What is the minimum age for Abu Dhabi civil marriage?

The current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court rules require both parties to be at least 18 years old. Age is established using an official document issued by the country of the person’s nationality. The 21-year minimum in Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 should not be used as the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court calculator rule.

Do both people have to be non-Muslim to marry civilly in Abu Dhabi?

No. Current Abu Dhabi Judicial Department guidance states that civil marriage is available regardless of religion, including to Muslims, provided they are not UAE citizens. Muslim UAE citizens are excluded from the Abu Dhabi civil-marriage service.

Can tourists who do not live in the UAE get a civil marriage in Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Abu Dhabi expressly allows non-resident visitors and tourists to apply for civil marriage. The application can be submitted electronically from outside the UAE, but after the application is completed and the court fee is paid, both parties must travel to Abu Dhabi to attend the civil marriage ceremony in person.

Is a prenuptial agreement required and is the Abu Dhabi marriage valid abroad?

A prenuptial agreement is optional, not mandatory. ADJD currently lists AED 950 for the civil prenuptial-agreement service. After receiving the Abu Dhabi civil-marriage certificate, ADJD recommends authentication through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Whether the marriage is recognised in a particular home country depends on that country’s law and its embassy or authority requirements.

Home/UAE/Civil Marriage Law Abu Dhabi Guide

Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court — 2026

Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Law Guide

Q: How much does Abu Dhabi civil marriage cost and how fast can it be processed?

The current ADJD service lists AED 300 for the standard civil-marriage application, with processing of up to 10 working days. The Express Civil Marriage Service costs AED 2,500 and is processed within one working day, with ceremony scheduling subject to court availability and the selected service.

Current guide to civil marriage for foreign nationals and tourists in Abu Dhabi, including the 18+ rule, visitor eligibility, processing times, fees, medical-test exemption, prenups and international document authentication.

Current Abu Dhabi civil-marriage framework

Abu Dhabi has its own civil-marriage framework for qualifying foreigners under Law No. 14 of 2021 on Civil Marriage and its Effects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court's current service information states that civil marriage is available regardless of religion, with the exception of UAE nationals, and expressly provides a route for tourists and non-residents.

This page therefore uses the current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court rulesas the controlling practical source for an Abu Dhabi civil-marriage application, rather than using the federal 21-year rule as the calculator's eligibility test.

Important legal distinction

Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 contains a 21-year civil-marriage condition under its federal framework. Abu Dhabi's current Civil Family Court service, however, applies Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 and currently states that both parties must be at least 18 years old.

This page is specifically about the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, so the calculator follows the current ADJD 18+ rule.

18+

Current minimum age under the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court service.

AED 300

Standard civil-marriage application fee.

AED 2,500

Express Civil Marriage Service.

10 Days

Up to 10 working days for standard processing.

Evaluate Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Eligibility

This calculator checks only the principal published ADJD conditions. A positive result does not guarantee application approval because the court reviews the submitted documents and legal conditions.

Spouse 1 Age: 26 Years Old

Spouse 2 Age: 25 Years Old

At least one spouse is a UAE national

Potentially eligible for Abu Dhabi civil marriage

Both parties are at least 18 and neither is a UAE national, which matches the current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court eligibility framework. The couple must also provide consent, not be within the prohibited degrees of kinship, and neither party can already be married.

Current Civil Marriage Summary

Minimum age:	18 years
Religion:	Not a bar for non-UAE nationals
UAE national:	Civil service unavailable
Standard fee:	AED 300
Express fee:	AED 2,500
Express processing:	Within 1 working day

Related UAE family-law guides

💍 Civil vs Sharia Marriage Laws Guide →⚖️ Divorce, Custody & Financial Orders Guide →📜 Inheritance & Succession Laws Guide →🏛️ DIFC Wills & Estates Guide →

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Current Abu Dhabi civil-marriage conditions

Condition	Current ADJD position
Age	Both parties must be at least 18 years old.
Consent	Both parties must freely consent to the marriage.
Existing marriage	Neither party can be married to another person at the time of application.
Kinship	The parties cannot be related within the prohibited first- or second-degree relationships.
Nationality	The current ADJD service states that neither party may be a UAE national, subject to its stated exception for non-Muslim UAE nationals.
Religion	Religion is not a bar for non-UAE nationals. ADJD expressly states that Muslims can use the service if they are not UAE citizens.
Witnesses	No witness is required.
Premarital medical certificate	Applicants covered by the Abu Dhabi civil-marriage framework are exempt from submitting the premarital medical examination certificate.

Residents and tourists can both apply

UAE residents

Submit the civil-marriage application through the official ADJD service.

Provide passport and Emirates ID where applicable.

Complete document review and approval.

Attend the ceremony in person unless an applicable remote-resident procedure is available.

Receive the digitally authenticated marriage certificate after completion.

Tourists / non-residents

No UAE residence is required.

The application can be submitted online from outside the UAE.

A visitor-specific application channel is provided by ADJD.

After approval and payment, both parties must travel to Abu Dhabi.

Both parties must attend the civil-marriage ceremony in person.

Bring the required passports and any applicable previous-marriage evidence.

