Dubai Career Diary

Dubai Courts have announced a significant change to travel rules for divorced parents traveling with children in the city. The new guidelines aim to simplify the process, making it easier for parents to take their children on trips outside the UAE.

The revamped rules remove the need for a sponsor to ensure the child’s return, eliminating a major administrative hurdle. This move is part of the D33 Social Agenda, a vision for communities in the emirate that prioritizes family happiness and cohesion.

According to a statement on social media, the new procedure involves:

• Obtaining a decision from the judges allowing the plaintiff to travel with their children
• Approving a sponsor to ensure the child’s return
• Lifting the travel ban on children through the Freedom Restriction System
• Reinstating the travel ban on children after their return and re-entry into the country, and lifting the travel ban on the sponsor

This new service can be obtained by submitting a request to register a file (an order on a petition – permission to travel with children for a specific period).

In the past, divorced parents had to go through a lengthy process, involving multiple steps, including:

• Issuing a decision from the judges allowing the plaintiff to travel with their children
• Approving a sponsor to ensure the child’s return
• Sending an exemption letter to the Criminal Investigation Department to temporarily lift the travel ban

The new guidelines will undoubtedly bring relief to many divorced parents in Dubai, making it easier for them to plan family trips abroad.