Marriage between a UAE citizen and a foreigner

It is worth noting right away that the state policy of the United Arab Emirates strictly controls many aspects of the social life of its citizens, including family relations and marriage. And in this vein, the government does its best to ensure that UAE citizens create families with locals rather than foreigners.

Marriage to a foreigner is not forbidden, but it is not encouraged, and it also has a number of its own specific requirements.

Unlike the Emirates, Georgia does not have such strict legal norms regarding marriage and it is not difficult to get married in one of its cities. A wedding in Batumi or Tbilisi, Georgia’s largest cities, can take only a day and cost you $530. (link)

The Shu Wedding Agency will help UAE couples arrange their dream wedding in one of Georgia’s delightful locations: on a lake, in a forest, in the mountains, in a vineyard, a castle or a chateau.

You can learn more about organizing a wedding in Georgia by contacting our manager.

In order to marry an Emirati citizen to a foreigner it is necessary:

• Obtain a marriage license from the local court.
• The bride and groom must agree to the marriage.
• The couple must practice Islam, if one of the partners has recently converted to Islam it must be confirmed.
• Foreign nationals must: have a residency permit, provide a certificate of no criminal record, have citizenship (marriage to stateless persons is prohibited).
• Both partners must undergo a medical examination for genetic, infectious and chronic diseases, as well as a drug test.
• The foreign woman must have permission to marry from her current sponsor.
• If the woman is marrying for a second time, she must show documentation of her husband’s divorce or death. 
• The age difference between the future spouses must be less than two times.
• A foreign national must not have previously served in the army of another country.
• For members of the UAE military and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an additional permit for the ceremony is required.
• All documents of the foreign national to be submitted for marriage must be certified by the regulatory authorities of the United Arab Emirates and the missions of the foreign national’s home country.

All of this information is required for consideration by the local authorities and if they believe that the foreign national does not meet their requirements, the marriage will be denied.

Being in a legal relationship to live together, and even more so to have a child, is a prerequisite in the United Arab Emirates. And without it you can expect a fine, a court term or deportation. 

You can try to get married in the Emirates, but as you may have seen, it is not a simple process that will take some time and does not guarantee a positive result. Or you can get married in another country with more liberal legislation. Georgia is one of those countries.

Marriage concluded in Georgia is considered legal all over the world, and when you return to the UAE, you will only need to legalize the documents confirming its conclusion. Specialists of Shu Wedding Agency can help you with translation and all the nuances of the procedure.