Tourists do not have to obtain UAE residency before applying. The crucial point is that the marriage ceremony itself takes place in Abu Dhabi after the application is approved.

Required documents

Document	Who generally needs it?	Current ADJD guidance
Passport	Both parties	Required.
Emirates ID	UAE residents	Required where applicable.
Divorce decree / equivalent proof	Previously married applicant	Required to establish that the previous marriage has ended.
Former spouse death certificate	Widow / widower where applicable	Required where applicable.
Medical certificate	Civil-marriage applicants	Abu Dhabi civil-marriage applicants are exempt from the premarital medical examination certificate.
Witnesses	Both parties	No witness is required.

ADJD can request additional information or documents where necessary during application review.

Standard vs Express civil marriage

Service	Fee	Current processing
Standard Civil Marriage	AED 300	Up to 10 working days.
Express Civil Marriage	AED 2,500	Within one working day, subject to the court's scheduling process.

The older ADJD application form describes the express service as obtaining civil marriage within 24 working hours. The current service page expresses this as within one working day. Neither should be interpreted as a guaranteed ceremony at any specific clock time.

Marriage ceremony

Location

The civil-marriage ceremony takes place at the Civil Family Court in the main Abu Dhabi Judicial Department building adjacent to Zayed Sports City.

Ceremony length

ADJD says the court aims to complete the civil-marriage ceremony within approximately 15 minutes.

Guests

Family and friends may attend the ceremony.

Rings and vows

Couples may exchange rings and recite personal vows, but these are optional. The ceremony team should be informed beforehand.

Prenuptial agreements

A prenuptial agreement is optional, not a mandatory part of every Abu Dhabi civil marriage. ADJD provides an approved template that can assist couples in drafting the agreement.

Item	Current ADJD position
Mandatory?	No.
Current fee	AED 950
Documents	Passport, Emirates ID where applicable, and the prenup in Arabic and English.
Remote authentication	Available through videoconference only where all parties are UAE residents.
Independent agreement	If couples do not use the approved template, the agreement must be legally translated into Arabic and English and signed as required.

After receiving the civil-marriage certificate

The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court issues the official marriage certificate after the marriage is completed. ADJD recommends that couples have the certificate authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

1. Obtain certificate

Receive the civil-marriage certificate after the ceremony and its digital authentication.

2. MOFA authentication

ADJD recommends MOFA authentication when the certificate needs to be used internationally.

3. Check home-country recognition

Recognition and any additional embassy/legalisation requirements depend on the law of the country where the certificate will be used.

If you cannot attend the ceremony

ADJD asks couples who cannot attend to notify the court at least 24 hours in advance. The court will try to reschedule where possible.

ADJD states that refunds are available only in very limited circumstances. If adequate notice is not provided, a new application and new payment may be required.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 as the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court age calculator rule.

Saying both spouses must be non-Muslim. Current ADJD guidance permits non-UAE-national Muslims to use the service.

Using 21 as the minimum age for Abu Dhabi civil marriage. Current ADJD service guidance says 18.

Calling the Express service "guaranteed within 24 calendar hours" rather than the current one-working-day wording.

Saying every tourist only needs a passport and single-status declaration without checking the current document list.

Claiming MOFA authentication guarantees recognition in every country worldwide.

Saying a prenuptial agreement is required for civil marriage.

Claiming a fixed set of witnesses or religious ceremony requirements that the Abu Dhabi civil service does not require.

Frequently Asked Questions

Civil marriage in Abu Dhabi is governed by Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 on Civil Marriage and its Effects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, together with the applicable procedures and regulations. The current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court service is the relevant practical source for applications by qualifying foreign nationals.

Both parties must be at least 18 years old under the current Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court service. The 21-year requirement in Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 should not be used for this Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court calculator.

No. Current ADJD guidance states that civil marriage is available regardless of religion for qualifying non-UAE nationals. ADJD specifically says Muslims can use the service provided they are not UAE citizens.

Yes. Non-resident tourists can submit the application from outside the UAE through the ADJD online service. After approval and payment, both parties must travel to Abu Dhabi and attend the civil-marriage ceremony.

The standard service costs AED 300 and is processed within up to 10 working days. The Express Civil Marriage Service costs AED 2,500 and is processed within one working day, subject to the court's scheduling process.

A prenup is optional and the current ADJD service fee is AED 950. ADJD recommends MOFA authentication of the marriage certificate after issuance. Recognition in the couple's home country depends on that country's law and any embassy or legalisation requirements.

💍 Civil vs Sharia Marriage Laws Guide →⚖️ Non-Muslim Divorce & Custody Guide →📜 Inheritance & Succession Guide →📄 UAE MOFA Certificate Attestation Guide →

Official primary sources

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department — Civil Marriage Service Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court — Current Rules & FAQs Abu Dhabi — Law No. 14 of 2021 on Civil Marriage and its Effects ADJD — Resolution No. 8 of 2022, Civil Marriage Procedures UAE Legislation — Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Document Attestation

2026 legal-reference noteAbu Dhabi-specific rules

Abu Dhabi civil marriage has its own emirate-level legal framework and Civil Family Court procedure. Fees, processing times, document requirements and eligibility should be checked on the current ADJD service page before submitting an application.