My ex took our child out of the UAE without my consent — what can I do?

Move quickly — report to the police and file an urgent application with the UAE family courts now, because the early period matters most in cross-border child cases. Even without a final custody order, both parents hold parental rights, and removing a child from the country without the other parent's consent can ground both a criminal complaint and urgent civil proceedings here. Ask the court for a custody order in your favour: it will not bring the child back by itself, but it becomes important evidence in any proceedings abroad. The harder truth is that the UAE is not a party to the Hague Child Abduction Convention, so there is no automatic return mechanism — what happens next depends largely on the courts of the country where your child now is. That means engaging a family lawyer in that country early, alongside your UAE case, and contacting your embassy or consulate for consular support. Preserve everything: proof the child lived here, school records, travel details, and messages showing you never consented. Speak to a lawyer experienced in cross-border family disputes today — days genuinely matter in these situations.