How does marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners work, and who needs a marriage permit?
Marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners follows one of two legal routes. If one spouse is Saudi and the other is not, the marriage needs prior permission from the Minister of Interior or his delegate under the Regulation on Marriage of Saudis to Non-Saudis (Decision No. 6874 of 1422H), and only then is the contract registered on Najiz or before the court. If both spouses are non-Saudi Muslims living in the Kingdom, no Interior Ministry permit is required: a licensed marriage registrar or the Najiz marriage services handle the contract under Saudi family law. Non-Muslim couples follow separate rules. This guide reflects the official texts as checked in November 2026.
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Which marriage route applies to you?
A marriage permit in Saudi Arabia (often called marriage approval) is the prior permission the Ministry of Interior gives a Saudi man to marry a non-Saudi woman, or a Saudi woman to marry a non-Saudi man. After the permit, the contract is registered with the Ministry of Justice, which checks that the regulation’s conditions are met. The rules for marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners depend on who is marrying whom.
| Your situation | Interior Ministry permit? | Where the contract is registered | Main rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi man or woman marrying a non-Saudi (non-GCC) | Yes, before the contract | Najiz service Notarize Marriage with Non-Saudi Spouse, or the competent court | Regulation, Articles 2, 6 and 7 |
| Saudi marrying a citizen of a GCC state | No Interior Ministry permit, but the barred categories still apply | Court in the Kingdom, which checks profession first; Saudi missions abroad | Regulation, Article 3 |
| Saudi marrying a woman born in the Kingdom (Saudi mother, or non-Saudi parents with valid iqama) | Special rules in the regulation; confirm before applying | Courts in the Kingdom | Regulation, Articles 4 and 5 |
| Two non-Saudi Muslim residents | No (the regulation covers Saudi and non-Saudi marriages), but some nationalities need home-country approval | A marriage registrar licensed for non-Saudis, or Najiz Create Marriage Contract | MOJ procedural guide for non-Saudi contracts |
| Non-Muslim couple | No | Not by a marriage registrar; registration with a notary under the Personal Status Law, or the home country’s embassy | Personal Status Law, Article 8(3) |
Who needs marriage approval in Saudi Arabia?
The Regulation on Marriage of Saudis to Non-Saudis, published by the Ministry of Justice, applies to both directions: a Saudi man marrying a non-Saudi woman and a Saudi woman marrying a non-Saudi man. Its core rules are:
- Permission first (Article 2): applications from people outside the barred categories are approved by permission of the Minister of Interior or his delegate.
- Nationality of the other spouse (Article 2): permission covers nationals of Arab and Islamic countries, and nationals of other countries where necessary, within Sharia rules.
- The foreign spouse must not be undesirable (Article 6): for reasons relating to the person, nationality or religion, including people belonging to beliefs that Islamic Sharia does not recognise.
- Checks before registration (Article 7): the courts in the Kingdom confirm that the conditions are met before registering the contract, and Saudi missions abroad verify the Article 6 condition.
Categories barred from marrying a non-Saudi
Article 1 bars the following people from marrying a non-Saudi. The table uses the names in the 1422H text, so some bodies now have different names.
| Group | Who is covered (Article 1) |
|---|---|
| Senior officials | Ministers and those of equivalent rank, holders of the excellent rank and of the 14th and 15th ranks, and members of the Shura Council |
| Judiciary and prosecution | Members of the judiciary at the Ministry of Justice and the Board of Grievances, notaries public, and members of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution |
| Military and security | Members of the armed forces, the National Guard and the internal security forces, officers or other ranks; staff of the Investigations Directorate and General Intelligence; civilian staff of Defence, Interior and the National Guard |
| Serving abroad | Diplomatic and administrative staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and employees working outside the Kingdom |
| Students abroad | All students studying abroad, government-sponsored or self-funded |
| Other posts | Employees of the Royal Court and the Council of Ministers, customs employees, chairmen of joint-stock company boards and managing directors, and holders of posts of special importance as their authority decides |
Under Article 10, a marriage by someone in these categories can only be approved by a Royal order. Article 8 also bars a Saudi married to a non-Saudi from taking up any of these posts later, so anyone planning such a career should consider this before marrying.
