Unmarried in Dubai

Q: My partner is in Dubai and will be there for a year, my problem is I would like to visit him sometime next year but I hear that we need to be married for us to be seen together. How true is this and if so does the fact that we have a five year old son who obviously misses his father be taken into account in this regard? - Vera Manaswe

A; It is illegal for unmarried couples to live together, but there is a difference in opinion as to how seriously you need to view this. Some people say that as long as you do not flout it and are not of the Muslim faith, everyone will turn a blind eye to it. They point out that Dubai is packed with expats living together and, as long as you don't plan to get pregnant there, you should have no problems. Others say it is foolhardy to break the law, especially when there are children involved. They say there are a wide range of implications arising from living together and say that the problem can easily be solved by going through a "Sharia" marriage, which is recognised in the United Arab Emirates, but not elsewhere. Your partner in Dubai would be best-placed to assess the situation and find a solution to potential problems. In general terms, though, it is unwise to break any law in a foreign country.