Conditions, required documents, explained process.

When requesting a remote wedding, couples must present several documents and meet a series of conditions.

Getting married in the UAE is now just a click away as the country’s courts have simplified the ‘I do’ process with remote weddings. The future couple can now get married remotely and receive their marriage certificate.

In October 2023, Dubai Courts unveiled innovative services such as ‘remote civil marriage’ and ‘digital certification’ services. The remote civil marriage service allows non-Muslim residents in Dubai to obtain an officially recognized and authenticated electronic marriage contract. This contract does not require additional certifications if used within the United Arab Emirates, provided that one party is a resident of Dubai and both parties are at least 21 years old.

However, when requesting an online wedding, couples must submit several documents and meet a number of conditions. Here are all the details for people who want to exchange vows online.

Remote civil marriage through Dubai courts

• Both parties must be single.
• Both parties must be non-Muslims.
• At least one of the parties must be a resident of Dubai and possess an Emirates ID.
• The age of the couple must be at least 21 years old.
• Authenticated certificate of social status of both parties (single) from the embassy of the respective countries.
• If the documents are issued outside the country, they must be certified by the relevant official authorities.
• All documents must be in PDF format.
• Documents in a language other than Arabic must be translated into Arabic by a certified legal translation entity of the Ministry of Justice of the United Arab Emirates.
• Documents issued from outside the UAE must also be duly certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country concerned, the UAE embassy in that country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE.

Dubai Courts developed an automated system for contract stages, including authorization, certification and correction, which significantly simplified the experience for clients, as their journey now simply involves:

• Communication with accredited centers via telephone or personal visits.
• Submit an electronic application.
• Pay the required fees.

They then receive the approved electronic contract.

Soon, ‘I do’ via videoconference in Abu Dhabi

A video conferencing marriage service will allow residents to apply for a marriage contract electronically in Abu Dhabi. They can also receive approvals and complete payment procedures online. To make it more convenient for people, booking an appointment to sign the marriage contract can be done remotely using video conferencing technology.

The video conferencing software was showcased by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) at Gitex Global 2023 in Dubai.

ADJD had said that the receipt of the final document of the marriage contract will also be done electronically and that the digital signatures of both parties are legally binding.

How to request a digital wedding?

• Applicants must use UAE Pass to avail the digital service.
• The first step is to request the marriage contract electronically. Then, wait for approval and complete the online payment procedures.
• The next step is to make an appointment to sign the contract using WebEx (web conferencing). Then, expect to receive the final marriage contract with digital signatures from both parties.

News Source: Khaleej Times