Special cases: GCC nationals and women born in the Kingdom
- GCC citizens (Article 3): marriage between Saudis and citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states is allowed if the Saudi is not in a barred category. Saudi missions check the profession and that there is no note against the applicant. For residents of the Kingdom, the court checks this before the contract.
- Women born in the Kingdom to Saudi mothers and non-Saudi fathers (Article 4): their marriages to Saudis are registered in the courts in the Kingdom, if the Saudi husband is not in a barred category.
- Non-Saudi women born in the Kingdom to non-Saudi parents (Article 5): a Saudi may marry her if her birth certificate was issued by the civil registry, she holds a valid iqama or a special permit, and he is not in a barred category.
Conditions for a Saudi to marry a foreigner
Putting the regulation and the Najiz service conditions together, a Saudi marrying a non-Saudi (and a Saudi woman marrying a non-Saudi man) must meet these conditions: These conditions are the core of marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners who are marrying a Saudi.
- The Saudi applicant is not in a barred category under Article 1.
- Permission has been issued by the Minister of Interior or his delegate (Article 2).
- The other spouse is from an Arab or Islamic country, or another country where necessary (Article 2).
- The foreign spouse is not undesirable under Article 6.
- A medical screening is completed before registration.
- The parties and the witnesses are over 18, unless the competent court has approved the marriage of a spouse under 18.
- Documents issued outside the Kingdom are certified by the Ministry of Justice.
The Personal Status Law conditions apply as well, including the woman’s consent and the guardian’s acceptance (Articles 13 and 17 of the Personal Status Law, official English translation).
Is there an age condition for marrying a foreigner?
The regulation published by the Ministry of Justice sets no minimum or maximum age for the person requesting permission. The confirmed rule is the Najiz registration condition: the parties and witnesses must be over 18, unless there is a court approval for early marriage (also Article 9 of the Personal Status Law). Some websites quote fixed age ranges for applicants without citing a published text, so ask the competent authority about any age rule before applying.
How to get a marriage permit in Saudi Arabia: the steps
- Check eligibility. Confirm you are not in a barred category. Instructions published in the Ministry of Justice’s Al-Adl journal require a government employee to bring a certificate from the employer showing the nature of the job. A person who is not a government employee brings a certificate signed by the neighbourhood mayor (omda) and certified by the police, confirming he does not belong to a government body.
- Apply for permission. The request goes to the Ministry of Interior, meaning the Minister or his delegate (Article 2). Under the procedures in force, the regional emirates receive applications to marry non-Saudis and may ask for more documents depending on the case. Check the Ministry of Interior’s e-services and Absher for the current channel before applying.
- Prepare the contract file. Complete the medical screening. Gather the details of the spouses, the guardian and two witnesses. Have documents issued outside the Kingdom certified by the Ministry of Justice.
- Register the contract on Najiz. After permission, log in to Najiz with your National Single Sign-On credentials. Open All Electronic Services, then the Social Affairs package. Choose Notarize Marriage with Non-Saudi Spouse. Select the applicant’s capacity (husband, wife, guardian or their agents). Enter the details of the husband, wife, guardian, marriage, medical screening, place and witnesses, and upload the documents.
- Follow the application. After you submit, an SMS gives the application number and date. The court confirms that the regulation’s conditions are met before the contract is registered (Article 7).
Marriage permit or contract registration: what is the difference?
The permit (marriage approval) is an administrative permission issued before the contract by the Minister of Interior or his delegate. Registration is the judicial step that records the contract officially through Najiz or the court. One does not replace the other. A marriage that falls under the regulation is not registered without the permit, and a permit alone does not make the marriage official.
Documents required to register a marriage with a non-Saudi spouse
The Najiz service conditions, checked on 4 November 2026, list:
- The medical screening report.
