Dubai: Celebrating your wedding? Emiratis can book a majlis for free; here's how

Are you searching for a venue as you gear up to celebrate your wedding? Or are you looking for a place to organise a panel discussion? In Dubai, majalis (plural of majlis, which means 'sitting place') have been established in a number of neighbourhoods. UAE nationals, official entities, and Dubai decree holders can book a majlis for free.

Whether you are attending a funeral for the unfortunate passing away of a loved one, or attending a wedding, the majlis is a space where members of the community can connect, bridge generation gaps, and find solutions to social issues.

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If you wish to book a majlis, here are the available spaces, points to note, and required documents.

Available majalis

• Mina Jumeirah 1 Majlis
• Jumeirah 3 Majlis
• Mina Umm Suqeim 1 Majlis
• Mina Umm Suqeim 2 Majlis
• Umm Suqeim Majlis
• Mina Al Hamriyah Majlis
• Al Mizhar Majlis
• Al Fahidi Majlis
• Al Lisaili Majlis
• Al Bahar Majlis
• Hatta Majlis
• Al Rashidiya Majlis
• Al Khawaneej Majlis

Required documents

UAE nationals, Dubai decree holders, government agencies, and public benefit associations can book a majlis through the Dubai Now app, Majalis Dubai app, Community Development Authority (CDA) website, or CDA email. To do so, the following documents are required:

For social events

• Electronic copy of applicant's Emirates ID
• Electronic copy of UAE passport

For authorities' events

This includes a request to book a majlis for a workshop, lecture, or discussion, and the document required is:

• Electronic copy of speaker's valid Emirates ID

For official entities, if all required documents and security approvals for all the speakers are available, the time to book a majlis will be one working day. If administrative approvals have to be prepared, the time may take between 5 to 10 working days. For other bookings, the time can range between 2 to 5 days depending on the event.

Points to note

• For social events such as marriage agreements, wedding parties, and graduations, the event must not conflict with UAE traditions and customs
• The customer must be a UAE national, or hold a decree issued by Dubai
• Official entities looking to book the Majlis must determine the type of the event and provide administrative approval (if available)
• Food must not be served, and banquets must be held.
• Hospitality is limited to Fawalah only.

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Poojaraj Maniyeri

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pooja@khaleejtimes.com

Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories. She is also a typical bookworm, and brings a novel with her everywhere she goes.