My wife and I have split but I still wish to sponsor her – can I?

In my column in The National, I answer a question about what happens to a wife’s sponsorship after divorce. While it is not possible for a former husband to keep sponsoring his wife after they have divorced, the ex-wife has alternative options. She can either look for a job and get her own residency permit through her employer. However, the General Directorate and Residency of Foreigners Affairs recently ruled that women can extend their visas by one year after divorce, to allow time to find a job or other sponsorship. Any children of the marriage must continue to be sponsored and provided for by the husband.