How to get married in Dubai in time of Corona virus? [Updated 03/08/20]
UAE & Dubai weddings are called off due to Covid-19 outbreak
As most of you may have already heard about it, wedding ceremonies are cancelled in Dubai because of the coronavirus. You can read more about it in thenational.ae.
This has a direct impact on a lot of people who were planning to tie the knot in Dubai in March & April 2020. As we can easily imagine, a lot of couples will be affected by it.
Is there a way to get married in Dubai during the corona virus?
Well, as you can imagine, Dubai authorities have completely banned wedding ceremonies previously, in an ongoing effort to slow down the spread of the Covid-19 in the UAE. Later it has been announced that couples can say their “I do” online via the conference call, but they have to submit all the required documents (including the medical screening) prior to the online ceremony. Grand wedding celebrations are prohibited as of today.
The embassies are slowly reopening for the civil weddings at the moment, however they still don’t work at full capacity and it’s going to take some time to register a marriage there.
Not being able to travel or to marry within the country, the UAE residents had to learn their lesson in a tough way. Not everything goes as it’s planned.
What alternatives are there to get legally married in Dubai during the corona outbreak?
But let’s be positive there is still hope!
Due to the current circumstances a lot of people have been looking for alternatives to get married in other countries.
Until mid-march, you could have flown from Dubai to Seychelles or Georgia. Then all the borders were closed for months. But now, as countries start reopening slowly but surely, the wedding solutions are getting closer.
Option A – Get married as soon as Georgia borders reopen
Step 1 – Make sure, you are allowed to travel from Dubai to Georgia
Get the latest travel updates from Georgia
Georgia has already opened its borders for 5 European countries. The UAE residents and citizens are currently not allowed to enter Georgia, however the country announced that they are going to open the borders for all nationalities and countries on September 1.
From the IATA website make sure to check the latest requirements and updates regarding travels to & from Georgia https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news.htm
Once the borders are open you are good to go! You will be able to travel to Georgia and Easy Wedding Georgia team will be handling all the paperwork to you after you leave. Do not hesitate to double-check directly on their Facebook chat https://www.facebook.com/tavgeorgia/
Get the latest travel updates from Dubai
As Dubai has officially opened its borders for residents and tourists on July 7th, there will be no problem coming back home after your wedding, following a certain procedure (applying for the permit if you are resident and presenting a negative COVID-19 PCR test for both residents and tourists). However, we suggest to check the updates regularly.
From the Dubai airport website, you will have the latest news regarding travels to & from Dubai https://www.dubaiairports.ae/alert . Alternatively, you can also contact Dubai airport directly on facebook https://www.facebook.com/DXB/
Get the latest travel updates directly from the IATA website
You can also directly have a look into the official IATA website https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/ they release regular updates regarding the travel bans and other restrictions.
Step 2 – Prepare yourself for an express wedding in Georgia
Marry in Georgia in 1 day only
Due to the regular changes from the UAE & Georgian authorities our best advice will be to go as soon as possible and stay as little as possible. Our recommendation is to reach Georgia on the first flight at 3am, and flying out on the same day at 11pm.
Get all the paperwork and process ready before you leave
Before you take any step, our team will make sure that all is safe for you to travel. Once we confirm that all is good, we will prepare the paperwork using only your passport copy. The day you land our team will be with you from the pickup until the drop off to the airport to make sure we do it in 1 or 2 days maximum.
Step 3 – Get ready to enter Georgia
What to bring if you want to marry in Georgia in 1 day during the corona outbreak
The Georgian border police is currently playing very safe and deporting anyone not able to justify their last trips. Before flying we strongly advise you to bring
- Entry and exit certificate in English made by the border police of your residence country
- Masks
- Gloves
- A health certificate issued by a doctor in the UAE and translated in English mentioning that you are corona free. If possible made 24h maximum before the flight http://www.dha.gov.ae/en/pages/dhahome.aspx
How to get an entry & exit certificate before flying from Dubai?
You can request an entry and exit certificate in English directly from the police office in the airport. Make sure to get it in English & stamped. This will be the official proof local authorities may ask before you enter Georgia.
Option B – Get married in Seychelles
Seychelles opened the borders for the UAE residents on August 1st. It is safe to fly there now as long as you follow all the necessary precautions, like:
- prepare negative COVID-19 PCR test
- book an accommodation, certified by the Public Health Authority of Seychelles
- submit all the travel documents to the Emirates airline (the only operating airline to Seychelles currently)
To help you get married in Seychelles our team will provide all the necessary documents and information. We strongly recommend to contact us before planning your trip as there is a certain procedure to follow, that can be done easily with the professional help, but can get very messy if you try to do it on your own.
Conclusion
As you can see, time is running against couples trying to marry this season. Nobody knows how the situation will evolve. All we can tell you is that getting married is already possible. So if you are in a hurry, you can fly to Seychelles and if you can wait – Georgia will be open soon too.