Photo used for illustrative purpose.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai courts have announced the launch of the "Civil Marriage" service for non-Muslims, in accordance with the best international practices, to regulate family matters for non-Muslim foreigners.

The service applies the principles of civil law in regulating family issues, and reflects the emirate of Dubai's commitment to respect human rights and embodies the wise vision of our wise leadership and its keenness to develop a comprehensive and advanced system of services that achieves leadership and excellence.

Tarish Eid Al Mansouri, General Director of Dubai Courts, stated that the "Civil Marriage" service comes within the framework of Dubai Courts' efforts to provide a civil law to regulate family matters for non-Muslims, in line with the new procedures established under Personal Status Law for Non-Muslim Foreigners, which supports the continuous efforts to develop the judicial system in light of the new procedures of the Personal Status Law for non-Muslim foreigners, and provides distinguished services to non-Muslim residents in Emirate of Dubai.

Khalid Al Hosani, President of First Instance Courts in Dubai, has explained that the new law regulates the conditions and procedures for concluding and registering marriages and allows non-Muslim couples to marry in accordance with the civil law, subject to certain essential conditions in Dubai.

Firstly, the parties to the marriage contract (the husband and wife) shall not be Muslims, and they shall be at least 21 years of age.

Secondly, one of them shall have residency or a place of residence in Dubai.

Thirdly, the parties shall provide evidence of their social status and proof of being unmarried. Fourthly, personal attendance or attendance through an authorised agent with a valid power of attorney is required, along with the presentation of original identity documents for the purpose of reading the identity details of the party concerned.

All documents shall be in electronic format, in PDF, and translated into Arabic by a legally recognised translator from the Ministry of Justice in UAE. If the documents are issued from outside the country, they shall be verified by the official entities, including the foreign ministry of the relevant country, the UAE embassy in the relevant country, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Cooperation in the UAE.

Regarding the issue of inheritance distribution for non-Muslim deceased individuals, Al-Hosani stated that it depends on the provisions of the Federal Law number 41 of 2022 regarding civil personal status and the established electronic procedures in the inheritance distribution testimonies of non-Muslims. In regards to claims of personal status for non-Muslims, he emphasised that it allows for the registration of claims for divorce and dissolution without the need for referral from a familial directive if the claim is solely limited to this request.

Al-Hosani further indicated that the service can be requested by submitting an electronic application through approved centres and paying the fees to the service delivery channels at one of that channels, which include government service centres and the Dubai courts services centre in Al Yalayis, Wafi Mall, and Al-Barsha, to receive the approved electronic contract.