Prenuptial agreements are on the rise in Abu Dhabi, with hundreds of couples already putting pen to paper at the emirate's civil family court this year.
One legal expert said “ultra-high net worth” residents are increasingly signing up to safeguard their assets in the event of divorce, but he insisted the extra layer of marital protection should not be viewed as merely the preserve of the super-rich.
The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court was established in December 2021 to hear all cases related to marriage, custody, divorce, paternity, inheritance and personal status, under a non-Sharia process.
The court was at the heart of sweeping legal reforms introduced in Abu Dhabi and later replicated across the Emirates, to ensure the law provides for all of the country's residents, regardless of faith or background.
High net-worth people in the UAE are looking to also protect their assets since they are getting married here rather than in their home country or somewhere else
Byron James,
head of UAE law firm
The prenup service – which is available to both residents and tourists – can be completed on the same day as a civil marriage.
About 250 of the agreements were made at the court in the first seven months of the year.
The National spoke to Byron James, partner at Abu Dhabi law firm Expatriate Law, to explain how prenups protect a couple.
“I've noticed an increasing trend in the last few months as we have done four ultra-high net worth premarital agreements in a couple of months,” he said.
“These were all residents of the UAE who would have got married somewhere else before the new Abu Dhabi family court regime.
“Having four ultra-high net worth people get married in a short space of time and register premarital agreements is actually quite significant.
“High net-worth people in the UAE are also looking to also protect their assets since they are getting married here now rather than in their home country or somewhere else.”
Ultra-high net worth people are those with investable income of more than $30 million.
The UAE is expected to attract 4,500 new millionaires this year, ranking second after Australia and placing above Singapore in a survey that tracked investment migration trends.
This places the Emirates in a bracket where people with a net worth of more than $1 million are making the UAE their home.
What is a prenup?
A prenuptial agreement helps protect assets, property and interests in an individual’s home country and other jurisdictions in case of a divorce, not just in the UAE.
“When people of different nationalities get married and neither of them are living in the country of their origin, there can be a number of jurisdictions that would apply to them if they got divorced,” Mr James said.
“The main focus is to be clear what is mine, what is available for sharing – that is the main objective in a marital agreement.
“If done correctly, it can provide a very powerful shield to any claim in the future.”
Residents and tourists, including Muslim expatriates from non-Muslim countries, can marry and get a prenup registered in the Abu Dhabi civil court. Emiratis are not permitted to get married in this court.
The first wedding took place in the court in December 2021.
This year the number of marriages has already passed 6,700 compared to the 6,000 weddings last year.
About 500 same-day express weddings have been registered in 2023 to date.
“The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court offers a convenient service for people to get married that is efficient, reliable, and modern because it’s very easy for people to apply for the marriage license online,” Mr James said.
“People want to avail of this marriage service and also want to protect their assets not just from a divorce in Abu Dhabi but worldwide.
“Part of the service is the ability to register, notarise and attest a premarital agreement that deals with an appropriate outcome in case of a divorce that protects both parties.”
How does a prenup protect?
A prenuptial agreement deals with what properties should and should not be shared in case of a divorce.
It can anticipate financial claims in case of a divorce not just in Abu Dhabi but protect assets in other countries.
It can also separate money earned before marriage, for instance, inheritance or family property.
“For the majority of expats who are getting married, they will want to protect themselves in other jurisdictions as well,” Mr James said.
The prenup jurisdiction can cover the home countries of the wife and husband, the UAE where they are married, other cities they have lived in, own businesses in and countries they may move to in the future.
Why have a prenup?
However unromantic it sounds, the legal advice is for a couple to come to an agreement before the wedding.
“The best time to work out what to do in a divorce is not when you are separated and you are cross with each other,” Mr James said.
“The best time is when you can work together to see what is reasonable.
“It removes conflict because everyone, when they are in a good space, sees each other's assets and agree on what to do if a divorce ever happens in the future.
“When people say – it means you don't trust your husband or your wife – I reject that.
“A lot of the bad feeling in a divorce may come from the fact that people didn't discuss this before.”
Do I need to be rich for a prenup?
It can protect the interests of the partner who is not wealthy and does not own assets.
“This agreement is relevant to not just ultra-high net worth people,” Mr James said.
“The less financially able party, quite often that may be the wife, makes huge sacrifices to her career, to raise children and take care of the family
“This can make sure the children and they are OK.”
It can cover housing, financial maintenance for the spouse and child, school fees and visa coverage so they can continue to live in the same country with their children.
“This is reassuring for people living in a foreign country, where they don't have family or friends,” he said.
“The agreement would cover the level of housing that would be commensurate with the housing during the marriage.
“If there is a divorce, a visa should be covered or there should be a fund so the spouse can always make sure that she can continue to stay in the UAE if she is not working.”
How long can it take?
It could take a couple between two to four weeks to work on the first draft with a lawyer and about three months to finalise the agreement.
Each side should have sufficient time to consider the document without pressure.
In countries such as England, a prenup is signed 28 days before the marriage.
In Abu Dhabi, the couple signs the agreement one month before and before a court official when they get married.
For those who cannot afford a lawyer, the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court website has a form that can be downloaded.
Couples should bring a passport and Emirates ID if they are UAE residents.
Additional reporting Shireena Al Nowais
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
HAJJAN
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Mobile phone packages comparison
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
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Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FuturLab%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESquare%20Enix%20Collective%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%2C%3Cstrong%3E%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)
Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14
Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)
Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31
Bangla Tigers win by six wickets
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
