Dating in the UAE can, in some ways, be quite similar to dating in your home country. You can meet people online, in bars, during activities, or at work. You could also explore casual dating or better still, discover love.
The cultural differences
Many expats are not willing to marry or fall in love with people who are not from the same cultural background or religion as them. But that proves to be very challenging in a city that plays host to more than 200 nationalities and ethnicities.
You are allowed to date; however, you should respect the guidelines and traditions of the place where you live. In the Gulf region, for example, dating is far different in Dubai compared to Saudi Arabia. In Dubai, dating is common and you can see men and women on dates in the malls or in restaurants.
Most of the new laws apply to both Emiratis and foreigners. They decriminalize consensual premarital sex and allow unmarried couples to live together. These changes appear to apply only to heterosexual couples; same-sex couples have been subject to punishment.
Well, among public displays of affection, kissing might be the worst of the lot. It does not matter if one party kisses the other on the lips, on the cheek, or in a private place that would get them locked upon any part of the world; kissing is forbidden in public places in Dubai.
Sexting in the UAE is against the law. That also includes nude selfies, as this young couple found out.
It is pertinent to note that cohabitation of unmarried couples is not a crime anymore in the UAE if there are no objections by their legal guardians. Therefore, if you are living with your girlfriend in the UAE, it may not be considered a crime, and there may be no imprisonment or penalties for cohabitation.
In order to use Tinder safely in the UAE, you need to consider the best features of a VPN in this situation. The fantastic social discovery app Tinder was blocked in the UAE a few years ago.
Can unmarried couples stay in the same hotel room? According to the law, it's illegal for unmarried couples to stay in the same room during a holiday in Dubai. In reality, this is not strictly enforced and it's unlikely you'll be challenged on it. Many unmarried couples visit Dubai every year without issue.
The new federal law, which was introduced by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, under decree number 10-2022 regulating the registry of birth and death in the UAE, recognises the rights of single mother to register their children without the requirement of a father or a marriage certificate.
For those single and ready to mingle, Dubai can be a the perfect city for one to meet the love of their life.
Public affection
If you are a married couple, the extent of your public displays of affection is limited to hand holding. Couples who are not married cannot engage in any form of public affection. Kissing and hugging in public is not tolerated and couples who are caught could be fined or imprisoned.
There are certain things you can't do in Dubai and PDA is one of them. In Dubai, holding hands, hugging, and kissing in public is considered socially unacceptable and if caught indulging in such acts, you might land up in jail.
Female travelers do not have to cover up completely when in Dubai – shorts, tops, and bikinis are fine (well, the latter only at the beach though). What is this? While some places have a dress code (no bare shoulders at most malls, and no hot pants).
If you are in Dubai, you will sadly not be able to make any WhatsApp calls to people using the app, since those functions have been limited by the government of Dubai. You can, however, access Whatsapp's texting feature, and share video messages or audio texts with your contacts.
While unlicensed Voice-over-Internet-Protocol services like WhatsApp, Skype and Viber are not supported in the UAE, due to security and cybercrime concerns, there are several alternative voice and video calling apps that residents can use.
Around new areas such as Dubai Marina or Downtown it is not such an issue and men and women can wear shorts and sleeveless or strappy tops. If you are in some of the older areas like Deira or Bur Dubai then a little more respect should be shown and wearing a t-shirt and slightly longer pants is recommended.
Dating in the UAE can, in some ways, be quite similar to dating in your home country. You can meet people online, in bars, during activities, or at work. You could also explore casual dating or better still, discover love.
The TV show "Hot in Cleveland" was right—Cleveland is quite the spot for singles. New research indentifies the city as home to the most single men and the most divorces as well as the second-most total single people, with 68.7% of the city's population unmarried.