As part of the Dubai government's permanent endeavor to facilitate legal procedures for foreigners residing in the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Judicial Council, issued Dubai Resolution No. 22 for the year 2021 regarding the issuance of birth certificate for foreign parents residing in the Emirate of Dubai. The registration process for the newborn, permits registration of the newborn for any of the parents. This decision comes without prejudice to the conditions for acknowledging filiation stipulated in Article 92 of Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 (the "Personal Status Law").

Under the new resolution, any of the foreign parents residing in the Emirate of Dubai can obtain a birth certificate for their newborn by applying to the Dubai Courts without prejudice to the conditions for acknowledging paternity under the federal Personal Status Law. The concerned authorities in the Emirate of Dubai, each according to its competence, shall take the necessary measures to implement the order to issue the birth certificate of the newborn as per order from Dubai Courts which shall be in accordance with the provisions of this resolution.

In brief, we provide a summary of the procedures to be followed to issue a birth certificate for a newborn:

A. An application to issue a birth certificate for a newborn referred to in Article (1) of this decision shall be submitted by virtue of a petition by order to the Emergency Matters Judge in Dubai Courts in accordance with the mechanism and form approved by the Court, provided that the application is supported by the following documents:

  1. A report issued by the hospital where the birth occurred, including proof of this incident.
  2. An explicit acknowledgment by the parents of the newborn that there is a marital relationship between them, and the lineage of the newborn to them.

B. The Emergency Matters Judge in Dubai Courts will pass an order to issue a birth certificate for the newborn according to the form approved by the Court in this regard.

Originally Published 29 December 2021

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