Saudis need wife's ok to marry Moroccans

Married Saudi men need to have prior approval from their wives to marry Moroccan women in line with new rules enforced by the North African Arab country.

Morocco has told Saudi authorities that citizens from the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom can have a Moroccan wife even if they are married, provided their wives agree to the new marriage.

The new rules also stipulate that any Saudi seeking to have a Moroccan wife must present have police clearance in Saudi Arabia.
“The new rules are intended to ensure Saudi men seeking to marry Moroccan women do not have a police criminal record,” the Saudi daily ‘Makkah’ said.

“The rules, which have been enforced by Morocco, also stipulate that married Saudi men must get prior consent by their wives.”

Saudi Arabia, the world’s dominant oil exporter and largest Arab economy, has introduced tough mixed-marriage laws within an ongoing strategy to reduce its expatriate population, estimated at nearly a third of its total 30 million people.

The new law, which was enforced two years ago, allowed Saudis to have foreign spouses but stipulated that they need prior approval by a new government committee which could take up to three months to decide whether to agree or reject the request.

Under the law, the marriage must be in line with Islamic rules and the couple must be free of any serious diseases, should not be drug addicts and the age gap between them must not exceed 25 years.

A Saudi man or woman seeking to marry from outside the Kingdom or the GCC must submit an application to a government committee created by the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, justice and social affairs.

The committee also comprises representatives from the Saudi Human Rights Commission.

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