Can a wife claim maintenance during the iddah waiting period in the UAE?

Under the UAE Personal Status Law, a divorced wife may be entitled to maintenance during her waiting period (iddah), the defined period that follows certain divorces before she can remarry. During this period the former husband can be required to provide for her reasonable needs, separate from any maintenance owed for the children, which the father generally continues to pay. Entitlement and the amount depend on the type of divorce, the conduct of the parties, and the circumstances, and the figure is assessed by the Personal Status Court rather than fixed nationally. The length of the waiting period itself is set by the law according to the woman's situation. For non-Muslim residents under the Civil Personal Status framework, post-divorce financial provision is approached using civil factors and may differ from the iddah concept. Because entitlements vary with the facts and the applicable framework, confirm them with the competent court. A claim for waiting-period maintenance is made through the Personal Status Court. You can compare verified UAE family law professionals on LEXAI to assess your entitlement.