Fees and steps checked on
British citizens who marry under UAE law prove they are single with an affidavit or affirmation of marital status. GOV.UK says you complete the UAE form, leave it unsigned, and sign it at an appointment at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. If you are in the UK, a statutory declaration of single status sworn before a UK solicitor is the other route: it is legalised by the FCDO and attested by the UAE Embassy in London together with MOFA. Which one works depends on the court or registry that will marry you, so ask them first.
Price: for a UK-sworn declaration, from AED 985 plus VAT on standard (22 to 24 working days), AED 1,200 on express (18 working days) or AED 1,600 on premium (12 to 14 working days), official fees and courier included. If an embassy affirmation made in the UAE needs MOFA attestation, that is from AED 250 plus VAT. See attestation fees.
Two routes
| Affirmation at the British Embassy | Statutory declaration in the UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you sign | British Embassy Abu Dhabi or Dubai, by appointment | Before a UK solicitor |
| Form | The UAE affidavit or affirmation form on GOV.UK | Drafted by the solicitor |
| Then | Taken to the UAE court or registry, with MOFA if it asks | FCDO apostille, then UAE Embassy London and MOFA |
| Best for | British citizens already in the UAE | People still in the UK, or when the court asks for UK-legalised papers |
The forms are on the GOV.UK affidavit and affirmation of marital status page for the UAE. The general FCDO service for marrying abroad is on GOV.UK marriages and civil partnerships abroad, and it asks for a valid British passport.
What the declaration says
- Your full name, date and place of birth, and passport number
- Your address
- That you are free to marry, and, if you were married before, how and when that marriage ended
- The name of the person you plan to marry, where the form asks for it
If you were married before
The UAE court or registry will want proof that your earlier marriage ended. That is the attested decree absolute or final order, see UK decree absolute attestation, or the attested death certificate of a former spouse, see UK death certificate attestation. Start those early, because they take longer than the declaration.
Step by step for the UK route
- A solicitor drafts the statutory declaration and you swear it in front of them.
- FCDO apostille on the solicitor's signature.
- UAE Embassy London and MOFA, applied for on the MOFA portal and attested digitally.
- Arabic translation, if the court asks. See legal translation in Dubai.
What goes wrong
- Signing the embassy form at home. GOV.UK says to leave it unsigned until the appointment.
- Leaving out an earlier marriage. Declare it, and attest the divorce or death certificate.
- A declaration that is too old. Courts may want a recent one. Sign close to the date you file.
- Names spelled differently from the passport.
After the wedding, a UK marriage certificate is not issued; the UAE marriage document is a UAE paper. A marriage registered in Britain follows UK marriage certificate attestation.
