How to: Get a divorce in the UAE

Legal Affairs reporter Haneen Dajani guides you through the divorce process.

The personal affairs law does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims, but expatriates still have the option to be divorced according to their own homeland's laws.
Emiratis have to abide by UAE law.
"Before 2005, for non-Muslims to get a divorce, both sides had to agree for their case to be looked at in an Abu Dhabi court," explained personal affairs lawyer Ibrahim Al Tamimi.
But since the new law does not differentiate between religions, this condition no longer applies.
"It is unusual for women to ask for their homeland's law to be applied because the UAE law is on the side of the woman more than the man, especially when compared to other Arab countries," Mr Al Tamimi said. "Most people don't know they have this right to begin with, so you rarely see it happen."
The new law also limits the amount of pre- and post-marriage dowry to a total of Dh50,000.
Even if a marriage contract preceding this law had a dowry of Dh1 million, for Emiratis, the woman will not be paid more than Dh50,000; it is divided to Dh20,000 as pre-marriage dowry and Dh30,000 as post-divorce.
"However, non-Emiratis whose contracts were signed before that law will be paid the full amount written in the contract."
Marriage contracts for expats signed in the UAE after 2005 are also limited by the Dh50,000 cap.
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