13-04-2025
UAE: Can a woman request visa sponsorship from husband after divorce?
Question: My children and I live in Dubai under my husband's sponsorship. If we decide to get divorced, will my husband be required to continue sponsoring our residency in the UAE? What rights do I have in this situation, especially since I am a homemaker?
Answer: As you're a foreigner living in the UAE on your husband's sponsorship, the provisions of Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 Issuing the Executive Regulations of Federal Law by Decree No. 29 of 2021 Concerning the Entry and Residence of Foreigners (the 'Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022') are applicable.
In the UAE, if a woman gets divorced while living in the country on her husband's sponsorship, she is entitled to apply for a one-year extension of her UAE residency visa. This extension starts from the official date of the divorce.
Furthermore, the benefit of this visa extension also extends to the children from the marriage, provided they were previously under the father's sponsorship at the time of the divorce.
It's important to note that divorce in the UAE also involves matters such as child custody, alimony, and child maintenance, in accordance accordance with the prevailing personal laws of the UAE (UAE Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 on Personal Status and/or Federal Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status law applicable to non-Muslims).
You may consult with a legal expert in the UAE to better understand your rights, including how the divorce will affect your residency, financial support, and custody arrangements. Additionally, you can contact the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs for more guidance.
