UAE divorces range from hours to 58 years: 519 cases reveal extremes

More than 500 divorce cases were registered across four UAE jurisdictions last year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice.

Official statistics show that 519 divorces were recorded in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, and through the Sharjah Courts.

Breakdown by nationality

Data published on the ministry’s website indicate:

• 238 divorces involved Emirati couples

• 150 cases involved non-Emirati couples

• 118 cases involved Emirati husbands and non-Emirati wives

• 13 cases involved non-Emirati husbands and Emirati wives

Rapid divorces and long-term separations

Among the most striking figures were 14 cases of “rapid divorce,” where marriages lasted less than a month. One marriage ended within hours of the contract, another after a single day, four cases within 10 days, and others within two weeks.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, divorces following long marriages were also recorded, including one after 58 years, another after 40 years, and a third after 36 years, alongside other separations involving marriages lasting less than 30 or 20 years.

Marriage registrations

Statistics on marriage contracts show that 1,403 marriages were registered last year, including:

• Marriages between two Emirati spouses

• 1,035 marriages between non-Emirati spouses

• 398 marriages between Emirati men and non-Emirati women

• 77 marriages between Emirati women and non-Emirati men

Divorce laws under the updated Personal Status Law

Under the UAE’s updated Personal Status Law, both spouses are entitled to request divorce if harm makes it impossible to continue marital life based on mutual respect. Courts may grant divorce if harm is proven and reconciliation efforts fail.

The law also prohibits any khula’ agreement that involves waiving children’s rights, including custody or financial support. If a husband unreasonably refuses compensation for khula’, the court may order separation in exchange for appropriate compensation.

Divorce must be officially documented. Husbands are required to register a divorce with the competent court within 15 days of pronouncement. Failure to do so without a valid excuse may result in compensation equivalent to spousal maintenance from the date of divorce until registration, without affecting the wife’s right to file a case to confirm the divorce.

Factors behind early divorce

A local academic study on early divorce, conducted by the Family Development Foundation in collaboration with the University of Sharjah, identified key drivers of marital breakdown in the early stages. These include:

• Personality traits and spousal behaviour

• Domestic violence and marital conflict

• Patterns of marital interaction

• Physical appearance and health-related issues

The study aimed to identify the causes of early divorce and propose solutions to broader social and family challenges, providing guidance for policymakers, service providers, and social specialists to strengthen family support mechanisms at a national level.

Social risks and expert warnings

Social experts, in investigations published by Emarat Al Youm, warned that the rise in early divorce poses wider social risks. They emphasised that family cohesion remains a cornerstone of social stability and cautioned that increasing divorce rates are occurring alongside a growing reluctance among young people to marry.