# Getting married in Dubai



## katieanddominic (Jan 10, 2009)

My fiancee and I live in Dubai and are hoping to get married here later this year. Does anyone know if you are able to have a civil ceremony in a hotel rather than having to go to one of the churches? I have researched this on the internet but it seems a bit sketchy?

Thanks


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

No such thing as a civil ceremony in Dubai for most expats. You cannot get legally married in a hotel and few embassies conduct ceremonies - certainly not European or North American ones.

I have provided information on this recently, so do a search, but here is a link to an article I wrote for The National, although exact procedures vary dependent on your home country.

The costs and procedures to walk down the aisle - The National Newspaper


If you are Christians, you will find that Holy Trinity church in Oud Metha is rather less 'formal' than the Jebel Ali churches.

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## katieanddominic (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks for this, it has answered a lot of our questions. Just one other thing I don't know if you can clarify-do we both need to have residency visas to get married here? My fiance has his but as I am still looking for work I do not yet have one?

Thanks




Elphaba said:


> No such thing as a civil ceremony in Dubai for most expats. You cannot get legally married in a hotel and few embassies conduct ceremonies - certainly not European or North American ones.
> 
> I have provided information on this recently, so do a search, but here is a link to an article I wrote for The National, although exact procedures vary dependent on your home country.
> 
> ...


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