Abu Dhabi registers 15,000 civil marriage applications, 7,600 wills in 9 months

The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court registered 15,000 civil marriage applications for foreigners and 7,600 civil will registrations during the first nine months of 2025, reflecting the growing demand for the court’s services and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global leader in the civil family justice system.

According to statistics issued by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the Civil Family Court received nearly 15,000 civil marriage applications between January and September 2025 - an average of 1,540 per month, or about 77 per day, equivalent to 14 civil marriages every hour. These figures highlight the confidence of residents and visitors in the court’s efficient bilingual services, available in both Arabic and English.

The court also registered 7,600 civil will applications during the same period, including 1,080 in September alone, with a daily average of 55 wills, or roughly nine wills per hour.

The digital civil wills service allows full online registration and notarisation both from within the UAE and abroad, eliminating the need for in-person attendance. This makes it a flexible and convenient option for residents and visitors of various nationalities.

The court’s services have attracted clients from around 120 nationalities, including a number of tourists who travel specifically to benefit from its offerings. This diverse international demand underscores global recognition of Abu Dhabi’s advanced civil family justice framework, which adheres to international standards and caters to the needs of multicultural communities.

These indicators highlight the success of the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, the first of its kind in the region to implement a bilingual civil judicial system that issues judgments, legal documents, and case files in both Arabic and English.

The court provides a comprehensive range of services, including civil marriage, no-fault divorce, joint custody, civil wills, and inheritance matters, all of which can be completed entirely online.

WAM