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Couples from anywhere in the world can now get married using the Abu Dhabi government’s app without even setting foot in the emirate, the head of the project told AFP on Tuesday.

The idea of online marriage is still in its infancy, with Ukraine launching a service last year allowing couples separated by war to tie the knot using its government app.

The United Arab Emirates experimented with allowing online ceremonies for people living in the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the new version has a much wider aim, according to Mohamed Al Askar, who heads the Abu Dhabi government’s TAMM application.

“It’s open to everyone. Whoever wants to get married in Abu Dhabi, regardless of their nationality, can get the service online,” he told AFP during the Dubai-based technology fair Gitex.

“People can go online, they can do the whole transaction without the need to go to any physical place. We are among the first to do that.”

For 800 dirhams ($218), users can complete online forms, submit all the necessary documents, book someone to officiate and even organise a virtual ceremony in as little as 24 hours, he said. The service is available to Emirati citizens and foreign residents, but also to non-residents, who will need a lawyer or other representative in the country.

The UAE is the only Gulf country that allows non-religious marriages, although the right is reserved for foreigners. The marriage feature was added to the newest version of the TAMM application, which allows residents of the emirate to access more than 1,000 government services online.