Before printing those wedding invitations and receiving congratulations filled with best wishes, Muslim couples in the UAE are required to undergo a premarital medical fitness screening.
The mandatory premarital counselling and screening service aims to safeguard couples' health and ensure 'no potential infections will be transmitted between them', according to the government's guidelines. Pre-marriage medical tests are only a requirement for Muslims who want to tie the knot in the country, while applicants for civil marriage are not required to undergo the screening.
The test checks for genetic, infectious, or sexually transmitted diseases. It includes tests for infectious diseases such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), Hepatitis B & C, syphilis, genetic diseases, and anaemia. The premarital screening service is available at Emirates Health Services (EHS) healthcare centres across the UAE, as well as SEHA and DoH in Abu Dhabi or the Government of Ajman.
Here's a guide on how to get the service via EHS. Required documents include three passport-size photos with a white background, a copy of the Emirates ID and passport, and the attendance of a guardian for applicants younger than 18 years old.
Applications can be done either via the EHS website or by visiting any of the healthcare centres. The service takes five working days and costs Dh100 for UAE and GCC citizens, and Dh250 for other Muslim couples. EHS notes that a pre-marriage vaccination service will be provided whenever needed, and certificates will be issued only if the test results indicate health fitness.
