Saudi and Dubai share many ties, so some might want to compare the cost of marriage in both places. So, for these nations, expat couples need to know the realities on the ground. Religion and finance should be considered by couples who want a 2022 wedding in Dubai or Saudi.

Since these countries host people with different needs, it might be a bit hard for expats to get the things that match their needs. Let us now compare the marital requirements in Dubai and Saudi. We will also examine how to cut down on costs or likely alternatives.

Realities of a 2022 wedding in Dubai and Saudi

With the worsening economic conditions in the world, the cost of travel, food, and accommodation has risen. These factors are basic requirements for marriage and this explains why a 2022 wedding in Dubai or Saudi can be seen as expensive.

In addition to these factors, non-Muslim expat couples have to follow the longer route of using their religious institutions and embassies for marriage. If the country is not their home of origin, couples may have a hard time finding the right vendors for their cuisines and entertainment.

Couples who decide not to wed in Dubai can choose an online wedding. It is a very quick way to marry. Furthermore, it helps the couple to save the large amounts of money that go into planning a physical wedding.

Conclusions on the alternatives to a Dubai marriage in 2022

If couples do not mind the expenses involved, Dubai is a good place to marry. They could also reduce the cost of certain services by choosing the seasons of the year when services could be more affordable. October to April is considered high seasons and May to September are low seasons.

If couples want, they can also fix their wedding on a weekday. The wedding demands on such days are not much. In the end, if they still want a destination wedding, then Georgia and Seychelles will be ideal.

If you want to know more about how to marry in Dubai, book a consultation with our wedding experts. They offer reliable counsel for marriage planning.

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.

Getting married in Saudi Arabia is not as easy as it is in the UAE for expats. To marry in this country, you have to meet a long list of requirements. 

This article will give you insight into Sharia law and how it become complicated for non-muslim expats. Moreover, it also provides you with the best alternatives to get married more hassle-free in the least possible time. So, let’s hop on all you need to know about foreign couple marriages in Saudi Arabia.

What is Sharia Law?

Sharia law has legal provisions associated with the rules of Islam. On the basis of it, only Muslim individuals are allowed to marry under Saudia law. No marriages between other religions are recognized by Saudi Arabian courts. This is due to the courts adhering to Sharia Islamic Law.

What restrictions come under Sharia Law for mixed marriage expats?

According to Islamic law, Saudi Arabia does not recognize marriages between people of different religions or nationalities unless you get married outside of the country and submit a legal marriage certificate upon returning. In this case, the embassy would need legal approval, both from the country it represents and from your partner’s country, as well as from the Kingdom. 

Final Verdict on Solemnization under Sharia Law:

Expats belonging to different nationalities want to marry in the best possible place. Seychelles or Georgia is the most appropriate location for them. It is not only filled with the most beautiful and  romantic places around there but also requires more simple paperwork than Saudi Arabia. In some cases, both parties go for the marriage through an online medium due to some possible reasons.  

Don’t delay your marriage by choosing the right place. Book a call with our team to flesh out more information. 

Many western expats from different parts of the world often consider to moving to Saudi due to the industry they belong to. For instance: Saudi is huge in the petrochemical industry which explains why many expats move to cities like Dammam. It is also ideal place for those expats who have a family or looking to start one.

In this article; we shed light on what is means for Saudi to join the HCCH Apostille convention and how expat couples can benefit from this new law.

What does Saudi joining the HCCH Apostille Convention mean?

Previously, any foreign document received from courts, notaries or public authorities needed special scrutiny and legalization from higher authorities in Saudi. This made the whole process of legalization time consuming and long.

Keep in mind with the changing times and to address this issue, Saudi Arabia has now signed the Hague Apostille Convention Abolishing the Legalization Requirement for Foreign Public Documents (“Convention”). This means that a apostille stamp issued by an foreign country would be considered as a sufficient proof for legalization and use in any other convention member countries.

Concluding on Saudi joining the Apostille Convention

With Saudi Arabia’s upcoming association agreement, this means that the convention applies between the two Apostille countries involved. An apostille is sufficient to certify the validity of a document, eliminating the need for double-certification, first by the origin country and then by the recipient countries. This update is likely to reduce difficulty, deliverability, and possibly cost for Saudi Arabia.

Currently we do not have much information on what this could mean for couples looking to marry outside Saudi Arabia in Apostille countries. However, once we have more updates, we shall disclose the same.