weddings in Tbilisi, Batumi, or any other city in Georgia by contacting the manager of the wedding agency Shu Wedding. We have been doing weddings for foreigners in Georgia for several years and we know how to organize everything in the shortest possible time, but at the same time leave you with the most wonderful memories. And most importantly, a marriage performed in Georgia is legal in any country in the world.