Personal Status Law for non-Muslims

The Personal Status Law for Non-Muslims was passed by Abu Dhabi in November 2021. The law allows non – Muslims in the country to marry or divorce and also get child custody. Earlier, the non – Muslims were not allowed to marry in Abu Dhabi. They have to get married in the embassies of their country. This is the first law to be enacted in the country concerning the non – Muslims. The marriage and divorce laws in the Gulf region is governed through Islamic Sharia law. Thus, the Personal Status Law for Non – Muslims is the first law in the region regulating the family matters pertaining to non – Muslims.

Aim of the law

The law aims to provide a flexible and advanced judicial mechanism to determine the personal status disputes for the non – Muslims. This will help Abu Dhabi to improve its position as the most attractive destination for skills and talent.

Key Features

• The law guarantees right to the non – Muslims in terms of culture, customs and languages. It also protects the interests of the children of the non – Muslims.
• The law will set up dedicated courts to the non – Muslims. These courts will function in both English and Arabic.
• There are 20 articles in the law. These articles are divided into five chapters. They are related to divorce, marriage, inheritance and child custody.
• The Chapter – 1 of the law amends the marriage procedure in the country. It brings in the concept of marriage held at the will of wife and husband.
• The Chapter – 2 lists the divorce procedure for non – Muslims. It lists the rights of divorced partners. Also, it lists the monetary rights of the wife after separation. The monetary rights are based on the age of the wife, number of years of marriage and the economic standing of each of the spouses. It is fixed by the judge.
• The Chapter – 3 deals with the custody of the child after divorce. The chapter introduces the concept of joint custody.
• The Chapter – 4 has created inheritance laws, registration of wills. It also established the rights of the foreigner to pass on their assets to whoever they choose.
• The Chapter – 5 addresses the proof of paternity. It says that the proof of paternity of the child is based on the marriage.