Marriage is considered sacred in Saudi Arabia. Family is the core value of society in Saudi Arabia but getting married in Saudi Arabia is an extremely complex process. And since Saudi Arabia one of the strictest GCC countries with regards to its laws, this makes an interfaith marriage even harder. In fact, Saudi Arabia does not recognize marriages between any other faiths.

It is generally advised and preferred by expats to get married outside of the country to come back and register their wedding. To ensure that you don’t get yourself entangled in a sticky legal situation we have compiled the major conditions and requirements in this article. If you would still want to consider getting married in Saudi Arabia, you might want to contact your respective embassy for guidance.

General requirements for an easy wedding for Oman expats in Saudi Arabia

• Valid resident permit for both parties
• Written permission from the current sponsor of the bride
• Mutual agreement of both the bride & the groom
• Completed religious practices
• The marriage contract can now be signed at home for expats since 2018 (for Arabic peaking couples)
• The marriage license can take place in family courts for other Muslim expats
• A medical report
• Attendance of spouses, guardians of the bride, and their representatives

Alternatives to Saudi Arabia for non-Muslim Oman expats

Saudi Arabia does not offer a variety of convenient ways to get married for non-Muslim expats. It is fitting for expats to elect a destination wedding in countries like Georgia or Seychelles. These countries offer convenient and easy marriage procedures. You get a legal marriage certificate which you can then register at the civil affairs office.

Another practical option for expats to consider is to have an easy online wedding. This is especially convenient if one of the parties is not a legal resident of Saudi Arabia or Oman or in the case of inter-faith marriages. 

Easy wedding solutions for Oman expats

Saudi Arabia just like any other GCC country has strict and restrictive laws for many residents including those in Oman. This makes Saudi Arabia unfavorable to have your dream easy wedding. Your best bet would be to choose a beautiful destination wedding spot or have an online wedding.

Looking for easy wedding solutions while living in the GCC? We can provide personalized guidance! Contact one of the marriage consultants on our team now.

According to recent studies and research, people are using the internet for a wide range of services that we had never considered before. Due to the COVID-19, a variety of things have changed and internet usage has increased. But what about an internet wedding? Is this even a thing? Is it true that getting married online involves an online wedding? 

Continue reading to learn how to get married via the internet.

What is the procedure for online marriage?

Well, the truth is that you don’t need to do anything difficult or time-consuming. That’s because you’re not compelled to do anything. First and foremost, we schedule a conversation with you in order to obtain all of the pertinent information and details relevant to your situation. It covers information such as nationality, current marital status, religion, and so on. After examining everything, our team of experienced and qualified lawyers will do a comprehensive embassy check. It will help them decide whether online marriage is a viable option for you. If everything seems good, we’ll begin the online wedding planning process for you.

What will be the legalization process?

After receiving the wedding certificate from the marriage registrar, the certificate undergoes a local legalization process at the respective Ministries and Apostille.

Additionally, if the nation in which you presently reside is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, we will assist you in bringing the certificate to the appropriate embassy for attestation. We will receive the original hard copy once the entire process is completed. If you live in the UAE, we’ll then finish the final stage of legalization. If you live in a foreign nation, we’ll mail you the original copy to complete the process.

It’s important to remember that the wedding certificate will be issued by a government department. As a result, you won’t see “online” written on it.

Let us know whether you wish to get married online and also receive a legalized wedding certificate. We will contact you as soon as possible.

As a pregnant expat in Saudi Arabia, who is unmarried, it is daunting when considering the best course of action when you get a positive test.  

The punishment for an unmarried expat who gets pregnant in Saudi can be significant including: 

• Being arrested 
• Being deported 
• Being imprisoned 
• The inability to register your child’s birth 

Ultimately, having sex before marriage and becoming pregnant out of wedlock is illegal– and there will inevitably be consequences. 

A quick wedding is often essential to ensure there are no issues in registering your child’s birth, as the estimated date your child was conceived may be compared to the date of your marriage.  

What do I do if I have fallen pregnant outside of wedlock in Saudi Arabia? 

It’s essential for expats to go home to their native countries (which can be difficult if you have built your life in Saudi Arabia or have other commitments) or to get married fast to the other parent of your child 

For women who choose the latter, there is a quick and easy solution. For the fastest possible marriage, online weddings are a fantastic option that can take place from anywhere in the world- even the Metaverse! You can opt for an online Nikah ceremony or a civil service, as this is inclusive for all faiths.  

How will getting married help unmarried Saudi expats avoid punishment? 

Getting the marriage paperwork through will also allow you to live with your new spouse and start your lives together in the beautiful Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a family.  

It will be essential to do this in a timely fashion, as previously said, to register your child’s birth but also to allow you both to live together (should you desire). Once married, you’ll be able to live with your spouse, as unmarried couples living together is prohibited in Saudi Arabia.  

In conclusion, the punishment for an expat who gets pregnant before marriage in Saudi can be significant. However, a quick and speedy wedding can mean this is avoided for some expats.  

In UAE, laws and regulations to get married in Dubai for Filipinos and Pakistanis are constantly updated, making keeping up difficult, especially concerning marriage legislation or policies. A major concern for expats is how to get the paperwork out of the way so they can get on with planning.

In the UAE, marriage is governed by Sharia Law. Having a wedding in Dubai is convenient for Filipino and Pakistani couples in this case provided they are both Muslims.

In this article, you will give a brief overview of why Filipinos and Pakistanis residents living in Saudia choose Dubai for marriage.

How do Filipino and Pakistanis get married in Dubai Court?

Instead of conducting a religious ceremony make sure, he/she should consult his/her counsulate or embassy. Moreover, Filipinos can do the court marriage only at the consulate general office of the Philippines if both are Filipinos only.

In order to get married to a Filipino with Pakistani person, he/she must embrace Islam before marriage. This law comes under Sharia Islamic Law. To know more about this process, keep in touch with us.

Conditions required to get married for Filipino and Pakistani in Dubai

Valid permit:

No Residence permits are required. The whole process can take four weeks but the couple must have a valid permit to stay during this specific period. 

Premedical screening:

The medical checkup is needed to check the health status of both parties, and whether they are medically fit to initiate the marriage process. Any public healthcare facility in Dubai can issue this certificate. 

Legal representative:

It is required to have the presence of a legal representative or proxy. A woman who’s marrying must provide the consent of her guardian. If a legal representative can’t attend the marriage or deceased, the official witness must be the next closest male guardian like closest kin such as a brother, uncle etc.

NOC (No objection letter):

No objection letter is to be submitted by the relevant authority of the legal representative as a witness if the bride and the legal representative belong to different religions.

Saudi Arabia: Why Is It Difficult to get married for Filipinos and Pakistani

It is far more restricted for the Filipino and Pakistani couple to get married under the Islamic law than in Dubai. You need to meet the following criteria:

• Submit Residence permit known as Iqama from both partners
• Require sponsor’s permission for a bride in a written form
• Both bride and groom must adhere to the marriage terms and conditions
• Based on the agreement of both parties, all the religious practices of marriage must be performed.
• During the marriage ceremony, the marriage license will also be issued by the Saudi family courts
• You must provide a letter of approval from the competent authority along with two witnesses
• It is also necessary to submit a medical test report prior to marriage 
• It is also mandatory that the bride’s guardian is present

Final thoughts on how to get married in Dubai For Filipinos and Pakistani

The complexity of your marriage mainly depends on your religion. If both are Muslims; the process is easier as suppose to a Muslim marrying a non Muslim.

Still confused about how to get married in Dubai Vs Saudi as for Filipinos and Pakistani ? Don’t hesitate, feel free to consult with our team to know more.