UAE Fertility Law: What the 2019 and 2023 Changes Mean for You

UAE fertility law has changed twice in recent years, and a lot of what you read online is out of date. Two pieces of legislation matter most. Federal Law No. 7 of 2019 set the modern rules for assisted reproduction, including egg freezing for single women. Federal Decree-Law No. 17 of 2023 went further. It opened IVF to unmarried non-Muslim couples and lifted the ban on surrogacy. This guide explains what each law did, who qualifies for what today, and what is still not allowed.

For an overview of treatment, costs and clinics, see our UAE Fertility Guide.

Before 2019: Married Couples Only

For decades, assisted reproduction in the UAE was available only to married couples using their own eggs and sperm. A marriage certificate was required, donor eggs and sperm were prohibited, and single women could not freeze their eggs for social reasons. These rules reflected the mainstream Islamic position that assisted reproduction is permitted within marriage, so that a child's lineage (nasab) is clear. You can read more about that in our guide to the Islamic perspective on fertility treatment.

The result was that many residents travelled abroad for treatment they could not get at home. Single women who wanted to preserve their fertility were the most affected.

The 2019 Law: Egg Freezing for Single Women

Federal Law No. 7 of 2019 on Medically Assisted Reproduction replaced the older framework nationwide. It was not an Abu Dhabi-only change, as some sources still say. It came fully into force with its executive regulations at the start of 2021.

Its key provisions:

• Egg freezing for single women. Women can freeze their eggs for medical reasons (for example before cancer treatment) or personal reasons, without being married.
• Storage limits. Frozen eggs, sperm and embryos can be stored for five years. Storage can be extended on written request.
• No donation. Using eggs, sperm or embryos from a third party remained prohibited.
• Licensing. Treatment must take place at licensed centres, under the oversight of the health authorities.

At this stage, using frozen eggs (fertilising them and transferring an embryo) still required marriage.

The 2023 Decree-Law: Unmarried Couples and Surrogacy

Federal Decree-Law No. 17 of 2023, issued on 15 September 2023, amended the 2019 law. It is the change behind most of the "landmark" headlines.

IVF for unmarried non-Muslim couples

Non-Muslim couples who are not married can now apply for assisted reproduction, including IVF. The conditions are:

• Own eggs and sperm only. The eggs and sperm must come from the couple themselves.
• A declaration of parentage. Instead of a marriage certificate, the couple submits a declaration recording the child's parentage. It must be approved by the competent authority in the parents' country of nationality.
• Health authority approval. The local health authority must approve the treatment.

Muslim couples still need to be married. Our guide to IVF for unmarried couples in the UAE walks through the process step by step.

Surrogacy: the federal ban was lifted

The 2019 law prohibited implanting an embryo in another woman's uterus. The 2023 decree removed that prohibition and gave each emirate the power to regulate assisted reproduction, surrogacy included, through local rules.

So far, Abu Dhabi has published a detailed standard. The Department of Health's Standard for Gestational Surrogacy (first published January 2025) sets out who can access it:

• Medical need. Surrogacy is limited to cases where the intended mother cannot carry a pregnancy. Examples include an absent or non-functioning uterus, Asherman's syndrome, repeated implantation failure or recurrent pregnancy loss, or a condition that makes pregnancy dangerous. A DoH medical committee must approve each case.
• The couple's own embryo. It is gestational surrogacy only: the embryo is created from the intended parents' own eggs and sperm.
• Age limits. Intended parents must be aged 18 to 47. The surrogate must be 21 to 45, have had at least one previous pregnancy, and pass medical and psychological assessments.
• A notarised agreement. The intended parents and the surrogate sign a legal agreement before a notary. At birth, the intended parents are recognised as the legal parents and the birth certificate is issued in their names.

Surrogacy is only offered at facilities authorised by the Department of Health. Our guide to surrogacy in the UAE covers the process step by step. If you are considering it in Dubai or another emirate, ask the relevant health authority or a licensed clinic what currently applies there. We have not found an equivalent published standard for the other emirates.

Other changes in 2023

• Free zones included. The law now applies to all centres in the UAE, including those in free zones.
• Embryo storage rules clarified. Embryos can be stored for five years, renewable on written request. They must be destroyed if either spouse dies, if the marriage ends, if both partners request it, or if the storage period runs out without renewal. If you are an unmarried couple, ask your clinic how these rules are applied to you before you freeze embryos.
• Local regulation. Each emirate can issue its own rules within the federal framework, so details such as approvals and paperwork can differ between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.

What Is Still Not Allowed

• Donor eggs, sperm or embryos. All eggs and sperm must come from the intended parents. People who need donor gametes still have to seek treatment abroad.
• Same-sex couples. UAE law does not recognise same-sex relationships, and fertility treatment is not available to same-sex couples.
• Using frozen eggs alone. A single woman can freeze her eggs, but she cannot use them with donor sperm in the UAE.

Who Qualifies Today

If You Froze Your Eggs as a Single Woman

The rules on using your eggs later depend on your circumstances:

• If you are Muslim, you will need to be married to use them, with your husband's sperm.
• If you are not Muslim, you can use them with a non-Muslim partner, married or unmarried, under the 2023 rules on parentage declarations.
• In every case, donor sperm is not permitted in the UAE.

If you think you might want to use your eggs abroad, ask your clinic about transferring them before you start. Legal commentary on the 2023 decree says it eased the rules on moving eggs and sperm in and out of the country, but each transfer still needs approval and the right paperwork.

Documents and Attestation

The paperwork depends on your route. Our required documents guide has full checklists. Two points cause the most delays:

• Attestation of foreign marriage certificates. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough. A certificate issued abroad normally has to be legalised in the issuing country, attested by the UAE embassy there, and then attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also needs a certified Arabic translation if it is not in Arabic.
• Declarations of parentage for unmarried couples. Your home country's authority has to approve the declaration. How that works varies by country, so contact your embassy early.

Key Takeaways

• 2019: Federal Law No. 7 allowed single women to freeze their eggs and set five-year, renewable storage limits.
• 2023: Federal Decree-Law No. 17 opened IVF to unmarried non-Muslim couples, lifted the federal ban on surrogacy, and let each emirate regulate locally.
• Abu Dhabi allows gestational surrogacy for couples with a qualifying medical reason, under a DoH standard published in January 2025.
• Still prohibited: donor eggs, sperm and embryos, and treatment for same-sex couples.
• Clinic policies vary. Some clinics treat married couples only, so ask before you book.

Sources

• Mondaq: UAE's new IVF regulations, a comprehensive overview (checked October 2026)
• The National: Change in law allows unmarried non-Muslim couples to undergo IVF in UAE (26 October 2023)
• BSA Law: Further liberalisation of UAE fertility law, surrogacy now an option for non-Muslim expats (checked October 2026)
• LY Lawyers: The UAE's new legal landscape for IVF and assisted reproduction (20 January 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Department of Health: Standard for Gestational Surrogacy (Full Surrogacy) (published January 2025)
• NMC Healthcare: Surging number of women freezing eggs in UAE amid law reforms (checked October 2026)

This guide is for general information and reflects our reading of UAE law and published regulations as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Rules are applied by each emirate's health authority and can change, and clinics may set their own policies. Check current requirements with your clinic, and take legal advice for surrogacy or parentage questions.