Marriage leave of 10 days announced in Dubai

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No. (31) of 2025 regarding marriage leave for Dubai government employees.

The decree applies to Emirati employees working in government entities and those working for authorities overseeing special development zones and free zones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre. It also includes Emirati judicial authority members and Emirati military personnel in the emirate, with the exception of cadets.

According to the decree, an employee is entitled to 10 working days of fully-paid marriage leave. The decree also allows employees to combine this marriage leave with any other leave they are entitled to under the human resources legislation applicable to their workplace.

Specific conditions

The decree outlines specific conditions for granting marriage leave:

• The spouse of the employee (male or female) must be an Emirati citizen.

• The employee must have successfully completed the probationary period.

• The marriage contract must be attested by the competent authority in the UAE.

• The marriage contract must have been concluded after December 31, 2024.

During the marriage leave period, the employee is entitled to receive their full gross salary, including all allowances and financial benefits stipulated by the human resources legislation applicable to their workplace.

Employees may use the marriage leave at any time, either continuously or intermittently, within one year from the date of concluding the marriage contract.

A government entity may approve the carry-over of marriage leave, or any part of it, to the following year, provided the employee presents serious reasons and obtains approval from their direct supervisor.

The decree also stipulates that a government entity cannot recall an employee during their marriage leave, with the sole exception of military personnel if work necessities demand it. In such cases, the remaining duration of the marriage leave will be extended to commence after the recall period concludes.