Govt mandates new requirements for Saudi-expat marriage

October 16, 2016

Jeddah, Oct 16: The Kingdom has mandated new requirements for the marriage of Saudi men and women to non-Saudis.

marriageThe new regulations require that the income of a Saudi man be at least SR3,000, his age be between 40 and 65, and that appropriate housing be secured.

The age of a non-Saudi woman must be at least 25 years, and there cannot be an age difference greater than 30 years between the spouses in all cases, according to the new regulation.

For those men who have been previously married to a Saudi or non-Saudi woman, at least two years must have passed since the date of divorce.

However, if the Saudi woman is still married to the man at the time of the request, a medical report from a government or private hospital, approved by the Ministry of Health, must be attached proving the wife is unable to carry out marital duties or is infertile.

The requirements also stipulate that the owner of the request must sign all modules and adopted decisions by the competent authority, including that the approval of marriage to a non-Saudi wife does not grant her the right to obtain Saudi nationality.

Fingerprints of the applicants must be taken after their information is linked electronically to the competent authority at the Ministry of Interior, authorizing authorities at the ministry to review all civil records and data through the Bayanati service.

In cases of Saudi women marrying a non-Saudi man, the age of the woman seeking marriage must be between 30 and 55 years at the time of the request, and there must be no age difference greater than 10 years between the spouses to ensure she is not being exploited.

The age requirement is lowered to 27 years for those with disabilities or illnesses that have made her unacceptable to Saudis, or for those with special circumstances, such as orphans, provided an official document is provided by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development proving this.

Non-Saudi males must not have a Saudi or non-Saudi wife, not be previously married to a Saudi woman, and proof must be submitted that he has no

criminal record or past in his home country or in the Kingdom. Medical documentation must also be submitted proving absence of infectious or genetic diseases, in addition to documentation that he has not previously worked for a foreign army or was included on the black list for entry to the Kingdom.

The monthly salary must be at least SR5,000, and appropriate housing must be available. He must also have a valid iqama, while the Saudi spouse must attach documentation that she acknowledges marrying a non-Saudi man which does not mean his eligibility or the eligibility of her children to obtain Saudi nationality.

The applicant must not be a national of one of the countries whose nationals are prevented or forbidden from marrying Saudi nationals. The non-Saudi must be of a certain nationality and have documents proving this, while their passport must be valid without restrictions with a remaining validity period of at least 12 months. The non-Saudi must also have a valid residency permit, and both parties must pass a security check by concerned authorities.

The requirements also stipulate that there must be underlying social reasons prompting a Saudi to marry a non-Saudi, and that the marriage visa of the spouse be valid for only one year. In the case of not benefiting from the visa, at least four years must pass before making another request in this regard, with the approval of the spouse.

According to legal adviser Abdulaziz Al-Harthy, court cases involving Saudi and non-Saudi spouses are numerous, mostly related to custody or inheritance issues.

Last week the Ministry of Justice issued a decision giving judges the right to rule that a non-Saudi wife or non-Saudi husband can stay in the Kingdom until completion of the litigation period, and that citizens cannot abuse Absher to issue final exit visas.

Al-Harthy said the decision has contributed tremendously to protecting the rights of non-Saudi spouses, and ensuring they do not leave the Kingdom until after completion of trials and realizing their full rights, as well as minimizing the abuse of regulations by citizens to harm others.

Comments

Wonder Kotian
 - 
Sunday, 16 Oct 2016

Bap ray Bap where are you my friend?? are you hanging around Snake land, surprise you met SAUDI, are you looking for visa to go Saudi?? many of your brother awaiting in this desert land, you do not go for Chumma then you have to have special training not like your snake land training, why cant you come our gods own country?? you looks like Moodiji, both are wife less, why cant you start WIFE LESS GROUP UNION (WLGP) looks better than Terrorist.
then you can start your real GANGASARA business.

Well Wisher
 - 
Sunday, 16 Oct 2016

Hihihi. Koopa mandooka Naren!!! Mandooka thinks that Koopa is everything. Just ask your Chaddi brothers in KSA. These are the rules set by KSA. You may be enjoying prostitution in Singapore or Thailand. Feel sorry for you.

