When must your marriage paperwork start?
Enter the date you want for the legal marriage and your route. The tool counts back the published processing times, Monday to Friday.
A worked example
| Step | Latest date | Published rule |
|---|---|---|
| Apply to the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court | Monday 23 November 2026 | Up to 10 working days to approve, then the court contacts you within 5 working days to set the ceremony. The slot depends on availability. |
| Last day to cancel without a new application | Sunday 13 December 2026 | At least 24 hours’ notice is needed if you cannot attend. |
Working days are Monday to Friday, the days the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court holds ceremonies. Public holidays and Ramadan hours are not counted, and the regular service allocates the ceremony slot by availability, so leave extra time. After the ceremony, MOFA's digital attestation takes up to 2 hours in working hours.
More in the wedding timeline.
Sources
- Abu Dhabi Civil Family CourtAbu Dhabi Judicial Department. Read 12 November 2026.
- Civil marriageThe Official Platform of the UAE Government (u.ae). Page updated 4 November 2026. Read 12 November 2026.
- Premarital ScreeningDubai Health. Read 12 November 2026.
- Attestation of Official Documents and CertificatesUAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read 12 November 2026.