Yes, you can get married in the UAE as an expat couple — your route depends on your faith and nationality. Muslim couples marry through the Sharia court, non-Muslim couples can now marry under the UAE civil marriage service in Abu Dhabi or through Dubai Courts and licensed places of worship, and many embassies no longer marry couples at all. Once the ceremony is done, you register and attest the certificate so it is recognised for visas, and in your home country.
Quick facts
- Where: Dubai Courts, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department civil marriage service, a licensed church, temple or other place of worship, or your home country if that is simpler
- Typical cost: Court and civil services typically around AED 200–1,000 in official fees — check the official portal for the current fee; church, celebrant, translation and attestation add more
- Time needed: Civil marriage can be booked within days if documents are ready; attested foreign documents can add 2–4 weeks before you apply
- Age and capacity: Both of you must be legally free to marry and meet the age and consent rules of the route you choose
Step by step: getting your marriage registered
- Choose your legal route first. If either of you is Muslim, speak to Dubai Courts about the Sharia route and its requirements, including the bride’s guardian (wali) and witnesses. If you are both non-Muslim, compare the Abu Dhabi civil marriage service — open to expats and visitors — with Dubai Courts and licensed religious venues in Dubai.
- Check your home-country position. Some countries require a certificate of no impediment or a single-status letter from your embassy or home registry, and some will only recognise certain ceremonies. Check this before booking, not after, because a UAE certificate that your country will not accept helps no one.
- Prepare and attest your documents. Passports, Emirates IDs if you are residents, birth certificates, and divorce decrees or a former spouse’s death certificate if either of you married before. Foreign documents usually need attestation in the home country and by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), plus legal Arabic translation for court use.
- Do any required medical screening. Some court routes require a premarital medical test at a government health centre in the UAE. Ask your chosen court or venue whether it applies to your route and book it early — results are linked electronically and are time-sensitive.
- Apply and book the ceremony. Submit the application through the court or Abu Dhabi Judicial Department portal, or through the venue, upload documents, pay the fee and choose a date. For a religious ceremony, the venue registers the marriage with the court afterwards — confirm who files it and when you receive the official certificate.
- Attend with the required people. Bring original documents, and the witnesses, guardian or other persons your route requires, with their IDs. Arrive early; courts will not proceed if a required person or original is missing, however good your copies look.
- Collect the marriage certificate. Get the original and ask for extra certified copies at the same visit if the service allows it. Check every spelling against your passports — a wrong name or date of birth is far easier to fix on the day than months later.
- Attest it for the use you need next. For sponsoring a spouse, changing your status with an employer, or use abroad, the certificate may need MOFA attestation and your embassy’s stamp. Keep a scanned set in a safe folder for visa and insurance applications.
Documents needed
The core set is passports, Emirates IDs, birth certificates and proof you are free to marry. Depending on nationality and faith you may also need single-status certificates, parental or guardian consent, premarital medical results, and attested translations. Same-nationality couples, mixed-nationality couples and couples where one partner is on a visit visa are handled slightly differently, which is why the court’s own checklist for your case matters more than any general list online.
Costs in AED
Official civil and court fees are modest — typically around AED 200–1,000 in total, check the official portal for the current fee. Your real budget is usually documents: legal translation at roughly AED 100–200 a document, MOFA attestation per document, medical screening, venue or celebrant fees, and travel to Abu Dhabi if you choose that service. A simple court marriage with documents already attested can stay under AED 2,000; a church wedding with a reception is a different budget entirely and is your choice, not a legal requirement.
After you are married
Tell your employer’s HR so your marital status, insurance and any family benefits are updated. If one of you will sponsor the other for residence, start that process through GDRFA in Dubai or ICP, using the attested certificate, tenancy (Ejari) and salary evidence. Also update wills — marriage changes what many expats assume about inheritance — and consider registering a will through DIFC Wills or the UAE courts if you own property or have children here.
Common mistakes
- Assuming your embassy will marry you. Most no longer do; check first and do not waste weeks waiting for an appointment that does not exist.
- Bringing unattested foreign divorce papers. A previous marriage must be proved legally ended, with attestation, or the application stops.
- Booking a party before the legal date is confirmed. Venues and celebrants cannot override a court delay.
- Forgetting home-country registration. Some countries want the UAE certificate registered or transcribed at home; ask your embassy what, if anything, you file.
FAQ
Can tourists get married in the UAE?
Non-Muslim tourists and expats can use the Abu Dhabi civil marriage service, subject to its conditions. Other routes usually expect at least one of you to be a UAE resident, so confirm eligibility before travelling for it.
Can a Muslim and a non-Muslim marry in the UAE?
The rules depend on which partner is Muslim and on the court’s interpretation of Sharia requirements. Get advice directly from Dubai Courts or a UAE family lawyer before applying, as this is fact-specific.
Will our UAE marriage be recognised in our home country?
Usually yes if it was legally performed and properly attested, but recognition is your home country’s decision. Check with your embassy and keep attested copies and translations.
