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| Home / Plan Your Visit / Useful information / Getting Married in Abu Dhabi |
| Getting Married in Abu Dhabi |
      
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Getting married in Abu Dhabi is an easy matter once the couple meet the requirements and conditions set by the government. There is no civil marriage in the United Arab Emirates. Islam is the official state religion and the Sharia Court in Abu Dhabi performs marriage, regardless of applicants’ nationalities, according to Islamic law. However, Christians can marry in church in Abu Dhabi and register their marriage in the emirate. The main requirement for either marriage is that both parties are residents in the UAE. Each party should produce a birth certificate and a certificate of marital status, which have to be properly attested – either in the applicant’s home country (by the respective foreign ministry and the UAE consulate) or in the UAE (by the applicant’s consulate and the UAE Foreign Ministry)
Regardless of a woman’s age the Sharia Court would always require her guardian’s approval for the marriage. In the absence of a father, uncle or brother, the closest next-of-kin male can be the guardian. If the guardian cannot be present before the court, his attested consent is accepted. In some cases, where there is no-one to act as a guardian, the cleric sheikh himself can assume that role. Once all the required documents (certificates, passport copies and photos) are ready they can be submitted, along with an application for marriage, at the Sharia Court. The marriage requires two witnesses and the whole procedure takes only a few days to complete and receive the marriage certificate.
There are several churches in Abu Dhabi including Orthodox (Syrian and Indian), Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical, where Christian residents of the UAE can marry. Both man and woman have to be Christian to marry in church. Once the marriage is sanctified it can be registered at the court, and the couple are advised to register their marriage at their respective consulates.
Foreign embassies in Abu Dhabi may perform a marriage for their nationals, but the couple need to meet the set conditions and requirement in order for their marriage to be registered in Abu Dhabi.
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