Hi, are there any resrictions regarding a couple moving out to UAE and not being married? Have been together 17 years but not married. thanks in advance julie

have a search through the forums...it's been answered a few times already

and welcome to the forums

It is technically illegal, but many people do live together here with out being married. However you will not be able to sponsor a spouse. Both of you will have to have employment to obtain visas.

I know it is a bit forward but after 17 years, (longer than alot of marriages) then why don't you tie the knot? Would make life easier out here.

Unless they are planning to have kids why would they want to get married just to make things easier for themselves in a place with archaic laws like Dubai?

I dunno, just 17 yrs is a bit of time. Maybe thats why you've been together so long cos your not married!

Financial rights, rights of natural inheritance and equal rights over children perhaps?

not to mention being able to get visa's together a lot easier...

Most except the stuff about children can be taken care of with a will and keeping your main assets offshore if you are living in Dubai...I help people with stuff like this every day as part of my job.

Basically only get married if you are planning babies or want to sponser each other.

and love one another, surely that's the most important reason for getting married?

yeah, in a fairy story where people never fall out of love and screw each other over in court when they get divorced...


Love and marriage are two seperate things.

I always thought that marriage was this status thing that we are brainwashed with from the day we are born. Its crap.

Happiness, if ever there was an ironic user name it has to be yours!

I didn't used to see the point of marriage. Then I got married, and it's great

Agreed...nothing more than an archaic ritual designed to control people's, especially women's mating rights.

And these days increasingly a way for women to screw men out of their money and possessions!

If you are going to do it get pre-nups for goodness sake....people change.

heheh. true that