Naren kotian
 - 
Sunday, 16 Oct 2016

Aprushyathe ...Saudi consider them as purest ...and others are fit for toilet cleaning. ..that's too I met a Saudi in Singapore ..he said. ..non Saudis are fit for toilet cleaning ,meat cutting and car and dish washing only ....they said they won't allow their sisters to give chummah to non Saudis in the name of ummah ...haha

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 1,2020

Jeddah, May 1: The government of India and its diplomatic missions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States have begun elaborate preparations for the massive evacuation of their nationals stranded or needing to return once the lockdown travel restrictions are lifted.

The Indian missions in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar have started registration for the return of their nationals. The move coincides with the directive of New Delhi to the Indian Air Force and Navy to get their big engines ready to bring back citizens stuck in the GCC states.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated that the Indian missions in the GCC states have been liaising with local authorities for repatriation of Indians. More than eight millions Indians work and live in the Gulf countries.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said that it has issued directives to their nationals who seek repatriation to India to fill an application form so as to facilitate their travel when the authorities lift the travel restrictions. Similar advisories have also been issued by the embassies in other Gulf States.

The Riyadh Embassy said in a press statement that the purpose is only to collect data and no decision has been taken yet regarding resumption of flights to India.

The Embassy will make an announcement with regard to repatriation of Indian nationals when the government of India takes a decision in this regard, the statement said, adding that separate forms have to be filled for each individual, including Indian worker or his or her family members.

The Embassy is in the process of working out the modalities of evacuation of stranded Indians in line with the directions of the government of India, the statement pointed out.

The Embassy and the Consulate General in Jeddah are closely monitoring the situation and are taking all the required measures to ensure the welfare of Indian citizens.

The missions have taken all the necessary measures for the supply of food, medicines and other emergency assistance to Indians in need and that is in coordination and cooperation with volunteers of major community organizations across the Kingdom.

These initiatives have been accelerated following the interactions of Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed with community volunteers and social workers from all parts of the Kingdom. The Embassy has also been in touch with all major companies in the Kingdom that employed Indian workers to carry out regular monitoring of the workers’ health, especially in labor camps, and take all other precautionary and preventive measures to ensure their health and safety.

According to the plan drawn up by the government of India, the first commercial flights from the Gulf could start after May 3, if the nationwide lockdown restrictions are not extended.

INS Jalashwa, an amphibious assault ship, and two Magar class tank-landing ships are being readied for the evacuation purposes, India’s IANS reported.

These ships, which have a total capacity of 2,000 people, have started making arrangements as per the standard protocols laid out to deal with suspected coronavirus cases like social distancing and sanitization.

The Indian Air Force has been evacuating citizens from coronavirus hit countries such as China, Japan, Iran, Italy and Kuwait since January. The force has stated that it has kept C-17 Globemaster and C-130s on standby which can be used whenever they are required.

Apart from them, Air India flights are also being kept on standby to pick up stranded Indians from the GCC countries.

15 Indian fatalities in western region

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh said that as of Thursday a total of 15 Indian coronavirus fatalities were reported in the western region.

These included seven cases in Makkah, six in Madinah and two in Jeddah. Around 140 Indians have tested positive in the region where most of the coronavirus cases in the Kingdom have been reported.

He said that permission was not accorded from the Ministry of Haj and Umrah to use the Indian Haj mission facility in Makkah as the center to assist the community members with regard to the coronavirus related cases.

“Our medical in charge is in Makkah and with the support of some other staffers, he has been actively involved in lending a helping hand to those Indian nationals who are in distress,” he said.

“We are in regular contact with the Ministry of Health officials in ensuring quick medical assistance to those who are tested positive.” He said preparations are under way for repatriation of Indians once permission is ready to take them home. “We are maintaining a database of all those who contacted the consulate with a request for their repatriation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the bodies of two Indians from the southern state of Kerala who succumbed to the pandemic were buried in Makkah. Naletil Muhammad from Ancharakkandi of Kannoor district, a restaurant worker in Makkah, gave samples at King Faisal Hospital a few days ago after developing symptoms of the disease.

