# pros and cons of taking uae citizenship



## aiysha-khalfan (Aug 30, 2009)

here is my dilemma. I'm a 24 year old Australian islamic convert married to an Emirate man and just recently had a son. Currently i am living in Aust but am moving to Abu Dhabi with my husband. As expected my family are extremely insistent that i never give up my Aussie citizenship and of course that of my sons. I am a realist and what to know what would be the prositives and especially the negatives of taking uae citizenship? especiall from a womans perspecitve. 

Also would my son automatically become a citizen even if i refuse to sign any documents and further more if the marriage were to break down and i not of assertained the citizeship could I be deported away and my husband keep our son? (as this is not something i want to happen).

please i welcome all logical and relevant comments....
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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Firstly everyone (no matter where they're from nationality or religion) the sharia laws re marriage are the way it is here, if anything were to go wrong in your marriage and you want a divorce here, then it'd go down the sharia route - as do things like custody as the Aus court has no jurisdiction here.

From what i understand re sharia a husband has custody automatically of boys from the age of 12 (if you split up). The woman has automatic right up until this point - this is unless you get done for adultery etc. that would prove you're an unfit mother in the eyes of the law.

As for passports/nationality etc. I personally wouldn't swap my UK pp for anything, and I would suggest you try to hold on to yours two. can you not get dual nationality? i know a woman who's kids have both UK and Egyptian passports for example.

Just a thought, and good luck.

Overall, the justice system does appear to lean on the mans side rather than the womans here - and also on the accuser rather than the accused....

Just my opinions, not the word of law btw....


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## aiysha-khalfan (Aug 30, 2009)

yes i presumed that was the case. unforchanately i have not been hearing very good things about abu dhabi..... prostitutes and all of that kind of stuff. really kind of scares me. but i want to give it a go . also if anyone knows anyone who has dual nationality with uae and aus.... i know that they say they do not give duel nationality...but 'waasta' or 'good conections' can change that ... well that is what my husband says. 
does anyone have any info on duel nationality with uae and aus?


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

There's prostitutes everywhere hun, even in your home town!

And since when does wasta work in Aus????


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## aiysha-khalfan (Aug 30, 2009)

yes i know that they are everywhere . any way i meant the 'waasta' for the uae not in Aus. cause as u know we don't really have that here. n e way was just going by what i was told. but who knows... my dilemma would be solved if i can have duel citizenship. but as i said i don't think uae recognises duel.. so am wondering if Aus does recognise both but uae wont then i dunno what to do about the issue .


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## Lenochka (Apr 19, 2008)

not 100 % sure....but I thought there will be no possiblities to get citizenship for UAE for you...


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

I thought it was the case that the uae national male can get uae citizenship for his non uae wife, but not the other way around????


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## aiysha-khalfan (Aug 30, 2009)

no for female yes. for male no.


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## titirangi (Aug 14, 2008)

aiysha-khalfan said:


> here is my dilemma. I'm a 24 year old Australian islamic convert married to an Emirate man and just recently had a son. Currently i am living in Aust but am moving to Abu Dhabi with my husband. As expected my family are extremely insistent that i never give up my Aussie citizenship and of course that of my sons. I am a realist and what to know what would be the prositives and especially the negatives of taking uae citizenship? especiall from a womans perspecitve.
> 
> Also would my son automatically become a citizen even if i refuse to sign any documents and further more if the marriage were to break down and i not of assertained the citizeship could I be deported away and my husband keep our son? (as this is not something i want to happen).
> 
> ...


Good on you for giving it a go. As a kiwi I see some really good things in the local way of life, however it is so very different from Aus/NZ that there is no guarantee that you will settle. _Best to draw a line in the sand say 2 years from now and if you have settled into AD life OK then consider taking citizenship._

If at all possible keep your oz passport. Life is a funny ole thing, your reality today might just be very very different in 5 years time. One thing I have learnt in my 40 odd years is never close doors or burn bridges. Another thing is religious, cultural and family pressure when brought to bear on a relationship (esp young family) can be very challenging.

When you come here to AD, eye wide open. Everything is not as it seems, little if any transparency. Keep an open mind and it can work out OK, but for goodness sake do not ignore or dismiss the stories and whispers that you hear as most of them are true. I have to keep reminding myself that this city was just sand with only basic facilities and a hard hard life for the inhabitants only 30 years ago. The local folk are playing a very very fast game of catch up to the civilized world.

Abu Dhabi is only an hours drive from Dubai however the two squabbling siblings could not be more different. Dubai is the noisy kid from a poor family with the flash new bike, slightly annoying bell riding around at 10pm, whilst Abu Dhabi is the rich kid who stays home and studies hard then goes to help mum out with the dishes before prayer and bed at 8pm.

But don't get me wrong, AD is great, the local folk are generally kind, gentle, patient and generous, albeit a little frustrating at times! You have made a truly courageous decision and I wish you well with your journey.


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