What is the difference between the federal non-Muslim law and Abu Dhabi's civil marriage law?

There are two related layers for non-Muslims in the UAE. Abu Dhabi acted first with its own civil marriage and personal status law for non-Muslims, administered through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's civil family court, creating a civil regime for marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance within the emirate. Separately, the UAE issued a federal civil personal status law for non-Muslims (Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022), which extended a civil framework more broadly across the country. Both share the same core philosophy — civil marriage and divorce, no-fault dissolution, joint custody possibilities, and testamentary freedom — but they operate at different levels (an emirate-level law versus a federal one) and are applied by their respective courts. Which framework and court apply to you can depend on where you marry, live, and hold assets. Because the interaction between the federal and Abu Dhabi regimes is detailed and can evolve, confirm the current position for your situation through official channels or a qualified lawyer. UAE family-law professionals who advise non-Muslims on both the federal and Abu Dhabi systems can be found on LEXAI.