The Abu Dhabi Non-Muslim Personal Status Court has issued the first civil marriage contract to spouses of Canadian citizenship, according to the provisions of Law No. 14 of 2021 on non-Muslim Personal Status in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It aims to establish the Emirate as a leader in regulating family matters for non-Muslims following international best practices. A non-Muslim Personal Status Court in Abu Dhabi granted a Canadian couple the first civil marriage contract. The newlyweds appreciated everyone who helped make the civil marriage contract service go well, as well as those who worked hard to ensure that the application process was quick and straightforward.

1. A civil marriage contract for a non-
Muslim couple is issued by Abu Dhabi
https://hhslawyers.com/blog/civil-marriage-non-muslim-couples/

2. Int.
 The Abu Dhabi Non-Muslim Personal Status Court has
issued the first civil marriage contract to spouses of
Canadian citizenship, according to the provisions of Law
No. 14 of 2021 on non-Muslim Personal Status in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It aims to establish the Emirate as
a leader in regulating family matters for non-Muslims
following international best practices. A non-Muslim
Personal Status Court in Abu Dhabi granted a Canadian
couple the first civil marriage contract.
 The newlyweds appreciated everyone who helped
make the civil marriage contract service go well, as
well as those who worked hard to ensure that the
application process was quick and straightforward.

3. CivilMarriage
Registration
 The Judicial Department’s official website now has a
civil marriage registration facility for locals and visitors.
The contract and marriage registration may be made
through video conferencing to comply with the law’s
restrictions and regulations. Foreigners now have a
modern legal framework to resolve family disputes
following international best practices, thanks to a new
personal status law for non-Muslims that the court is
enforcing. It is the first of its kind in the world, applying
civil principles to the regulation of family matters.

4. First Specialized
Court forNon-
Muslim family
Matter inAbu
Dhabi
 The first specialized court for non-Muslim family
matters is part of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s ongoing
efforts to improve its judicial system. Cases including
marriage, custody, divorce, paternity, inheritance and
personal status will be heard at the newly-opened
courtroom, inaugurated earlier this month. Sessions will
be conducted in Arabic and English to guarantee that
foreigners can understand them and increase judicial
openness.

5. NewLegislation
governing non-
Muslims inAbu
Dhabi
 On November 7, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, enacted legislation to regulate
non-Muslims’ status in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.The
new family law results from a series of changes made in
Abu Dhabi to modernize and restructure the legal
system while also protecting the rights of non-Muslims
and guaranteeing that their legal problems are not
subject to Sharia law.The legislation was extensively
researched and analyzed to provide a legislative
solution that provides a current judicial framework for
foreigners resident in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to
resolve family conflicts following worldwide best
practices.

6. Applicabilityof
NewFamilyLaw
 The law gave non-Muslims a flexible and advanced
judicial framework for resolving personal status
disputes.The AD Judicial Department has created the
first court for non-Muslim family cases.The new court’s
proceedings will be multilingual, i.e. in Arabic and
English, to assist foreigners’ comprehension of judicial
operations and to promote judicial transparency.
 Foreigners now have a modern legal framework to
resolve family disputes following international best
practices, thanks to the country’s personal status law for
non-Muslims.The law is unique in that it is the first to
apply civil principles to the regulation of family
matters.

7. Court established
aspart ofNew
Family Law.
 The court was established as part of new laws passed
last month to serve the Emirate’s foreign inhabitants
better.The new family law results from a series of
reforms made in Abu Dhabi to modernize and
restructure the legal system while also protecting the
rights of non-Muslims and guaranteeing that their legal
problems are not subject to Sharia law.
 The legislation is structured into 20 articles and
numerous chapters, including civil marriage, divorce,
joint custody of children, and inheritance.

8. First Civil Marriage
LicensetoNon-
Muslim Couple
 The UAE awarded its first civil marriage license to a non-Muslim
couple as the Gulf nation attempts to maintain its competitive
advantage in the region.
 The United Arab Emirates—where foreigners account for 90% of
the nearly 10-million-strong population—has been revising its laws
to position itself as a modernizing force in a primarily conservative
area. A Canadian couple became the first to marry in the Emirati
capital of Abu Dhabi under a new rule governing the personal
status of non-Muslims.
 The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the subject.
This article was produced with great care to ensure correctness.
Because individual circumstances may vary, it is not meant to give
legal advice or predict a specific conclusion. Readers considering
legal action should seek legal advice from an experienced
attorney to learn about current laws and how they may apply to
their case.

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