Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has announced remarkable outcomes as reported by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, showcasing a significant increase in its service provisions.
According to Emirates News Agency, the court has registered 53,000 civil marriage contracts for foreigners and 21,000 civil wills since the enforcement of Civil Marriage Law No. 14 of 2021 in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. These statistics highlight the effectiveness of the court, which is the first of its kind in the region, focusing on personal status for foreigners. It offers a modern judicial model with flexible digital procedures to cater to the international community.
In 2025, the court registered 19,000 marriage contracts, marking a 17% increase compared to the previous year. The registrations have steadily risen from 5,400 contracts in 2022 to 12,000 in 2023, and 16,200 in 2024, accumulating a total of nearly 53,000 civil marriage contracts since the law was enacted. The court now averages 1,600 registrations per month, equating to 70 contracts per day, or 13 civil marriages every hour.
The service is available to all foreign residents and visitors, allowing applications through the ADJD website. It offers an "Express Service" for same-day marriage registration and integrated services for prenuptial agreements.
The court also registered 11,000 civil wills in 2025, an increase of over 100% compared to 2024, totaling 21,000 wills within four years. This demand is attributed to growing awareness of the importance of legal planning and estate management. The court's digital system facilitates remote registration via video conferencing, offering forms in both Arabic and English, thus eliminating the need for law firms and providing interest-free fee installments.
For civil divorces, the court handled 640 cases in 2025 under the "No-Fault Divorce" system for foreigners, allowing judgments within 30 days of filing the claim. The framework ensures financial rights protection by appointing accounting experts to assess each spouse's financial status. Additionally, automatic rulings for joint custody of children prioritize their best interests and ensure parental involvement in their care.