When the hospital authorities advised him to remain in medical isolation, he reportedly preferred to remain in isolation at his residence where he succumbed to the pandemic after a few days.

Muhammad’s two sons, who are working in Riyadh, alerted his colleagues when they failed to contact him over phone. They found him dead at his residence on Monday. Eventually, Ministry of Health officials sent all his six colleagues to medical isolation.

Kottuwala Ippu Musliyar from Thennala, Vengara in Malappuram district, was a well-known social worker in Makkah. He died of coronavirus at Hira Hospital on Wednesday after undergoing treatment for a couple of days.

Mujeeb Pukkottoor, a prominent Indian social worker and general secretary of Makkah chapter of Kerala Muslim Cultural Center, was authorized by their spouses to carry out their burial procedures.

Accordingly Muhammad was buried on Wednesday and Ippu Musliyar on Thursday at the designated area for the coronavirus deceased persons at Sharaie Cemetery in Makkah.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 31,2020

Jeddah, Jul 31: Hajj 2020 pilgrims arrived in Muzdalifah Thursday night to rest after spending the day in Arafat.

Earlier, the pilgrims scaled Mount Arafat to pray and repent, as a highly unusual Hajj approached its climax. They listened to a sermon delivered by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manea and prayed Dhuhr and Asr prayers together at the Al-Namirah Mosque in Arafat.

This year’s pilgrimage is the smallest in modern times, after the number of participants was greatly restricted to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

Tight security was in place around the foot of the rocky hill outside Makkah, also known as Jabal Al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, in preparation for the high point of the annual ritual.

Video footage shown on state television showed the pilgrims setting off on their climb to the summit. They wore face masks and observed strict social-distancing rules imposed by Saudi authorities.As sprinklers sprayed water on them to provide relief from the summer desert heat, the pilgrims raised their palms as they climbed the slopes of the hill — the site of Prophet Muhammad’s last sermon. When they reached the top they recited holy verses and prayed for forgiveness for their sins.

Earlier, the pilgrims were taken in buses from Mina to Mount Arafat. Strict precautionary measures were in place, with each group accompanied by security teams, ambulances and civil defense vehicles. 

When they arrived, their temperatures were checked before they entered Namirah Mosque to hear a sermon that was translated into 10 languages.

“The camps were set up for pilgrims in Arafat early on,” said Minister of Hajj and Umrah Muhammad Salih Bentin. The sermon at Namirah Mosque was delivered by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manea, who led the pilgrims in noon and afternoon prayers.

“During Hajj this year, we reiterate that it is essential for pilgrims, as well as everyone assisting them, to adhere to the precautionary regulations that have been implemented,” Al-Manea, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, said during his sermon. “This is to be done for their own safety.

“Precautions have been put in place to protect lives against the damage that the pandemic can cause, and also to actualize Islam’s teachings pertaining to safeguarding human life by Allah’s permission.”

The stay in Arafat is described as the pinnacle of Hajj and Muslims around the world reflect the actions of pilgrims by asking for forgiveness and praying for their deepest desires.
Pilgrims left Arafat in coaches for Muzdalifah after sunset and will pray the Maghrib and Isha prayers there.

After sunset prayers, the pilgrims made their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, where they will spend the night before the final Hajj ritual, the symbolic stoning of the devil. 

This year, each pilgrim received sanitized pebbles in advance of the event on Friday, which is the first day of Eid Al-Adha.
This year the Kingdom faced the unprecedented challenge of ensuring pilgrims attending Hajj were protected as much as possible from the risks of the coronavirus.

They will then sleep, pray the Fajr prayer there tomorrow and then leave for Mina.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
August 8,2020

Beirut, Aug 7: A devastating explosion that destroyed much of Beirut might have been the result of a missile attack or bomb, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said, as the death toll from the blast rose to 154.

More than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate had been sitting in a port warehouse for six years, but there have been conflicting accounts about why Lebanese authorities decided to empty the shipment of explosive material. The vessel carrying the flammable cargo was heading from Georgia to Mozambique when it stopped in the Lebanese port to load up on iron, according to the ship’s captain.

By Friday, 19 suspects had been arrested and Lebanon’s former director general of customs Chafic Merhy had been questioned by military police.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.