The UAE will begin implementing major changes to its federal personal status law starting April 15. These changes will include subdivisions dealing with personal and family matters for the very first time.
A draft of the law, recently obtained by Khaleej Times, indicates that resident access to legal services has been prioritized in the new law, instructions have been consolidated, action timelines unified, and legal concepts simplified which would ease legal burden on residents.
These changes, as shared by government insiders, strive to rationalise the processes of marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance under a single coherent framework of UAE legislation with clear definitional boundaries and inter-institutional relations frameworks.
We can see that the country UAE aims to achieve international standards in the area of modern legal systems by incorporating diverse cultural influences into legal policies.
Residents are advised to educate themselves on the new provisions and obtain legal counsel if necessary to navigate any potential personal consequences resulting from the changes.
