Anyone can now marry in Abu Dhabi as govt introduces online marriage app

The Abu Dhabi government has launched a virtual marriage app. Couples from anywhere in the world can now get married in Abu Dhabi without physically visiting the emirate.

The concept of online marriage is still in its early stages, with Ukraine introducing a service last year that enables couples separated by states to marry using its government app.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Arab Emirates piloted online marriage ceremonies for residents within the country. However, the latest iteration has a significantly broader scope, according to Mohamed Al Askar, head of the Abu Dhabi government’s TAMM Hologram application.

For a fee of 800 dirhams ($218), users can complete online forms, submit all required documents, book an officiant, and even arrange a virtual ceremony within as little as 24 hours in the presence of two witnesses required, he explained. The service is open to all, regardless of their nationality.

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“It’s open to everyone. Whoever wants to get married in Abu Dhabi, regardless of their nationality, can get the service online,” he told AFP during the Dubai-based technology fair Gitex. People can go online, they can do the whole transaction without the need to go to any physical place. We are among the first to do that,” Mohamed stated.

The UAE is the only Gulf nation that permits non-religious marriages, a right reserved exclusively for foreigners. This marriage feature was incorporated into the latest version of the TAMM application, which provides residents of the emirate access to over 1,000 government services online.