- Details of the parties: husband, wife, guardian or their agents, and two witnesses.
- A mobile number registered in Absher for every party.
- For a divorced bride, the electronic divorce document number or a copy of the paper divorce deed. For a widow, the electronic heirship number or a copy of the paper heirship deed.
- A valid power of attorney if an agent applies. A foreign power of attorney and any document issued outside the Kingdom must be certified by the Ministry of Justice.
- A court approval of early marriage if a spouse is under 18.
The documents for the permit itself are set by the competent authority case by case. The most important is the employment certificate described above. The Ministry of Justice pages checked on 4 November 2026 show no fee for the registration service. Confirm any current fee on the official service page before applying.
Marriage between expats in Saudi Arabia
When neither spouse is Saudi, the Interior Ministry regulation does not apply. The contract is made by a marriage registrar licensed to register marriages of non-Saudis, or submitted through the Najiz Create Marriage Contract service. You then choose a licensed registrar from the Marriage Registrars Directory to approve the application. On that service, the medical examination is mandatory for Saudi nationals only, but every party and witness needs an Absher-registered mobile number. Marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners who are both expats follows a different route from a marriage to a Saudi.
The Ministry of Justice’s Procedural Guide for Marriage Contracts Between Non-Saudi Nationals (Arabic) sets these rules for registrars:
- Residence status: the parties should hold valid iqamas, recorded in the register. If a party came on a visit visa, the passport and visa details and expiry date are recorded. Registrars do not conclude contracts for holders of Hajj or Umrah visas or transit passes.
- Presence and identity: all parties attend (husband, wife, her guardian or their agents, and two witnesses) with their identity documents.
- Language: the offer and acceptance are made in Arabic. If a party does not speak Arabic, a translator is used and this is noted in the register.
- Guardian: the registrar verifies the guardian’s relationship to the bride through his iqama, the heirship deed if her father has died, or documents transferring guardianship. Documents from abroad must be certified by the Ministry of Justice and translated by an accredited translation office.
- Witnesses: they must not be ascendants or descendants of the bride or groom.
- Powers of attorney from abroad: they must state the authority to conclude the marriage and be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.
- Nationality-specific approvals: if a party is Qatari or Omani and the other is not a GCC national, a permit from their own authorities is required, and a Bahraini party needs approval from the Bahraini authorities. For Moroccan nationals, the guide lists extra documents: a passport or ID copy, the first wife’s certified consent if the husband is already married, a certified salary certificate, and proof of no criminal record.
- Residency: the registrar tells the parties that the contract does not exempt them from the Kingdom’s residency rules and does not mean permanent residence.
Non-Muslim expats
The same guide bars a marriage registrar from concluding a contract where either party is not Muslim. It also bars contracts between a Saudi and a foreigner, which follow the permit route above. Article 8(3) of the Personal Status Law provides that a non-Muslim’s marriage contract is registered with a notary, under provisions set by the law’s regulations. Some foreign embassies offer consular marriage or registration for their own nationals, and this depends on the home country’s law. Check with your embassy, and with a notary, which option is available and how each country will recognise the marriage.
Registering a marriage contracted abroad
- A Saudi who married a non-Saudi abroad: the regulation still applies. Saudi missions abroad verify the Article 6 condition and, for GCC marriages, the profession. Once the conditions are met, an earlier marriage can be submitted through the Najiz Notarize Previous Marriage service. It requires compliance with the regulation for Saudi and non-Saudi spouses, and MOJ certification of documents issued abroad.
- Expats who married in their home country: their marriage certificate is a foreign document. To use it before Saudi authorities, it has to go through the attestation chain, and Ministry of Justice certification where a Najiz service asks for it.
What happens if you marry a foreigner without a permit?
Under Article 9 of the regulation, a marriage found to breach its rules leads to:
- disciplinary trial of the spouse before the Board of Grievances;
- refusal by the competent Saudi authorities to register the marriage;
- refusal of entry to the foreign spouse, and an end to the residence of both spouses if they live in the Kingdom.
