Child's custodian in UAE must be with no criminal record: Expert

UAE law establishes a hierarchy of custody priority, starting with the mother, followed by the father, then the maternal grandmother, and finally the paternal grandmother, according to lawyer and legal consultant Badr Abdullah Khamees.

Khamees explained that the law sets several conditions for the custodian, including mental soundness, age of at least 18 years, trustworthiness, ability to raise the child properly, free from contagious or serious diseases, having no criminal record for dishonorable crimes or assault, and not addicted to drugs, psychoactive substances, or alcohol.

He added that if the custodian is a woman, she must not be married to someone who is not a mahram (an unmarriageable relative) to the child.

Additionally, the custodian’s religion must match that of the child.

Khamees further clarified that custody can be revoked in several cases, including loss of any required conditions, negligence or inability to fulfill custodial duties, relocation to a place that harms the child’s interests, failure to claim custody for over a year without valid reason, and finally engaging in inappropriate behavior that negatively affects the child.