UAE has been a popular choice for couples dreaming for a destination wedding. Over the past years the charm of the UAE, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi has been such that event the expat residents here would not want to think of any other destination for their big day. For nationals of the country it is a very simplified process. But if you are an expat living in the country wanting to get married here, then you will have to get your marriage legally registered.
But thanks to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the laws have now been made easy and seamless for couples. There are two ways you can get your marriage certificate issued in Abu Dhabi: you can do it physically in court or you now also have the option to do it digitally. If you’d like to know more then keep reading for a step-by-step guide to steer you through the new civil marriage laws laid out by the government.
REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE IN COURT
ELIGIBILITY: Under the new civil law, expats in Abu Dhabi can now get their marriage legally registered irrespective of their religion, nationality, caste etc. Both the partners have to be at least 18 years of age, in case they are under 18 then parental guidance would be needed.
DOCUMENTS: In order to have their marriage certificate issued, couples would need to provide the following documents:
- Completed application form (available at the Abu Dhabi Family Civil Court website: https://www.adjd.gov.ae/AR/Documents/Courts%20Form/1_Marriage_Application%20M1.pdf)
- Valid passports for both
- Original birth certificates
- A medical certificate for both (this needs to be from a UAE medical centre)
- Two passport photographs for both
- A certificate of no impediment to marriage (issued by the consulate of the couples’ home country in UAE)
It needs to be noted that all the documents need to be translated into Arabic and attested from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Once you have submitted all the documents, it would take approximately 10 working days to receive your marriage license which would hold a validity of 6 months. The law also requires for couples to undergo pre-marital counseling sessions, after which the marriage contract will be signed in court in front of the registrar in the presence of two witnesses. Once signed, the marriage certificate will be issued.
REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE DIGITALLY
‘Mubarak Afrahkoum’ is a project launched by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, where couples can now register their marriage in Abu Dhabi electronically & remotely, using teleconferencing and a digital software. The registration steps are extremely easy and as follows:
- The couple would need to apply digitally by logging into the ADJD’s website and filling the form
- The next step would include receiving the necessary approvals and paying the required fees
- Couples would then need to choose a slot and book their appointment to sign the marriage contract digitally via video conferencing
- The last step would be the issuance of the digital marriage certificate
A great advantage here is that couples can request for a copy of their digital marriage contract at any point of time.
As you can see, it is now way easier to have your marriage legally registered in Abu Dhabi thanks to the efforts of the government. Whether you prefer to do it physically in court or remotely online, the process is simple, quick and extremely seamless. So if Abu Dhabi has been on your list for a dream wedding but the legalities had been your concern, you need not worry for it anymore!