Article 10 allows the Minister of Interior to approve a marriage concluded in breach of Article 2. A marriage by someone in a barred category can only be approved by a Royal order.
In December 2025, the Ministry of Justice approved arrangements for hearing claims to prove a marriage concluded without the required permission. The court writes to the Ministry of Interior. If the Ministry confirms approval, the claim proceeds. If it does not, the claim is ruled inadmissible. Claims arising from the marriage, such as maintenance, lineage and inheritance, can still be heard. For those claims, a maintenance lawyer can explain the evidence the court will need.
How long does marriage approval take in Saudi Arabia?
The regulation sets no time limit for deciding a permit request, and the time varies with the authority handling the file and how complete it is. Once the permit is issued and the file is complete, registration on Najiz depends on the court’s review. Treat any timeline you hear as an estimate only. Allow time for approval when planning marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners.
Common reasons an application is delayed or returned
- The applicant’s job falls within a barred category, or the employment certificate is missing.
- Foreign documents, such as birth certificates, divorce deeds or powers of attorney, are not certified by the Ministry of Justice or not translated.
- A party or witness has no mobile number registered in Absher.
- The guardian’s relationship to the bride, or the transfer of guardianship, is not documented.
- A divorced bride has no divorce deed number, or her waiting period (iddah) has not ended.
- A spouse is under 18 without a court approval.
- The contract was concluded before the permit was issued.
- For expat couples, a party holds a Hajj or Umrah visa or a transit pass, or a home-country approval required for that nationality is missing.
When is legal advice useful?
Advice helps if you are unsure whether your job falls within a barred category, if a permit request was delayed or refused, if the other spouse is abroad and their documents need certification, or if a marriage took place without permission and needs approval and proof. For what follows the marriage, such as maintenance, custody and lineage, a personal status lawyer in Jeddah can review the file. Couples considering a marriage with special terms on residence or maintenance can read our guide to misyar marriage in Saudi Arabia.
Frequently Asked Questions on Marriage in Saudi Arabia for Foreigners
Marriage in Saudi Arabia for foreigners depends first on who the spouses are. A Saudi marrying a non-Saudi needs prior permission and must stay outside the barred categories before registering on Najiz. Expat Muslims marry before a licensed registrar or on Najiz, and non-Muslims follow the notary or embassy route. Whatever the route, attested documents and Absher-registered numbers decide how smoothly the file moves.
If your case involves a barred job, a delayed permit or a marriage already concluded abroad, put the documents in order before applying, or start with an online legal consultation.
To get a legal consultation from our team, contact us via the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the screen.
Read also:
Sources:
- Regulation on Marriage of a Saudi Man to a Non-Saudi Woman and a Saudi Woman to a Non-Saudi Man, Minister of Interior Decision No. 6874 dated 2/12/1422H, Articles 1–11 (Arabic text published by the Ministry of Justice)
- Ministry of Justice: Notarize marriage with non-Saudi spouse (Najiz)
- Ministry of Justice: Create marriage contract (Najiz)
- Ministry of Justice: Notarize previous marriage (Najiz)
- Ministry of Justice: Marriage registrars directory
- Ministry of Justice, General Directorate of Marriage Registrars: Procedural Guide for Marriage Contracts Between Non-Saudi Nationals (Arabic PDF)
- Ministry of Justice: Requirements for marriage contract
- Al-Adl journal, Ministry of Justice: instructions on applying the rules on marriage to non-Saudis
- Personal Status Law, Royal Decree No. M/73 dated 6/8/1443H, official English translation by the Bureau of Experts (published by MISA), Articles 8, 9, 13 and 17
- All official pages checked on 4 November 2026.
A legal advisor holding a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the prestigious Cairo University. He possesses extensive experience spanning over 25 years in criminal, civil, and family law, during which he has achieved notable accomplishments that have solidified his reputation as a valuable asset to any legal team
