Alimony Law UAE depends on the applicable personal status framework and the payment being claimed. Spousal maintenance, iddah maintenance, civil post-divorce support, and child maintenance follow different rules.
There is no single fixed percentage that determines every maintenance award. Identifying the legal framework and the type of claim comes first.
Alimony Law UAE and entitlement to maintenance
Under Article 99 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024 on Personal Status, a valid marriage contract establishes the wife’s maintenance entitlement.
Article 101 provides iddah maintenance and housing for a woman in a revocable divorce. It also covers a pregnant woman in an irrevocable divorce.
Article 102 addresses mut’ah compensation for a divorced woman whose valid marriage was consummated, where she neither requested nor caused the divorce. Compensation may not exceed one year’s maintenance for women of her standing.
For the distinction between these payments, read the guide to spousal maintenance after divorce in the UAE.
Civil maintenance after divorce
Article 9 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status provides a separate post-divorce maintenance route. The divorced woman may submit an independent application after the divorce judgment.
Relevant factors include the marriage’s duration, the wife’s age, and the spouses’ financial circumstances assessed through an accounting expert’s report.
Abu Dhabi has a separate civil framework. Article 8 of Law No. 14 of 2021 regulates post-divorce financial claims within its scope.
That assessment also involves judicial discretion and an accounting expert’s report. The applicable framework must be established before calculating a claim.
How courts assess maintenance and covered expenses
Articles 95 and 96 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024 address maintenance and its assessment. The court considers the payer’s means, the recipient’s circumstances, and economic conditions.
Maintenance covers basic needs, including food, clothing, and suitable housing. Treatment and health care are also relevant expenses.
Article 106 addresses child maintenance, including educational costs according to custom and the father’s capacity.
Evidence of financial circumstances and living standards may include:
- Bank statements and detailed salary certificates.
- Lease contracts and housing expenses.
- Documented property ownership.
- Records supporting the expenses claimed.
The guide to how long alimony is payable in Dubai explains why payment duration must be considered separately from the amount.
Filing a claim and seeking temporary support
A maintenance application should include the marriage contract or divorce document, together with evidence of income and expenses.
Under Article 100 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024, the court may order urgent temporary maintenance during proceedings. The decision is immediately enforceable.
Changing an order and claiming past maintenance
Article 97 generally prevents an increase or reduction claim before one year has passed since the judgment became final. Exceptional circumstances allow earlier consideration.
Article 99, clause 3, limits claims for past wife maintenance. A claim covering more than two years before the filing date will not be heard for the earlier period.
The one-year modification rule and the two-year past-maintenance limit address different issues. Neither should be treated as a general deadline for all family financial claims.
Enforcing unpaid maintenance
Final judgments and temporary maintenance orders can be enforced through compulsory judicial enforcement if the payer refuses to pay.
The guide to recovering unpaid alimony in Dubai explains the separate enforcement process. The order, payment records, and outstanding amounts should be reviewed together.
